Piazza Library and Hotel - Jounieh, Lebanon
This project aims to regenerate the old sea side souk in the Lebanese coastal city of Jounieh. The intervention consists of a public library situated on the seaside , which provides a double sided amphitheatre on its slanted structure providing views of both the sea, and the traditional lebanese houses in the old Jounieh town , to emphasise the lebanese architectural heritage. The amphitheatre is equipped with a movie projector, which projects films that are available to the public from the surface of the Library/Amphitheatre onto the walls of the buildings facing it , in order to generate social and cultural activity in the piazza which is formed from the library and the space around its adjacent buildings. A hotel is designed within one of these old traditional adjacent buildings to accommodate for this newly generated social and cultural activity within the piazza. The hotel combines a traditional Lebanese exterior design with a modern attachment to accommodate for more room space on the second floor. The hotel also boasts a roof garden which provides stunning panoramic views of the Jounieh bay area.
The Library interior beneath the amphitheatre provides a space for intellectual and cultural activities within the heart of the old Jounieh town. The structure also boasts a literary cafe in addition to exhibition spaces and a conference hall, which aims to return this historic city to its glory days of cultural activity. The piazza , which is framed by the library and surrounding buildings, is designed to regenerate free public interaction, flow, and cultural activity within Jounieh's old sea side. The city suffers from heavy congestion and a complete lack of urban planning, which leaves it with little viable public space which is constructively exploited. The library and piazza project aims to revive the vibrant cafe, retail, and entertainment heritage and culture of the city within the scope of traditional lebanese architecture, enhanced by the vibrant modern design of the library structure, which boasts openings and wooden louvres that provide natural frames for the town and the seaside, from within this stone structure.
The Library interior beneath the amphitheatre provides a space for intellectual and cultural activities within the heart of the old Jounieh town. The structure also boasts a literary cafe in addition to exhibition spaces and a conference hall, which aims to return this historic city to its glory days of cultural activity. The piazza , which is framed by the library and surrounding buildings, is designed to regenerate free public interaction, flow, and cultural activity within Jounieh's old sea side. The city suffers from heavy congestion and a complete lack of urban planning, which leaves it with little viable public space which is constructively exploited. The library and piazza project aims to revive the vibrant cafe, retail, and entertainment heritage and culture of the city within the scope of traditional lebanese architecture, enhanced by the vibrant modern design of the library structure, which boasts openings and wooden louvres that provide natural frames for the town and the seaside, from within this stone structure.
