Saloua Raouda Choucair Foundation by Karim Bekdache Studio: Ras El Matn, Lebanon

The Saloua Raouda Choucair Foundation, designed by Karim Bekdache Studio, is a pioneering cultural and exhibition space located in Ras El Matn, Lebanon. Dedicated to celebrating the legacy of Saloua Raouda Choucair, a trailblazer in 20th-century Middle Eastern abstract art, the foundation functions as both a storage facility and gallery, housing hundreds of Choucair’s works, including paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and custom furniture.

Architectural Concept and Site Integration

Approaching the foundation, visitors encounter a 200-meter-long concrete fence composed of modular cast concrete elements, a direct reference to Choucair’s iconic stacking sculptures. The fence serves as a sculptural perimeter guide, leading toward the main entrance while establishing a sense of anticipation.

The building itself rises gracefully above the landscape on concrete columns, minimizing excavation and preserving the site's natural features, including ancient rocks, oak shrubs, and pine trees. This strategy not only reduces environmental impact but also protects the foundation from ground humidity, integrating the structure seamlessly into its surroundings. The roof is landscaped with greenery, ensuring the building blends harmoniously with the hillside when viewed from afar.

Interior Design and Spatial Experience

Visitors enter through a monumental black steel door and descend a slabbed concrete staircase into the main hall. Here, a five-meter-high concrete ceiling frames an immersive scenography, displaying over five hundred artworks. Custom-designed storage elements double as exhibition furniture, highlighting the diversity of Choucair’s practice.

From the central hall, several arms radiate outward, weaving between centenarian pine trees and ending in floor-to-ceiling glass facades. These transparent walls frame spectacular views of the natural landscape, establishing a visual dialogue between the gallery and its environment. Strategic narrow windows, reminiscent of arrow slits, spotlight specific outdoor sculptures, further connecting the foundation to the surrounding valley.

Materiality and Detailing

The foundation’s exterior combines a hand-applied bush-hammered white cement-based plaster with raw concrete window frames, evoking the tactile, geometric qualities of Choucair’s work. The material palette emphasizes durability, minimalism, and sculptural expression, reinforcing the foundation’s identity as both an architectural and cultural landmark.

Landscape and Outdoor Exhibition

While smaller works are displayed indoors, larger monumental sculptures are integrated throughout the surrounding landscape. A purpose-built pathway connects these outdoor installations to the main building, allowing visitors to experience Choucair’s artistic vision across the site. This fusion of architecture, art, and nature exemplifies a holistic approach to cultural heritage preservation and contemporary gallery design.

All photographs are works of Ieva Saudargaitė Douaihi