In between the random scatter of the hastily built houses of this constantly busy town in south Lebanon, stone remnants of the old village and its gentle greenery remain a constant reminder of a beautiful past and a stimulus for a bright future. It is in this post-war context, tucked away at the fringes of the old town, that this house stands, with its stone-clad walls and sleek arches, perhaps as a statement – purposefully ambiguous at first sight – of both nostalgia and dream.

At the outset of the project, the Clients and the Architect agreed on two objectives: to build a contemporary house offering the latest modern commodities, all the while achieving historical and cultural continuity with the traditional local architecture. A dialogue in time seems to be the constant theme throughout the house, blurring the lines between the old and the new.