The Levant Cultural Archive

The design was envisioned as a geological extension of the site. Rather than building a singular, imposing block, we fractured the massing into a series of stepped, low-slung stone pavilions that follow the natural contours of the hillside.

For the archives, we utilized the earth's natural thermal mass by partially submerging the most sensitive storage zones, drastically reducing the mechanical cooling load. The public-facing exhibition spaces were elevated, utilizing narrow, shaded apertures that allow indirect, diffused natural light to illuminate the reading rooms without damaging the delicate historical documents.