Alam Street Apartment
A contextual and timely tribute to the architectural integrity of Joseph Philippe Karam’s vision for mid-century Beirut: the apartment on Alam Street revitalizes and recontextualizes a design classic in the city.
The apartment is set with within the vibrant neighborhood of Badaro, which despite its location in central Beirut is colloquially referred to as the city’s ‘village’ owing to its abundance of green spaces.
The apartment sits within a building originally designed in 1961 by Joseph Philippe Karam, a pioneering Lebanese modernist architect. The continued care of the apartment by its owners, Karam’s wife and children, has preserved his vision as both a home and a memoir of design.
Later alterations introduced over time by previous tenants were addressed, maintaining the original layout and allowing a renewed sense of clarity and continuity.
The full height sliding windows continue to flood internal spaces with natural light while the tiled wooden and marble floors were refinished and brought back to a polished condition. The rough stucco is also reintroduced, highlighting structural elements through relief and texture.
Some sliding panels were repaired and reinstated where needed, supporting the inherent spatial flexibility envisioned by Karam. Made of solid wood and partially clad with black leather, these panels can be configured to create privacy when required.
Central to the living area, the fireplace has been carefully repaired, with its metal awning restored by skilled artisans in continuity with the original craftsmanship of the interiors.
The furniture selection elegantly combines original pieces by design icons like Le Corbusier, George Nelson, and William Katavolos with contemporary accents from Shigeru Ban, Erwan Bouroullec, and Patricia Urquiola. Each piece resonates with the spirit of modernism to exacting effect.
Courtesy of the Foundation Joseph Philippe Karam.
- Program
- Residential
- Build-Up Area
- 250sqm
- Location
- Beirut, Lebanon
- Status
- Built
- Year
- 2019