ACCENT DESIGN GROUP - BEIRUT OBSERVATORY
ACCENT DESIGN GROUP - BEIRUT OBSERVATORY
Winner of the 2011 World Architecture News (WAN) Award for
unbuilt category/residential sector.
This residential tower, located in the center of Beirut, is
inspired by the city’s urban form. The project site is adjacent to the ‘Ring
Highway’ that connects East and West Beirut. The tower overlooks the city
centre, Martyr’s Square, and the coastline, operating as an observatory. The
goal pursued in this project was the resolution of two conflicting demands:
maximizing the area of the plot used and creating variation in the different
apartments.
The volume’s composition consists of a smoothly rising stack
of glazed-unit apartments; this simultaneously generates diversity and a sense
of unity. The cantilevered balconies and terraces take their irregular form
from the urban fabric of Beirut, shifting it from a horizontal spread to a
vertical composition. Shading louvers fulfill several functions: protect
against excessive sunlight from the east and west, maintain privacy for the
units, and provide the prospect for a vertical ‘green’ screen which would act as
a unifying element of the façade. Beirut Observatory avoids unnecessary and
clichéd “architectural gymnastics” yet still offers a refreshed take on the
residential tower.
http://accentdg.com/projects/beirut-observatory
