In this final project, students were requested to design and develop a full-fledged interior architecture project that addresses the theme of: Beirut a cosmopolitan city, a meeting point between the East and the West, between historic and contemporary, an amalgam of cultures.
After reflecting on the mentioned theme and keywords, each student proposed a subject that addresses either a niche group of people or the entire community of the city of Beirut. Accordingly, they selected an iconic building of their choice that fits best their project’s program.
To be able to embark in their project’s concept and design strategy, students conducted at first a thorough study and understanding of the building and its surroundings, scrutinizing and questioning the building’s components from its history, to its initial and present function, to its structure and its aesthetic features. This study helped the students to take adequate decisions in regard to their project’s integration within the building. The objective of this design studio was based on the students’ sensibility towards the designated site, on their design process in relation to of the program’s complexity, as well as on their project’s functionality and spatial quality, and finally on their representational skills.