Bsalim Residence

Bsalim Residence is a single-family villa located on a narrow, sloping site in Bsalim, Lebanon. The house is conceived around a continuous relationship between interior and exterior, orienting its principal living spaces toward the garden, swimming pool and open views while maintaining privacy from the street and neighboring properties.

The design begins with two parallel volumes extending along the length of the site. Shifted in relation to one another, they free the most open corner of the plot for the garden and outdoor living areas. The resulting composition allows the house to embrace the landscape while creating a protected domestic environment away from the street.

Three spatial relationships organize the project. Horizontally, the interior living spaces extend directly into the garden. Across the house, spaces remain visually and physically connected to one another, while vertically, double-height volumes, voids and a bridge establish relationships between the different levels.

A circulation wedge is inserted between the two main volumes, forming the spatial heart of the house. At ground level, one volume accommodates the double-height cigar lounge and dining area, while the second contains the formal living spaces and services. Both open directly toward the garden, reinforcing the continuity between architecture and landscape.

The central circulation space frames the garden upon arrival and contains the staircase leading to the upper floor, where a bridge overlooks the double-height lounge below. Three bedrooms and a family living area occupy this level, maintaining visual connections with the principal spaces of the house.

Taking advantage of the natural slope, the basement is partially embedded within the terrain, reducing its visual presence and allowing the main volumes to remain closely connected to the landscape.

A double-skin façade wraps the two principal volumes, incorporating timber louvers that filter sunlight and provide privacy from neighboring properties. From the street, the villa reads as a composed and protective architectural object; toward the garden, it opens to light, landscape and outdoor living.