Today we present a special architectural project located in a ski resort in Lebanon. It is a curved concrete home designed for entertaining in all seasons. Its architecture is striking at first glance and impresses with its curved geometry. The upper floor, which houses the common areas, floats above the ground floor and provides cover for the outdoor area below. The house also has an outdoor area for each of the four seasons - an inviting terrace for spring, roof terrace for autumn, courtyard for winter and pool for summer. You can read more about the unusual holiday home in the article.
Curved concrete home in a year-round resort
Located in the ski resort of Faqra, Lebanon, the two-story concrete house revolves around its triangular location to create different outdoor spaces with different spatial and environmental characteristics. LEFT Architects designed the project in 2016 and called it Out-to-Out House. The holiday home consists of a rectangular ground floor (5.5 m x 20 m) for the bedrooms and a curved first floor above (5.5 m x 24 m) for the living spaces.
The design is based on a Lebanese urban legend that claims you can ski in the mountains and swim in the sea on the same day. This is thanks to the overlap of climatic seasons that is characteristic of the state's geography. The design of the Out-to-Out House is consistent with the legend - the roof terrace offers views of the surrounding mountains, while the ground floor pool allows for a refreshing swim.
Taking into account the resort's seasonal cycle and its overlap with Lebanese religious and national holidays, the design focused on maximizing the resort's annual occupancy. Therefore, four “weather-specific” outdoor areas were created to provide entertainment in all seasons. Although each area is recommended for a specific season, the outdoor spaces can also be used in the off-seasons. Whether it's fresh air, sun, shade, falling leaves or snow, the concrete house has something to offer for everyone.
The curved house is therefore divided into four outdoor spaces: from the (spring) terrace on the first floor, one can go up through a brick staircase to the (autumn) entertainment area on the roof terrace and through a spiral staircase back down to a (winter) courtyard below open air on the first floor, which continues down to the (summer) pool on the ground floor. This creates a continuous spatial movement that complements the sequence of the house's interior spaces without entering them.
Made of concrete with a U-shaped floor plan
While the ground floor is designed like a simple rectangle that accommodates the private spaces, the first floor living areas are curved towards the view so that they can also look back on themselves. The special construction creates a curved house design that is fascinating not only from the outside but also from the inside. Inside, the curved room features a custom-made curved light wood dining table. The window front also has a curved shape and offers panoramic views in every season.
There is also one that runs parallel to the window frontarched wooden wall, in which flush doors are hidden. The ceiling lighting follows the same line and consists of several LED spots arranged along an opening in the ceiling. Otherwise, the curved space is characterized by an open concept - the kitchen, dining area and living room are all in the same open living space. The style of the furnishings is modern, with the interiors appearing bright and friendly.
The roof acts as the focal point of the house – a place for sunset parties and outdoor events. The railing in the middle of the arch is deliberately made wider and is thus transformed into a bar counter for the guests of the holiday home.
Architects:L.E.FT Architects
Photo Credit: Baha Ghoussaini
