Kompass HQ

The premise of this project is totally based on visibility and identity.

The client is a well established insurance and re insurance company and their new future address is on one of the busiest traffic intersections in Beirut, the crossing between Bechara El Khoury and Damascus road.

Early on, we decided to mirror the program (which spoke of two main offices entities, one for rent and the other for the HQ) into the sculpting of the volume, and the result shows:

The main upper volume orients itself towards the northern view of the martyrs square and is expressed completely without scale so it becomes an object rather than a building, resting on a completely reflective base volume housing the other offices and the retail base.

The texture on the upper volume reflects the amount of sun that it receives, so the northern elevation is much more transparent than the western one. The base is finished with highly reflective glass and polished stainless panels to give it a unified look, completely reflecting its environment; therefore giving the upper volume more the floating feel.

These two volumes create a very powerful composition or opposition, which leaves the visual presence of the HQ volume highly present.