House of arts and culture

This competition was a single-stage project competition following the UNESCO-UIA recommendations on international architectural and urbanism competitions and endorsed by the International Union of Architects (UIA). 

This competition was organised for the construction of the House of Arts and Culture (Lebanese- Omani Centre).

Please visit the official website for the competition: http://houseofartsandculture.org/intro.html

 

Competition results

First Prize

Second Prize

Third Prize

Theme and objectives

This competition aimed to create a House of Arts and Culture in the city of Beirut in Lebanon. The realisation of this House of Arts and Culture was timed to boost the already very active creative revival taking place in Beirut since the end of the period of violence that rocked Lebanon between 1975 and 1990. 

Freedom of thought, expression and creation; a multicultural place such as Lebanon required a special arts and culture centre. It had to be exceptional in its content, functioning and architecture. Though its presence had to be felt and recognised, it could not overshadow the exhibits and activities contained within and around it.

The House of Arts and Culture would aim to be a space for cultural/artistic production, exchange and interaction between Lebanese people, and especially between young Lebanese citizens. It would be an independent space with the aim of contributing to social communication and cultural expansion and promoting creativity in different fields of art and culture. This also meant the Centre should be a free space of artistic expression with no boundaries.

For more information you can visit the official websites of the organisers: 

http://culture.gov.lb/ar/Home

http://gaiaheritage.com/

http://www.khatibalami.com/

 

Key criteria

Here are some points of the architectural programme that participants needed to respect in the context of this competition:

  • The architecture of the House should reflect its concept, its independence and its openness; 
  • The building should be environmentally friendly, aiming at using natural elements for its energy wherever possible;
  • The structure of the House should be adapted to its programme, with all its floors interconnected and included in a single composition;
  • Special attention should be given to the treatment of the roof that should participate in the life of the House and in the urban environment;
  • Instead of trying to build a “showy” House by using expensive materials for its façades, high quality should rather be pursued by inventive technical and spatial solutions and their relation to the environment: sound, lighting, connectivity, equipment, energy saving mechanisms, waste management, etc.
  • Durability of the construction, its equipment and its functioning should be one of the priorities in its design;

Jury Members

  • Suha Ozkan, Architect, Historian and Theorist, Turkey;
  • Momoyo Kaijima, Architect, Japan;
  • Izaskun Chinchilla, Architect, Spain;
  • Okwui Enwezor, Dean of Academic Affairs and Senior Vice-President at the San Francisco Art Institute, USA and Nigeria;
  • Frederic Husseini, Representative of His Excellency the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lebanon/Director of the Lebanese Directorate of Antiquities, Lebanon;
  • Said El Barashdi, Representative of the Sultanate of Oman/Deputy Chief of Mission, Sultanate of Oman;
  • Angus Gavin, Representative of the Lebanese Company for the Development and Reconstruction of Beirut Central District (SOLIDERE)/Urban Development Division Head;
  • Magda Mostafa, Architect, Representative of the International Union of Architects (UIA), Egypt;
  • László Foldes, Architect, Deputy Representative of the International Union of Architects (UIA), Hungary; 
  • Mozart Chahine, Alternate Jury Member/Member of the Executive Committee and Cultural Advisor – Cultural Council of the City of Beirut, Lebanon.

Alternates: 

  • Olivier Kaeppelin, France;
  • Assem Salam, Architect, Representative of the Orders of Engineers and Architects of Lebanon.

Eligibility

The competition was open to licensed architects practising architecture in their own country, as well as to firms and international professional teams headed by a licensed architect entitled to practise or to exercise in his/her country.

 

Results

 Competition closed. Results announced on March 2009

 COMPETITION RESULTS

Reference documents

Competition Brief
Past
Open
past
Professional