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Saint-Charbel Church

Saint-Charbel Church
© Karam Morcos, Majd Achi

SAINT-CHARBEL CHURCH

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ARCHITECTS
Blankpage Architects

LOCATION
Zakrit, Lebanon

CATEGORY
Churches

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Walid Ghantous + Patrick Mezher

PHOTOGRAPHS
Karam Morcos, Majd Achi

PROJECT YEAR
2018

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Elie Karam

MEP CONSULTANTS
EAK Signature

Saint-Charbel Church
© Karam Morcos, Majd Achi
Saint-Charbel Church
© Karam Morcos, Majd Achi

Text description provided by architect.

Located in a site steeped in history, the challenge consisted of implementing a new larger church without overshadowing the smaller 18th-century chapel with its limestone vault structure.

Saint-Charbel Church
© Karam Morcos, Majd Achi
Saint-Charbel Church
© Karam Morcos, Majd Achi

Recognizing the historical value and prominence of its neighbor, the new church humbly adopts a low profile at the entrance which gradually rises as it reaches the altar wall.

It simultaneously constitutes a backdrop and an external amphitheater which highlights and integrates the old edifice within the rituals of the sacred ceremonies.

Saint-Charbel Church
© Karam Morcos, Majd Achi
Saint-Charbel Church
© Karam Morcos, Majd Achi

With its interior height ranging from 3m to 10m, the church enables a transcendental spatial experience that is further enhanced by a large skylight located at the apex where a sunset light of various intensity washes the rear wall above the altar and creates the atmosphere of the church.

A cross is carved into this large wall as a negative imprint that opens the church to the light of the rising sun in the east.

Saint-Charbel Church
© Karam Morcos, Majd Achi
Saint-Charbel Church

The roof of the church, an outdoor amphitheater cascading down towards the historical edifice, is suspended between two monolithic fair-faced concrete skeletons, punctuated by two big olive trees, ready to be covered with layers of green climbers.

Rising independently in the middle of the court, a steel bell tower exhibits itself between the concrete structure and the limestone chapel with a bell inserted within the center of the cross.

Saint-Charbel Church
© Karam Morcos, Majd Achi© Karam Morcos, Majd Achi
Saint-Charbel Church
Saint-Charbel Church
© Karam Morcos, Majd Achi

Above everything else, the old chapel remains the protagonist that defines the new church.


Saint-Charbel Church
Site Plan
Saint-Charbel Church
Floor Plan


Saint-Charbel Church
Section A
Saint-Charbel Church
Section C

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T +961 9 854487
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3rd Floor, GAF Center, Jounieh Highway, Keserwan, Lebanon