Beirut, Lebanon

A demanding program in combination with strict building regulations, in a stimulative historical and cultural context, set the context for designing the House of Arts and Culture, in the city of Beirut.
Within this context, the intention was to create an interactive public space for the city, where everyday "meets" all forms of art in a self-evident way. A contemporary urban space that withdraws its designing principles from tradition, history, international and local contemporary culture.
Two perforated concrete shells, an external blue and an internal red which increases the complexity and the feeling of surprise as one approaches the building, compile a visually transformative cube, a Lantern for the Arts that invites you to discover it.
The building introduces two new urban squares, one at ground level and one at the roof. All spaces are organized around a central atrium, which constitutes the vertical public space of the building that connects the two squares. It is the building's nucleus that brings together all the areas in a unified vivid space.

Location: Beirut, Lebanon / Architectural Design: Katerina Tsigarida Architects / Architects: K. Tsigarida, N. Balios, E. Theocharopoulou, E. Oraiopoulou, R. Henari, P. Hatzitsakiris / Civil Engineer: A. Theologou / Mechanical Engineers: A.Ivancic / Design: 2009 / Total area: 22700 sqm