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. Indeed, a dialogue in time seems to be the constant theme throughout the house, blurring the lines between the old and the new. Through a playful reinterpretation of vernacular elements, the design presents itself with simple, clear and functional modern planning. The house is a subtle contemporary re-interpretation of local architecture: there is no rough stone masonry adorned with teal colored wooden window shutters; instead, the house is clad with a combination of a smooth creamy stone and weathered steel shutters. Carefully proportioned stone arches blend in seamlessly with sleek large aluminum glazing. Vine pergolas are inserted amid the interlocking masses, delicately juxtaposed and proportioned to disguise a wittingly straightforward interior layout. Intended primarily as a retirement home and holiday residence, the interior arrangement is inspired from the typical Lebanese houses. At the heart of the house, a double-volume space incorporating the entrance and the main living room and dining recalls the grandeur of the typical three-arched Lebanese interiors.

Rooms are distributed on either the north or the south side of an east-west circulation axis reminiscent of the principle of ‘riwaq’. At the intersection of these two principles, the main stairs and a bridge on the first floor bind all the rooms together. As is the case with the traditional residences, the spaces have been placed and shaped according to the cardinal directions to maximize daylight and ventilation where required. The ground floor (200sqm) accommodates all the living spaces for the owners, leaving out two additional bedrooms for their sons at the first floor (150sqm), and ample room for services, storage and DYI space in the basement (200sqm).

As most of the year in Lebanon is spent enjoying the outdoors, all the rooms have direct access to the exterior, each with a somewhat separated terrace. The main living room and kitchen meet outside at the poolside, an ideal space for the typically Mediterranean large family gatherings. At the first floor, there are two terraces, one facing the splendid view southwards, and the other offering beautiful sunsets at the northwest corner.