WAVE is designed by SOMA / Michel Abboud and is located in one of the oldest districts of Beirut, Lebanon. A corner site location in Achrafieh's Mar Mitr quarter imbues this project with corner-site challenges. While SOMA is renowned for double skin projects, Wave wears its second skin out of necessity due to location and exposure: the longer site edge faces south and the shorter one faces west and demands that one extremely important and problematic issue be solve in terms of solar and heat. A unique identity was created through this second layer skin sunscreen. Extensive research revealed that a horizontal louvered system was efficient for sun screening. The regenerated parametric design reacts to an interior program whereby the depth of the louvers is variable according to which interior function it is shading and which interior function requires more or less privacy.
The resulting wave effect led to the building being known as the "Wave" building. Not only does it contrast starkly against the adjacent buildings awaiting demolition and/or renovation, but it also asserts a strong iconic presence against future neighboring structures.
Credits:
- SOMA - Founder - Michel Abboud
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