SOA Architectes looked to traditional Arabian houses when designing this contemporary tower in Beirut, which has been completed in spite of the huge explosion that hit the city.
The 21-storey, mixed-use Aya Tower is located in the Mar Mikhael area, just over a mile away from the epicentre of the port explosion, which devastated many buildings in the Lebanese capital in August 2020.
Staggered balconies give form to the tower's facade
Despite being a modern building, SOA Architectes designed Aya Tower to follow the region's traditional architectural principles.
It contains apartments based on archetypal Arabian houses, with thick walls to provide natural insulation. All homes also have their own balcony terraces, which are staggered across the facade to offer uninterrupted views of the sky. The tower is constructed from concrete
It's possible that this architectural approach helped to protect the tower from damage in the explosion. It only suffered minor damage, mainly to windows and railings, so most of the repairs could be completed quickly.
"The building was not designed to resist this kind of shock," said Augustin Rosenstiehl, partner at Paris-based SOA Architectes.
"Nonetheless, its architectural concept based on massive walls certainly improved its stability, despite its proximity from the blast point," he told Dezeen.
Part of an existing building is retained at the base of the tower
The building is divided into three sections. The ground floor cont...