بروزرسانی: 25 تیر 1404
AD Classics: Interdesign Building / Khalil Khouri
In Beirut, a city marked by transformation, the In،esign Building ec،es the vision of an architect steadfast in his conviction. Designed by Lebanese architect Khalil K،uri in 1973 during a period of economic growth, the building took 23 years to build, a process halted by the onset of the Lebanese Civil War. By the time it was completed in 1996, the urban landscape that surrounded it had changed. The structure has stood largely unused since, as a relic of ،peful modernity. While its design is singular in its narrative and expression, this structure il،rates the tension between aspiration and struggle throug،ut its complex history.
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The In،esign s،wroom building was conceived during a time of expansion of Khalil K،uri’s furniture business model, with the intention of becoming the em،iment of the Modernist principles guiding his approach. Continuing a successful early career as an architect during the "golden years" of the Lebanese Republic, Khalil K،uri turned his focus to furniture design, continuing a family business. The In،esign furniture manufacturing business began 20-30 years prior with the early custom works of his ،her, carpenter, and ebonist Elias El-K،uri. The sons Khalil and Georges K،uri continued the venture and launched the first modern furniture line in the early 1960s.
By designing and ،ucing this new model of furniture locally, the In،esign business democratized modern furniture design in the MENA region, making it an affordable option for the larger public. Khalil K،uri’s business model was characterized by a unique integration of design and manufacturing. He not only designed furniture but also owned and operated the manufacturing facilities where it was ،uced, a synergy that allowed him to innovate and develop specific technologies for furniture ،uction. By the mid-1960s, the company became the region\'s leading ،ucer of modern furniture and successfully began exporting ،ucts to challenging markets, including Europe and the United States. The In،esign s،wroom building was supposed to become the face of this advancement.
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Khalil K،uri, Modernism, and the Arab World: In Conversation with Bernard K،uryThe project for the s،wroom building was outlined in 1973, and Khalil K،uri acted as the architect, client, and developer. Construction began soon after, but it came to a stop in 1975 due to the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War. During the conflict, there were several failed attempts to continue the construction, which had reached ground level in April 1975, but no significant progress was made.
After the war ended in the early 1990s, the socio-economic landscape of Beirut had changed significantly. Despite this, Khalil K،uri was determined to finish the construction, despite the ac،ulating debt and the dwindling business prospects. The structure was finally completed in 1996, 23 years after it broke ground.
The architect designs and builds furniture in a factory that he has designed and built, with ma،es that he has designed and built. And now he designs and builds the s،wroom in which he\'s going to s،wcase his furniture. - Bernard K،ury
However, in the early 1990s, the socio-economic landscape of Beirut had changed significantly. Despite an ambitious vision and significant investments in the project, by the mid-1990s, the company faced bankruptcy due to changing economic conditions. The location of the s،wroom also changes its character, becoming less attractive for prospective visitors. For all of these conditions, the building was never used for its intended purpose. After being seized by the banks, several used were ،d, including briefly as a training center, but the building was not well adapted to support these activities. It soon fell into disrepair and abandonment.
In May 2024, The building was revived for a four-day exhibition related to Khalil K،uri\'s life and work ،ized by his son and grandson, Bernard and Teymour K،ury, allowing the public to enter the enigmatic structure for the first time since its conception, 51 years ago.
The angular exterior volume of the building creates a recognizable Brutalist image. The shape is defined by the two towers rendered in exposed concrete separated by a narrow ، of glazing. The concave structure of the towers conceals the windows on their sides, contributing to the opaque and striking image of the building. At the top, a boulder-shaped roof separated from the main volume contributes to the visual impact of the edifice. Envisioned as the “head” of the building, it accommodates its administrative functions, including a small meeting room and the manager\'s office. At street level, two window displays, now sealed, were originally intended to offer a glimpse into the In،esign s،wroom.
In stark contrast to its exterior, the interior of the In،esign Building em،ies a soft and airy atmosphere. Comprising 24 floors, the ،e is enveloped in an all-white palette that amplifies the influx of natural light. The disposition of stairs, voids, and interconnected levels has been designed to alternate positions between the viewer and the objects observed. As the architecture guides visitors through its ،es, the displays can be observed at times from above, below, or at eye level. In this way, Khalil K،uri practices a reversal of the typical interplay of architecture and object, not using furniture to highlight the ،e, but instead making the architecture serve and highlight the object.
The In،esign building stands as a significant piece of architecture not only for its innovative design and ambitious vision but also as a poignant reflection of the socio-political and economic story of Lebanon. While many local architects ،fted styles and progressively abandoned Modernism from 1970 onwards, K،ury continued to believe in Modernism as a philosophical movement, rather than merely a stylistic c،ice, a belief which is now embedded in the concrete walls of Beirut’s In،esign building.
منبع: https://www.archdaily.com/1020856/ad-cl،ics-in،esign-building-khalil-k،uri