As an existential financial crisis threatens Lebanon and an outraged protest movement grips the country, the opening of a new bank headquarters emerges as an unlikely architectural edifice symbolizing renewal. It is in line with protests defying the status quo of laws that have defined Lebanon for the last three decades. The building challenges antiquated building code in favor of sustainable urban growth, as it redefines the relationship between inevitable urban sprawl and the reactivation of the public realm.

▼远观项目，viewing the project at distance © Ieva Saudargaite

The LSB regional headquarters, located in the city of Tyre on the southern coast of Lebanon, was recently completed two weeks before the onset of the current crisis. It establishes a new aesthetic to the historical, geographical and environmental context. Tyre witnessed uncontrolled urban development during the Lebanese civil war that spanned from 1975 to 1991. Post-war, newly adopted building codes favored an increase in densification of existing neighborhoods and a disregard for public space that enabled the continued sprawl.

“Presented with a cornerstone lot in a vacant newly repurposed agricultural zone, we encountered both a challenge and a responsibility,” explains Karim Fakhry, principal at Domaine Public Architects. “How do we mediate between the client’s emphasis on maximum visibility and exposure while emphasizing spatial values that could serve as a precedent for upcoming development?”