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The city of Beirut lies in the heart of the developing Middle East. Having always been a cosmopolitan city, it is a focal point of the region as a cultural and geographical link between Europe and the Middle East.
The history of Beirut could hardly be more diverse; remains of Phoenician, Roman, Mamluk, Ottoman and Colonial rule have shaped the city and its buildings. The design of Beirut Terraces was quite literally influenced by the layers of the city’s rich and tumultuous history.
It is a history now also marked by inescapable traces of an eventful present. For generations to come, the people of Beirut will remember the assassination in 2005 of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, when a car bomb detonated in front of St. Georges Hotel. The resultant devastation is still visible as a daily reminder.
Despite a scarred history, there is a clear vision to rehabilitate the area, with a master plan well under way that aims to rebuild and revitalize this part of Beirut. The site of Beirut Terraces is in a portion of the master plan dedicated to office and residential high-rise buildings, in the vicinity of a new yacht marina.
Architecture
The structure and appearance of the proposed building are informed with an awareness and respect for the city’s past, as well as the self-confidence and optimism of contemporary Beirut. Five principles define the project: layers and terraces, inside and outside, vegetation, views and privacy, light and identity.
The result is a vertically layered building: slabs of varying sizes allow for interplay between openness and privacy that fosters flexible living between inside and outside.
Fine detailing and a focus on the concerted orchestration of quality materials produce a structure that is both efficient and luxurious. Careful environmental engineering and specific use of vegetation further enhance sustainability and the quality of life within the building.
Layers and Terraces
The building is a multilayered 119-metre tall high-rise. The stratified structure is distinguished by projecting or set back living areas that generate terraces and overhangs, light and shadow, places of shelter and exposure. As a result, each unit is unique and variations in the layout of the apartments on each layer thoughtfully shape a new neighbourhood.
Light and Identity
Extensive overhangs provide shade and reduce solar gain. The slabs of each floor protrude around their entire circumference by a minimum of 60 centimetres, easing construction and maintenance of the extensive double-galzed façades. The floor plates are thick enough to balance the daily temperature cycles by virtue of their thermal mass, storing cold through the night and releasing it during the day.
Such passive strategies make the building a truly sustainable place to live in. Where necessary, perforations in the overhangs modulate the lighting and exposure to the sun.
Their density, shape, and the shadows they generate form a striking pattern that gives the tower a distinctive identity and sets it off from its surroundings.
Structure
To guarantee sufficient differentiation of the building volume and maintain reasonable building ratio, the tower is made of five modular floors, repeated in different combinations. The structure is carried by the core and a regular column-grid that spans up to 14.7 metres.
As a result the walls of the apartments are not structural and their arrangement is open to future flexibility. Each quarter of the tower has its own lobby with elevators serving no more than two apartments at a time. For greater efficiency, two lobbies share service elevators, MEP risers, and fire escapes.
Apartments
The mix of apartments of different sizes and types, including multi-storey duplexes, are distributed throughout the building, offering a variety of conditions to meet each tenant’s needs and provide each level with a unique identity. The apartments generally consist of three areas: a public reception area, a private living space, and a service area.
The foyer and grand living room in the reception area include areas for seating and dining with access to a spacious viewing terrace. The private space features a family living room and bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and walk-in closets and often also includes access to a terrace. The service area comprises a kitchen with storage and laundry room attached and a maid’s bedroom with bathroom. All the main spaces, such as living rooms and bedrooms, provide a clear height of 3.31 metres.
Amenities Beirut Terraces provides amenities for residents at the entry level, such as a generous spa with pool, sauna, steam and massage rooms and shopping facilities along the eastern boulevard.
Parking Vehicle access and parking is separated between visitors and residents. Visitors enter by car from the north to parking on a lower level. Residents enter through a gate at the south on street level to a circular driveway, where passengers are dropped off at the main lobby. Ramps flanking the driveway provide direct access to secure underground parking levels.
Site
The city of Beirut finds itself at the heart of the developing Middle East. As a cosmopolitan city throughout its existence, it always figured as a cultural hub of the region and – culturally as well as geographically – functioned as a link between Europe and the Middle East. By consequence Beirut’s urban history could hardly be more diverse; remains of Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Mamluk, Ottoman and colonial rule have shaped the city and its buildings, just as its past and eventful present have left their mark.
