This first cultural institution in the post-civil war reclaimed area of downtown Beirut, used an existing hangar, relocated from a nearby site, which was re-clad and converted from a children entertainment centre to an art gallery. The cladding is composed of custom reflective anodised mirror aluminium panels, corrugated for structural stability, formed in a convex and concave geometry in order to create a myriad of reflections from the new city around it. Working with the topography, the temporary structure sits in a reflective pool, reflecting both building and context further into an immaterial state. A cafe concrete structure, designed as an incomplete shell to be occupied and designed by different artists sits next to a lush bamboo garden, extending the exhibition space outdoors.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
