This corner lot has an "iceberg" like geometry, with a small percentage of it on Mar Elias street in Beirut, while the rest of it is tucked into an 80's urban fabric. It is bound by a 50m maximum height, much like most of the surrounding urban fabric, expect for the opposite Makassed Center. This latter is setback from the main street, thus allowing beautiful exposure and an open view of the site to the south sun.

After extensive research and trials to assist the developer in identifying a program, we settled on a two building project, one housing offices and positioned on the busy commercial corner, while the residential occupies the slightly calmer section of the lot.

Implementing a very cost conscious design approach was mandated upon us. We interpreted this given into a spirited and lively skin facade wrapping the offices building, while a more discrete and minimalist expression characterized the residential component. The repeated powerful white beams abstract the residential building, and the office building is expressed by the kaleidoscopic skin composed of four different colors of glass which fill up sixteen different sizes/modules. The north facade of the residential block translates also the cost conscious approach in its design. The walls are simply finished with colored plaster, the AC covers made of expanded aluminum boxes are brightly colored juxtaposed to the flashy rain water/drainage risers left exposed and serving also the step on cornices decorated by personalized planted pots.

Simplicity versus richness, abstraction versus presence, residential versus corporate.

The total above ground sellable area of ~8,090sqm is spread onto 265sqm of ground floor retail (excluding 100sqm of mezzanines and 125sqm of lobbies/guard rooms) , ~3,100sqm of offices and ~4,500sqm of apartments. They are served by 4,500sqm on four basements and a back terrace housing parking and services.