Zaarour Villa
Located in Zaarour, in the mountainous region of Mtein, Lebanon, the villa is conceived as a direct response to its steep natural terrain. Rather than dominating the landscape, the architecture is concentrated along one edge of the site, preserving the adjoining land as an open landscape planted with fruit trees and native vegetation.
The project is organized as three platforms inserted into the slope. The upper level accommodates the 280 sqm main villa, while two independent units occupy the lower level, with a swimming pool and terrace positioned between them. Each component has its own access, services and privacy, while a shared intermediate level connects the different parts of the house.
The main villa is composed of two contrasting volumes. A vertical volume clad in natural timber contains the bedrooms, while a horizontal limestone volume accommodates the living spaces and cantilevers over the terrain. Between them, a sheltered outdoor terrace separates the kitchen from the main living area, which opens toward panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
Access follows the topography. Vehicles approach the main villa from the upper edge of the site along a ramp positioned at the perimeter of the land. At the entrance, large movable panels open to reveal a framed perspective toward the pool and landscape beyond. A fully foldable glass façade further blurs the boundary between interior and exterior, transforming the entrance into an extension of the surrounding landscape.
The two lower units are independently accessed from the lower edge of the site, while a natural stairway cuts through the terrain to connect the different platforms. Limestone, rough stone and timber reinforce the relationship between architecture and place, allowing the building to shift between presence and disappearance within the mountain landscape.
By breaking a relatively dense program into a series of restrained volumes embedded within the slope, Zaarour Villa preserves the character of the site while creating a close relationship between architecture, topography and landscape.
