28 August 2008

BEIRUT: A joint plan between the Lebanese and Omani governments to build a world-class House of Arts and Culture in downtown Beirut is taking shape - and seeking an architect.

Culture Minister Tamam Salam discussed the design competition for the $20-million project at the headquarters of the Engineers and Architects Syndicate in Jnah on Wednesday. The competition is being held under the auspices of the International Union of Architects.

"Lebanese citizens have been dreaming about this center for decades," Salam said, standing alongside the Omani Charge d'Affaires Hareth al-Barashdi. The center would be the first of its kind in Beirut.

The Sultanate of Oman has given the Culture Ministry a $20-million grant for equipment and construction. The consulting firm GAIA-heritage was hired to conceive and develop the project, while the engineering firm Khatib & Alami got the contract to oversee the construction. The Lebanese government is to provide the land and operating budget.

The House of Arts and Culture is slated to be built on a 3,785-square-meter plot in the downtown Ghalghoul district.

Beirut has long been defined by its place at the forefront of creativity in the region, particularly in the fields of publishing, visual and digital arts. But the arts currently suffer from the lack of a large and appropriate venue for important exhibitions, as well as a dearth of support from the public sector.

To fill that void, the project's planners envision it as a forward-thinking, independent public institution and incubator of artistic expression and interaction. It will be a venue for a host of exhibitions, concerts, classes and related events. Digital media, interactivity and programming that will attract younger Lebanese are also top priorities.

"Its visit should be an enchantment and a pleasure. Rigidity, routine, conformity, static are to be banned from its functioning and the presentation of its activities," according to the competition rules.

The guidelines call for a design that is environmentally friendly, with landscaping and greenery both in and outdoors, to reinforce the feeling of the fusion between the center and the outside world. There is space allotted for multiple exhibition spaces, an 800-seat multi-purpose auditorium, a small cinema, a specialized documentation center and a 250-seat flexible performance hall. Audiovisual and computer studios for youth and visiting artists are also scheduled.  

The plan also calls for some income-generating activities, such as operating a cafeteria, cultural shops and space rentals for a tailored list of receptions and some performances. A trust fund to reduce the burden of the budget for operations and investments is also a possibility, in line with similar practices at comparable art institutions worldwide.

According to Salam, the first-prize winner would take home $75,000 and be contracted for the architectural conception of the project. The second and third-place designs would win $40,000 and $25,000, respectively.  

The design will be selected through an open, anonymous competition. Registration closes September 29, 2008. The deadline for entries is February 10, 2009. The nine-member jury, comprised of stakeholders and international architecture experts, will announce the results in Beirut from March 16-20, 2009.

Further information about the project can be found online at www.darbayrut.org.