The black box is located next to a major department store on the northbound highway of Greater Beirut. The neighboring fashion retailer is a self-advertising 40×25 meters Corten steel box. In a context, saturated with billboards and signs wrapping the surrounding buildings’ exteriors, we intend to highlight the black box’s which was initially invisible from the highway due to its 20m setback.

A steel arm projects 20m out of the main facade of the building in order to catch up on the setback and attain the highway. Within the structure of this arm, a large three-dimensional picture frame contains a graphic setting produced by the fashion retailer next door. During special events, the frame can house performances with live models. On the tip of the arm a 5×3m screen retransmits in real-time scenes selected from the interior of the black box.

The tip of the arm is supported by a steel cylinder that contains a cash distributor. The assemblage of the installation recognizes and amplifies contemporary society’s reliance on the trendiest fashions, latest entertainment venues and the facility of money distributors.

Project Details

* Project Name: Black Box
* Client: T.S.G
* Project Type: Entertainment/Restaurant
* Principal Designer/s: Bernard Khoury
* Design Team: DW5
* Contractor/s: “Homeworks”
* Date of commencement of project: 2004
* Date of completion of project: 2005
* Location of site: Beirut, Lebanon
* Site Area: 1760m2