Tag Archives | building

What Al Murr Tower Was Supposed To Become

By Rami on March 28, 2018 in Architecture, Uncategorized

I was searching for some info about Al Murr Tower last night when I stumbled upon some interesting stuff about it. I actually always knew the structure was built by Michael Al Murr back in the 70s but I never knew Solidere had plans for it in the90s.

According to this article from The Daily Star in 1999, Solidere claimed the tower in exchange of shares from Michael Al Murr as part of the reconstruction plan for Beirut cnetral disctrict, and was originally intending to demolish it and replace it with another high-rise building to house their headquarters in addition to office spaces for other companies and a rooftop restaurant on the last two floors.

The whole thing however was called off when Michael Al Murr felt unsatisfied with the terms of the sale and asked for his tower back. You can read all about it here.

Other sources on Facebook also claim that the reason nothing was done with the tower during all the past years is basically due to the damage incurred to the building structure during war days which probably can’t allow for further works to be performed, but I’m not sure how credible is that.

I know the everyone simply just got used to the tower its area was even named after it, but with all the fancy buildings nearby, it looks really ugly now and I don’t mind having it demolished. Doing it with explosives would make a good I guess! Otherwise, allowing graffiti artists to take it over would also be a cool idea.

Second photos via Beiruti Atik FB Page

Raising Awareness on Modern Architectural Heritage in Lebanon

By Rami on March 13, 2018 in Architecture

Banque Libano-Française recently started a blog to engage people with the progress made to build their new headquarter in Charles Helou area, and they’re taking advantage of it to also raises awareness on modern architectural heritage in Lebanon by talking about 12 significant landmark projects which influenced the architecture scene in the country between 1926 and 1997.

As part of this project, the Director of the Arab Center for Architecture George Arbid will be sharing interesting notes, pictures, plans, sketches and studies once every week on a certain building/structure around town.

So far they covered Charles Corm in Achrafieh, Saint-Georges Hotel, Carlton Hotel (demolished in 2008), and Starco building. The presented info are quite interesting and will certainly make you see the buildings that still exist nowadays from a really different perspective.

They still have 8 buildings to talk about and you can follow the series here.

Banque Libano-Française is Getting a Cool New Headquarters in Saifi

By Rami on October 5, 2016 in Design

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Earlier this year Banque Libano-Française launched a competition to build their new headquarters in Saifi and at the end of the selection process it was announced that Norwegian-American studio Snohetta won with their “Magic Box” design.

The design looks cool and I thought it is worth sharing since the new building will be a landmark in the area. The chequerboard-pattern facades look nice, but what stand out are definitely the plant-covered terraces carved into the roof and walls of the building.

Regarding the exact location of the project, the competition page shows it will be built on a piece of land opposite to the Lebanese Emigrant statue.

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Photos via Design Boom

Yet another old house gets demolished in Beirut

By Rami on February 1, 2013 in Lebanon

I really felt sad when I learned this old house in Ain El Mraisseh is being demolished as I know some of its previous owner (The Nsouli’s), and I know how beautiful it was from the inside.

But then again, at a time when the government has no plans to acquire these old houses and protect them, you just can’t expect people to keep preserving heritage buildings while the real estate market in the country is booming.

Lebanon to witness total blackout tonight?

By Rami on July 30, 2012 in Lebanon

The EDL Board of Directors declared n Monday that the company will be forcibly closed until contract workers and collectors end their sit-in.

In a statement, the Board said that due to this step, power cuts are expected all across Lebanon in the next few hours.

Later in the afternoon, the EDL administration announced that it will be moving to the Zouk power plant and called on President Michel Sleiman to task concerned authorities with ridding the company’s main building of protestors. Source

Now that the EDL building in Mar Mkhayel is officially closed, when is the security forces willing to intrvene and send the clowns occupying EDL back home? If not now then when?

While many online campaigns are showing support to the contract workers, I personally support Minister Gibran Bassil in this matter. Those people were almost all hired through politicians like Berri and the alikes, and of course there’s an excess number of them now who are becaming a burden on EDL.

To me, these workers represent corruption at its best in our government, and Bassil SHOULD win his battle against them. Otherwise, workers in other sectors will follow the same path to stay in their positions and keep earning their undeserved salaries!

Photo via Marwan Tahtah from Al-Akhbar

The collapse of Safra building caught on video

By Rami on May 11, 2012 in Lebanon

The below video from LBCI shows part of the carpet factory in Safra collapsing because of the huge fire it caught today morning.

Luckily no one was hurt as all employees were able to escape from the building shortly after the fire erupted. You may also check here for photos taken by Joe of the factory while the fire was raging in it.

Bringing Central Park to the roofs of Beirut

By Rami on January 4, 2012 in Lebanon

I was complaining to a friend of mine a while ago that wherever you plan to buy an apartment in Beirut, and no matter how good your view over the sea or the mountains might be, it will always be ruined with the ugly rooftops all around you! They’re all crowded with rusty water tanks, satellite dishes, and even pigeon houses sometimes!

And today I came across this cool idea by Wassim Melki who is proposing to start growing trees on the rooftops of Beirut’s building to compensate for the lack of green spaces in the city.

It definitely needs lot of work to be implemented, and most importantly needs commitment and support from the municipality of Beirut which is as efficient as any governmental institution in Lebanon. That unfortunately leads us to the ugly conclusion that this project will never be destined to become a reality.

You can stay up to date with the project’s news via their Facebook page.

Beirut city center to be demolished in the few coming days?

By Rami on July 27, 2011 in Lebanon

I just saw this post on Facebook about the possibility of demolishing Beirut City Center (also known as “the egg”) over the next few coming days.

“The egg” was designed by Philippe Karam in 1965 and served as a cinema for a short time before the eruption of civil war in Beirut. For some reason it survived the demolition works during Beirut’s central district reconstruction in the 90’s and remained standing until some artists started using it in the last few years to exhibit their work inside it. And now, rumors has it that it will demolished very soon.

I’m not sure I’ll be sad to see it going, though if it were to me I would have renovated it instead, but I’m certain it will feel awkward to pass by the martyr’s square and not see the egg laying there at the end of the street.

Thank you @SeenKaf

Update:

Solidere denied any plans to demolish the egg anytime soon. They even claimed they’re against the demolition and that the dome will be integrated in the new design.

The resurrection of Zein El Atat

By Rami on June 14, 2011 in Lebanon

I was passing by the airport road a few days ago when I noticed this small center for Zein El-Atat, whose permit for producing herbal products was revoked a while ago, being built near the Fantasy World.

Definitely doesn’t look like someone who’s experiencing a turbulence in his business, right?

Noor Holding nothing but a scam

By Rami on June 5, 2011 in Lebanon

Remember the construction company that made a media buzz back in 2009 with the Cedar Island project it was promoting?

Call me naive, but this company, Noor Holding, had everything needed to let you think they’re doing legitimate business. A prestigious office in downtown Beirut, excessive advertising, claims about hundreds of household units being built, a good looking website, a “golden” phone number (01-999999), and a TV station. And at the end it turned out that the whole thing was nothing but a scam with the founder Mohammad Saleh (the man in the above photo) escaping with 5 million dollars! You can read everything about the issue in this article from Al-Akhbar.

I definitely don’t want to be in the shoes of those who have paid down payments for booking apartments with Noor Holding. These people will probably get nothing but news about Mr. Saleh moving from one country to another with their money…