Horseshoe Lobby

While working on the lobby renovation for the “Horseshoe Building” in Hamra, Beirut, we sought to call out the original features of this landmark building...the first curtain system in the country at the time and building that experienced multiple explosions over its history.The main intent of the design was to provide an expansiveness to the lobby while retaining a sense of the original period. The proposed design emphasizes the linearity of the existing space and accentuates it. The travertine and brass banding cladding the walls were retained as they give a nod to the building’s characteristic facade and accentuate the depth of perspective. The suspended ceiling was removed and replaced with a custom suspended LED lighting system whose bent suspension rods are mirrored onto the ground through a multi-color poured-in-place terrazzo flooring with brass inlay. Feature elements of this lobby renovation project included: a custom poured-in-place terrazzo floor with 5-color pattern and brass inlay, and a unique LED-lighting system with upper ambient and lower direct lighting(dimmable) options. Lighting, woodwork and signage designed and fabricated by DAMJ. The design revolves primarily around the new source of light, it's mechanism and how it is projected as a pattern upon the floor.