Zaha Hadid has completed a top-heavy concrete building for the Isaam Fares Institute, located at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon.
The 3,000-square-metre building, which serves as a hub for academics, researchers, and politicians studying public policy and international affairs, has been lifted half of the ground and cantilevered over a public courtyard and a series of elevated pathways.
The in-situ concrete exterior is patterned with four-sided geometric shapes, many of which function as windows.
A large skylight delivers daylight to the building’s interior, while a screened terrace offers a break-out space for staff and students on the roof.
A seven-metre change of level across the site creates entrances on three separate floors, with a long ramp leading to the second floor on the west side.
The upper levels contain seminar spaces, offices, and a large reading room; the lower levels an administrative program and meeting areas, while a sunken level hidden below the building houses a 100-seat auditorium.
Image: Hufton + Crow
Image: Hufton + Crow
Image: Hufton + Crow
Image: Luke Hayes
Courtesy Dezeen and Zaha Hadid Architects
