Rabih Geha Architects have completed work on 2 WEEKS, an experiential nightclub located in Biel, Beirut. Spread over one level, the indoor club overlooks Beirut’s sea port and is based on the concept of containment without caging - viewing another world from the inside. Geha’s vision started with a “shell within a shell”, and working closely with the cutting-edge Addmind Group team, the practice of designers and architects came up with a concept offering club-goers an immersive experience through the use of material and visual communication.
A webbed black steel shell envelopes the majority of the club where the main bar, DJ booth and seating areas lie within. The outside of the shell remains part of the destination, with a chilled bar area for onlookers to socialise, while also keeping an eye on the happenings through the mesh, encouraging interaction and visual communication between the inside and out.
While the exterior of the shell remains raw with damaged walls and the shell’s steel casing, the interior becomes luxurious and glamorous with velvet, marble and brass furnishings creating a contrast to the industrial venue. The client, Addmind Group, are well-known for their original, trendsetting entertainment venues and the club reflects the hip environment needed for Beirut’s trendsetters.
As with most of RG/Architects’ work, lighting plays an integral part in creating the experience desired. Linear light elements have been inserted throughout the rectangular composition and this repetition forms a vibrant and pulsating atmosphere, again encouraging playful interaction. The zig-zag brushed brass DJ booth has been faceted to reflect light and the chandeliers inside create a softer more sophisticated mood. Visitors move into the shell surrounded by light, without constraints and without limits.
Commenting on the new venue Geha explained: “The concept is about offering the club goers an immersive experience within an interior shell created to envelope the crowd, all the while still filtering out to the outside via the mesh.. It creates a sense of discharge. The path to the main space, which is the outside bar, is one of discovery, forming a palette of experiences before entering it.”
