This summer beach house for a family of five and guests is located in Fidar, Jbeil,
north of Beirut on the Lebanese Mediterranean coast. Due to the natural setting, the
site is restricted by a mandatory 10 meter setback from the shoreline. This limits the
house’s position to a relatively flat area between a small private shore road and the
Mediterranean Sea. The architectural strategy is driven by the desire to preserve the
natural character of the seaside setting by seamlessly integrating into the existing
landscape. The modernist architecture language employed in this project combines
programmatic and tectonic concepts merged into a distinctly contemporary Lebanese
beach house.
Public zones are placed at site entry level and private spaces are positioned at the
lower levels. The top level is constructed as a platform elevated on short columns, with
the intent to minimally touch the natural rocky landscape yet enhancing the view of the
shoreline. The edge of the deck is lowered, along with the strip adjacent to it in order
to remove any element blocking the view. Elevating and lowering the terraces creates a
sequence of exterior public seating conditions that further animates the outdoor deck.
The stairwell and entrance hall are grouped with lighting and ventilation shafts to
create distinctions between the different levels of public spaces. The outdoor pergola
and shower cabin further extend this delineation. The platform rests on the bedrooms
which are placed as close as possible to the shore. This personalized connectivity
is further explored through tailored openings catering to different programmatic
requirements, as well as highlighting specific events in the surrounding environment.
By their plug-in qualities the guest area enjoys the independence of a guest-house
while connecting to the main house.
Giriş kat planı / Ground floor plan
1- Misafir yatak odası / Guest bedroom 2- Yatak odası / Bedroom
3- Ebeveyn yatak odası / Master bedroom 4- Oturma odası / Living room
5- Giysi odası / Closet space 6- Su tankı / Water tank 7- Yedek su tankı / Secondary water tank
8- Banyo / Bathroom 9- Tesisat odası / Mechanical room 10- Teras / Terrace
Birinci kat planı / First floor plan
1- Giriş / Entrance 2- WC 3- Oturma odası / Living room
4- Yemek odası / Dining room 5- Mutfak / Kitchen
6- Çamaşırhane / Laundry room
7- Hizmetli yatak odası / Service bedroom
8- Banyo / Bathroom 9- WC-duş / Outdoor WC-shower
10- Teras / Terrace
TEMMUZ - AĞUSTOS 2013 / JULY - AUGUST 2013 • NATURA 105