The design of Beirut Terraces was quite literally influenced by the layers of the city’s rich and tumultuous history. The most immediate historical event, which those from Beirut will remember for generations to come, is that of the assassination of the Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, which occurred when his car detonated in front of the St.Georges Hotel, its ruins are still visible as a daily reminder. Adjacent to the site there is a vast landfill of war-debris and trash from the several bombings since the 1970’s, but in the future this will change. Despite the scarred history, there is a clear vision to rehabilitate the area, the current masterplan already well under way aims to rebuild and bring life back to this part of Beirut. The site is located in a portion of the masterplan dedicated to building office and residential high rise buildings and is closely related to a new yachting marina.
Site
The city of Beirut finds itself at the heart of the developing Middle East. As a cosmopolitan city throughout its existence, it always figured as a cultural hub of the region and – culturally as well as geographically – functioned as a link between Europe and the Middle East. By consequence Beirut’s urban history could hardly be more diverse; remains of Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Mamluk, Ottoman and colonial rule have shaped the city and its buildings, just as its past and eventful present have left their mark.
The design of Beirut Terraces was quite literally influenced by the layers of the city’s rich and tumultuous history. The most immediate historical event, which those from Beirut will remember for generations to come, is that of the assassination of the Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, which occurred when his car detonated in front of the St.Georges Hotel, its ruins are still visible as a daily reminder. Adjacent to the site there is a vast landfill of war-debris and trash from the several bombings since the 1970’s, but in the future this will change. Despite the scarred history, there is a clear vision to rehabilitate the area, the current masterplan already well under way aims to rebuild and bring life back to this part of Beirut. The site is located in a portion of the masterplan dedicated to building office and residential high rise buildings and is closely related to a new yachting marina.
Amenities
Beirut Terraces provides the residents with amenities at the entry level such as a generous spa with pool, sauna, steam and massage rooms and shopping facilities along the boulevard.
Parking
Parking is fully split between visitors and residents. The visitors enter by car from north, while the residents’ cars enter through the main gate to the south. Upon entering they first drop off their passengers, and then use the ramps that flank the circular driveway to descend directly to the restricted lower levels. When leaving the building the passengers are picked up in front of the main lobby and exit through the gate.
Project Name: Beirut Terraces
Address: Plot 1801 and Plot 1802, Block 18, Beirut Central District, Lebanon
Project Phases
Competition: March – June 2009
Schematic Design: October 2009 – April 2010
Design Development: April – September 2010
Construction Documents: September 2010 – April 2011
Construction: June 2011 – June 2013
Herzog & de Meuron Architekten
Herzog & de Meuron Basel Ltd., is a Swiss based architecture firm with its head office in Basel, Switzerland, founded by Jacques Herzog (born 19 April 1950) and Pierre de Meuron (born 8 May 1950). Both attending the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. They are perhaps best known for their conversion of the giant Bankside Power Station in London to the new home of Tate Modern.
Herzog and de Meuron have been professors at ETH Zürich from 1999 until 2018, co-founding ETH Studio Basel in 1999 with architects Roger Diener and Marcel Meili in the department of architecture. Both have been visiting professors at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, with Jacques Herzog also a visiting tutor at Cornell University College of Architecture, Art and Planning.
According to public records, the Beirut Terraces is owned by DIB Tower SAL and TOWN Tower SAL.
The building design was inspired by the classic and contemporary history of Beirut. It has a unique architectural design, which is characterized by its terraces and overhangs that were projected differently, thus forming a stack of layers building shape. This creates a harmony between the building and the cityscape.
The overhangs also provide shade and reduce solar gain.To facilitate the facades construction and upkeep, while also create terraces and protect the tenants from direct heat, the slabs of each floor were extended around their perimeter by at least 60 cm (24 in) and sustained by columns at the corners of the building. Daily temperature cycles are also balanced by the slabs’ thermal mass. As a result, this system made the building design sustainable for a living.
source : archdaily _ wikipedia _ archello _ dezeen _ wikipedia
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