A project we have been monitoring for some time now, Beirut Terraces by the world renowned architects Herzog & DeMeuron, is finally completed. The project was initiated in 2009. More details below:
Description by the architects:
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 revitalise 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.
