{"id":10334,"date":"2026-07-17T13:58:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T13:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maaloufarchitects.com\/?post_type=press_article&p=10334"},"modified":"2026-08-10T11:45:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T11:45:09","slug":"galerie-magazine-the-ultimate-art-design-guide-to-beirut","status":"publish","type":"press_article","link":"https:\/\/maaloufarchitects.com\/?press_article=galerie-magazine-the-ultimate-art-design-guide-to-beirut","title":{"rendered":"Galerie Magazine – The Ultimate Art & Design Guide to Beirut"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Ultimate Art and Design Guide to Beirut<\/h1>\n

A thrilling cultural revival is putting the storied Lebanese capital back on the map.<\/p>\n

By\u00a0Alya Chehab<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n

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\"Panoramic<\/div>
A sweeping view of Beirut from the historic village of Harissa.Photo: Walid Rashid<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\"Yellow<\/figure>\n

The charming Hotel Albergo.Courtesy of Hotel Albergo.<\/span><\/p>\n

A popular local legend says that Beirut was destroyed seven times. And seven times it was rebuilt. In the 1960s, the city was known for its vibrant social scene, attracting artists and glamorous jet-setters. Located on the Mediterranean Sea and fringed by dramatic mountains, the city, with its cosmopolitan-leaning and intellectual lifestyle, had earned itself the nickname Paris of the Middle East. Lebanon\u2019s civil war of 1975\u201390 wiped out all of it. All except that unique spirit of creativity that seems to blossom as an antidote to destruction.<\/p>\n

Rising out of the tumultuous years of war, Beirut is once again alive with cultural activity. Kicking off on September 19, the\u00a0Beirut Art Fair<\/a> returns for its ninth edition, gathering roughly 50 contemporary art galleries, some from the Middle East and North Africa.\u00a0 A major satellite exhibition, \u201cCycles of Collapsing Progress,\u201d will breathe life into the International\u00a0Fairground at Tripoli, the series of half-finished sculptural buildings designed by Pritzker Prize\u2013winning architect Oscar Niemeyer in the 1960s. Taking place the same week is the eagerly anticipated second\u00a0Beirut Design Fair<\/a>, which aims to promote the burgeoning Lebanese design scene.<\/p>\n

\"Modern<\/figure>\n

The showroom and studio of local interior designer Nada Debs.Marco Piranelli, Courtesy of Studio Nada Debs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s something magical about the mix of heritage and modernity, and the upcoming fairs make this even more palpable,\u201d says Beirut-born, Paris-based architect\u00a0Aline Asmar d\u2019Amman<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Recommended: Interior Designer Aline Asmar d\u2019Amman\u2019s Shares Her Inspirations<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Across the city, a slew of new private art foundations and galleries have recently cropped up. One symbol of the city\u2019s renaissance is the\u00a0A\u00efshti Foundation<\/a>, a striking 375,000-square-foot waterfront art space and retail complex that opened in 2015. Designed by architect Sir David Adjaye, it was conceived by retail magnate Tony Salam\u00e9 to showcase his private contemporary art collection.<\/p>\n

\"Person<\/figure>\n

Sfeir-Semler Gallery is one of the city\u2019s dynamic contemporary art spaces.Walid Rashid<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Modern<\/figure>\n

The Aishti Foundation designed by David Adjaye.Guillaume Ziccarelli<\/span><\/p>\n

For a dose of the city\u2019s ancient history, the Beirut National Museum contains an extraordinary collection of archaeological artifacts, including relics from the Phoenician civilization. Nearby, the impressive\u00a0Mim Museum<\/a>, which houses a mineral collection, is a treasure.<\/p>\n

Other institutions strive to reconnect Beirut to its legendary past. The\u00a0Sursock Museum<\/a>, for example, is a Venetian- and Ottoman-style mansion that was built in 1912 and recently reopened after a $10 million renovation by the French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. This fall, don\u2019t miss the 33rd edition of the \u201cSalon d\u2019Automne,\u201d a yearly showcase of established and emerging talents.<\/p>\n

\"Elegant<\/figure>\n

Executive Suite at the Hotel Albergo.Courtesy of Hotel Albergo<\/span><\/p>\n

Another restored architectural beauty is the haunting\u00a0Beit Beirut<\/a>, an imposing neo-Ottoman building that was used as a sniper bunker during the civil war. Once dubbed the Yellow House due to its distinctive colored stone, the structure, with its hollow, bullet-riddled fa\u00e7ade, which has been intentionally preserved, now serves as an urban cultural center dedicated to the memory of the war.<\/p>\n

