Andriy Golub

advisor

Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture

Ukrainian

Golub Architects Company and me, as the chief architect, have several focuses: firstly, it is a… more

The presented project "Oasis of Art in Aley" is a design for an art museum in Aley, Lebanon. The basis of the design is the geometry harmonizing with the paintings of the famous Lebanese artist Aref al-Raiyes.
Overall, this project includes a model, master plan, first-floor plan, sections, and 3D visualizations.
It is worth noting the high quality of the master plan. In particular, the detailed presentation of trees and landscaping elements, where the trees are grouped, demonstrates the author's proficiency in landscape design. All of this is done using a landscape planning approach, as are the floor plans. Such a complex and flexible structure in the plan is justified for this type of object, such as a museum. However, it should be noted that it will require more electricity for cooling in Lebanon's hot climate.
At the same time, there are several remarks regarding the work. First, the flexible structure in the ground floor plan and master plan is not reflected in the facades and overall volumetric design. In other words, the volume is simply raised to a certain height from the plan, with no vertical plasticity, which is quite illogical and strange. This solution significantly weakened the project. Second, the final visualizations are quite schematic, and it is impossible to determine the material and type of the facade from them. Third, the first-floor plan lacks axes and explanations. It would be interesting to see them, considering the geometry of the plan.
Overall, the presented project is done at a respectable level for a young architect. I wish the author of this work, Mohammad Arnaout, further creative success and achievements in this field.