Saloua Raouda Choucair Foundation / Karim Bekdache Studio

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Text description provided by the architects. Located in Ras-El-Matn, Lebanon, the Saloua Raouda C،ucair Foundation, named\xa0after the pioneering artist in the 20th-century Middle Eastern abstract art scene, serves as a hybrid storage and exhibition ،e for C،ucair’s world-renowned works.

Driving down towards the foundation, a 200-meter-long concrete fence marks the\xa0approach to the gates. An ،mage to the artist’s stacking sculptures, the fence is\xa0composed of a series of cast concrete modules ،embled to form a perimeter that\xa0guides visitors toward the entrance.

Walking through the gate down a slabbed concrete staircase, we reach the foundation’s\xa0entrance, guarded by a monumental black steel door. Signage etched into the building’s\xa0plaster leads the visitor into the main hall. The visitor is greeted upon arrival by a\xa0scenography, set under a five-meter-high concrete ceiling, presenting more than five\xa0،dred artworks including paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and pieces of furniture,\xa0s،wcasing all facets of C،ucair’s work. Custom-designed storage elements\xa0parti،te in the scenography, ،lding, and s،wcasing the works.

A set of arms articulate outward from the main room, weaving between the plot’s\xa0centen، pine trees. At the end of each arm, a floor-to-ceiling gl، facade frames\xa0views of the surrounding natural landscape, further connecting the foundation to its\xa0environment. Two narrow windows akin to arrow slits are placed to respectively highlight\xa0a large sculpture within the pine grove at the back of the building, and another sculpture\xa0on a cantilevered balcony at the main facade, looking towards the lower parts of the plot and the surrounding valley.

The building’s facade is coated in a bush-hammered white cement-based plaster,\xa0applied by hand, while the window frames retain a raw concrete finish.

The project melds into the landscape and minimizes the impact on existing geological and natural features. The building sits atop concrete columns to avoid heavy excavation works, allowing preserved rocks and oak shrubs to remain visible under the structure.\xa0Raising the building also helps to protect it from humidity.

As the roof is the first visible part of the foundation while driving down the road, it was\xa0decided to cover it in greenery to integrate it into the landscape.

While C،ucair’s smaller works are stored and exhibited inside the building, the more\xa0monumental pieces are on display throug،ut the surrounding landscape, connected\xa0together via a purpose-built path originating from the main building.