In the historic center of Beirut, the elegant\u00a0Hotel Albergo<\/a>\u00a0offers visitors the chance to spend the night in a stately Lebanese building, with each room uniquely inspired by the old city. Other charming stays include the\u00a0Villa Clara boutique hotel<\/a>, with its seven rooms decorated with antique furniture and paintings by local artists, and the cozy guesthouse\u00a0Beit El Tawlet<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Caf\u00e9<\/figure>\n

The Salon Beyrouth jazz and whiskey bar features glamorous Art Deco touches.Courtesy of Antoine Maalouf Architects<\/span><\/p>\n

To experience Beirut\u2019s rich culinary traditions,\u00a0Liza Beirut<\/a>\u00a0offers the best modern Lebanese cuisine. Nestled in a 19th-century townhouse, the restaurant showcases stylish interiors by Maria Ousseimi and is filled with distinctive pieces by local design stars such as\u00a0Karim Chaya<\/a>,\u00a0Bokja<\/a>, and\u00a0Nada Debs<\/a>, who all have showrooms nearby. For a unique dining experience, head to\u00a0Centrale Restaurant-Bar<\/a>, an architectural feat by Bernard Khoury that features a dilapidated 1920s residential\u00a0house wrapped in steel mesh.<\/p>\n

Reccomended: Why You Need to Know Beirut-Born Artist Etel Adnan<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Heading down to the bustling Port District, one is struck by the beauty and rawness of architect Lina Ghotmeh\u2019s soon-to-open\u00a0Stone Gardens<\/a>, an incredible landmark building that will house a foundation. Steps away, Lux is a hot spot for organic Mediterranean specialties, while fashion insiders know to check out\u00a0Maison Rabih Kayrouz<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Colorful<\/figure>\n

Vibrant murals by local collective the Chain Effect reinvigorate the city streets.Courtesy of the Chain Effect<\/span><\/p>\n

Around this area are some of Beirut\u2019s edgiest art and design galleries.\u00a0Marfa\u2019 Projects<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Sfeir-Semler Gallery<\/a>, for example, both showcase work by local and international artists, while the influential\u00a0Carwan Gallery<\/a>\u00a0provides an exquisite selection of design objects that fuse a European aesthetic with Eastern craftsmanship.<\/p>\n

In the fashionable Mar Mikha\u00efel neighborhood, you\u2019ll find the dynamic\u00a0Galerie Tanit<\/a>, along with some of the top bespoke boutiques such as the avant-garde\u00a0Rosa Maria Jewellery<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Papercup<\/a>\u00a0bookstore. The best spots to unwind with a cocktail are Anise and Central Station, while\u00a0Baron<\/a>\u00a0offers a twist on classic Mediterranean cuisine.<\/p>\n

\"Historic<\/figure>\n

The magnificently restored Sursock Museum.Walid Rashid<\/span><\/p>\n

On rue Cl\u00e9menceau, make sure to stop by\u00a0Orient 499<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Artisan du Liban<\/a>\u00a0for beautiful handcrafted local goods before soaking up some jazz at the\u00a0Salon Beyrouth<\/a>, which was inspired by the Roaring \u201920s salons.<\/p>\n

\u201cConstantly under construction, unfinished, Beirut unleashes the creator\u2019s imagination and invites artists to draw from its textures and colors,\u201d Ghotmeh says. While there may still be regional tensions and a lack of institutional support, art and culture have long played a key role in unifying Lebanese civil society, healing war wounds and drawing people of all walks to the vibrant, creative hub that Beirut has always been.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/figure>\n

A modern take on local cuisine at the chic Liza Beirut restaurant.Marco Pinarelli, Courtesy of Liza Beirut<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Ultimate Art and Design Guide to Beirut A thrilling cultural revival is putting the storied Lebanese capital back on the map. By\u00a0Alya Chehab August 31, 2018 A sweeping view of Beirut from the historic village of Harissa.Photo: Walid Rashid The charming Hotel Albergo.Courtesy of Hotel Albergo. A popular local legend says that Beirut was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10335,"template":"","press_category":[80],"class_list":["post-10334","press_article","type-press_article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","press_category-insights"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/maaloufarchitects.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/press_article\/10334","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/maaloufarchitects.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/press_article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/maaloufarchitects.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/press_article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maaloufarchitects.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/maaloufarchitects.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/press_article\/10334\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10817,"href":"https:\/\/maaloufarchitects.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/press_article\/10334\/revisions\/10817"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maaloufarchitects.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10335"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/maaloufarchitects.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10334"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"press_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maaloufarchitects.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fpress_category&post=10334"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}