french-lebanese architecture studio ekconcept architects renovated an entire roof floor of a residential building located in the heart of beirut, lebanon. after the beirut blast, the building of intervention faced a lot of damages but stood rooted despite the devastation, reminding the designers of their strong roots attached to the city. the project titled ‘beirooted’ aims to reinforce this ideology by applying an elevated urban terrace.

beirooted penthouse 1
all images by i̇eva saudargaitė 

 

 

ekconcept architects scattered a remarkable amount of plants all over the space as a constant reminder of the embedded resilience of beirut. the design proposal refurbished the entire roof floor of a terrace property, treating the terrace as the main focal point directing ample natural light towards the indoor area. this new layer is given a very simple and minimal expression intentionally designed as a unit to appear as if it’s been pushed into place within the original architecture.

beirooted penthouse 2

 

 

the design also highlights the idea of sticking to the lebanese roots of resilience and strength through the massive placement of green plants throughout the space. this sheds light on the idea of a stronger and more rooted life. the site was formerly part of a larger property with a fine historic building in mar mikhael giving it particularly great views of the city and perfect sun orientation.

beirooted penthouse 3

 

 

a visual connection is reserved throughout the space, with openings placed on key locations of the floorplan and transparent materiality enhancing these visual lines. the architecture emphasizes experiencing the space with natural light, high ceilings, and lighter tones of materiality. the design strategy of this renovation was to maintain openness and daylight in the public living zones while minimizing the number of partitions.

beirooted penthouse 4

 

 

contrasting this aesthetic is the use of refined materials throughout and in particular the functional designer furniture. the result is this cohesive space that merges minimal design principles with bauhaus industrial edge, to create a comfortable living environment that inspires a creative, thoughtful daily routine and encourages a mindful everyday lifestyle.

beirooted penthouse 5

beirooted penthouse 6

beirooted penthouse 7

beirooted penthouse 9

beirooted penthouse 10

beirooted penthouse 11

beirooted penthouse 12

 

 

project info:

 

name: BEIROOTED PENTHOUSE

designer: EKCONCEPT architects

contractor: habitat contracting

location: mar mikhael, beirut, lebanon

photography: i̇eva saudargaitė 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: yasmina karam | designboom