Architect: Ryan Dbeissy
Location: Hazmieh, Lebanon
Area: 15000 sqm
Year: 2013
School: The Lebanese University - Faculty of Architecture and Fine Arts - IV

Télé Liban (TL) is Lebanon’s first public television network and a cornerstone of the nation’s cultural identity. Originally launched in 1959 and later nationalized in 1977 through the merger of CLT and Télé Orient, TL has played a central role in documenting and shaping Lebanese collective memory. The project site, located in Hazmieh, a suburb of Beirut known for its strategic position and rapid urban growth. The 15,000 sqm site lies near Damascus Road and is surrounded by roads on all sides, giving it an island-like presence that enhances both accessibility and visibility.

The site hosts two existing buildings designed by architects Joseph Nassar and Jacques Araktinji in 1961—an administrative office building and a television studio. These structures, rich in architectural and cultural value, are repurposed within the new design to maintain their legacy while integrating them into a comprehensive contemporary media complex.

Adaptive Reuse Strategy

The three-story office building is transformed into the Radio Liban headquarters, housing the French-language station (96.2 FM) and the Arabic-language station (98.1 FM). The basement archives are preserved and expanded with a new digitalization unit to convert historical audio and visual content into digital formats—bridging past and present.

The existing television studio is adaptively reused as TV Museum, a symbolic gesture that pays tribute to Lebanon’s audiovisual heritage. This museum celebrates the nation’s broadcasting legacy while making it accessible to the public.

The Television Museum serves as a cultural anchor within the project, highlighting the evolution of Lebanese broadcasting and its role in national identity. Its mission is to preserve, exhibit, and interpret the country’s audiovisual history—film, sound, and broadcast media—while inspiring curiosity and creativity through public engagement.

Visitors can explore:

- A gallery and listening room for archival broadcasts
- Interactive media stations for watching historic programs
- A gift shop offering curated audiovisual memorabilia
- A projection room and media laboratory supporting research and education

The museum embodies the idea that Lebanese culture—though from a small country—has had an expansive and enduring influence through its lyrical and media heritage.

Studios

The news studio, located beneath the theatre, symbolizes a new era of transparency and collaboration in Lebanese media. It integrates journalists, producers, and live coverage teams within one open space—reflecting the spirit of modern media production.

Additional studios include:

- Two Virtual Studios (100 sqm each)
- One Main Studio (900 sqm, capacity 700 persons)
- One Medium Studio (600 sqm, capacity 400–500 persons)
- One Compact Studio (300 sqm) for daily programs and advertisements
- Outdoor studios utilizing the property’s open landscape and views over Beirut

National Theatre:
The National Theatre serves as both a cultural and entertainment hub. It accommodates live performances, plays, and orchestral concerts—broadcast on Télé Liban—further integrating the performing arts with the media infrastructure. It strengthens the project’s identity as a national cultural landmark rather than a mere production facility.

The project transcends the idea of a traditional TV station to become a National Media Center that unites television, radio, performance, and digital media under one institution. It houses:

- The Television and Radio Authority (a newly proposed governmental body)
- Radio Studios
- TV studios
- News Studio
- A National Theatre
- The Television Museum and Archival Repository

Traffic and Circulation

The design benefits from the site’s complete vehicular accessibility. All parking is located underground to preserve the ground level for pedestrian and landscape integration. Circulation patterns ensure safety and efficiency by separating:

- Media professionals and guests from public visitors
- VIP routes from service and technical access

This ensures a smooth operational flow that respects both security and audience experience.

Concept Design

The project’s architectural language originates from the existing heritage buildings and extends dynamically toward a new broadcasting tower—a formal and symbolic motion from history toward innovation.

The architectural concept emerges from the existing heritage buildings, symbolizing that Lebanon’s modernity is deeply rooted in its cultural foundations. The new intervention grows dynamically from the old—an architectural narrative of continuity and evolution.

This gesture represents Lebanon’s continuous evolution from heritage to innovation, from memory to media, from sound to vision.

The design expresses how modern Lebanese identity is built upon solid cultural foundations. It illustrates how a nation of modest geographic size continues to exert a profound influence through its creative, lyrical, and media heritage.

Radio et Télé Liban thus stands not merely as a broadcasting facility but as a monument to Lebanese identity, modernity, and resilience—a place where culture, technology, and memory converge.