Annabel Karim Kassar Architects

Camera Chiara

Camera Chiara
© Interni

CAMERA CHIARA

Annabel Karim Kassar

ARCHITECTS
Annabel Karim Kassar

PROJECT
Sergio Sabbadini architect

PRODUCED BY
HSC

PHOTOGRAPHS
Nicoló Lanfranchi, Interni

DEPTH
7.50 m

HEIGHT
2.75 m to 5.40 m

WIDTH
6.80 m

YEAR
2015

LOCATION
Milan, Italy

CATEGORY
Installation, Pavilion, Showroom

Camera Chiara
© Interni
Camera Chiara
© Interni

Text description provided by architect.

Invited to the Energy For Creativity exhibition organized by the Italian magazine Interni, Annabel Karim Kassar Architects chose to display a monumental architectural structure in the Cortile 700 and a vision of everyday life in a Lebanese room.

Camera Chiara
© Interni
Camera Chiara
© Interni

Through the bellows of old cameras, Kassar symbolizes stills of Lebanese lifestyles brought to life here by the actor-spectators entering, wandering through, contemplating and leaving the space.

Two telescopic structures, named Liwan and Obscura respectively, made of raw metal and burnt dark and rough wooden planks face one another not far from Kengo Kuma’s paper structure.

Alessandro Medini’s giant red lips. Annabel Karim Kassar not only highlights savoir-faire but also French and Lebanese savoir-vivre.

Camera Chiara
© Interni
Camera Chiara
© Interni

Attracted by the diffuse light from Saint-Gobain’s hand-blown glass, one is in for a rare experience – a piece of interior and a kind of cinema installation.

Why this idea of the Liwan ? It is a tradition passed down from Ottoman constructions.

Camera Chiara
© Nicoló Lanfranchi
Camera Chiara
© Nicoló Lanfranchi

The great Roman and prehistoric excavations – as well as the bombings – have left the city of Beirut pockmarked, exposing its insides. 

Many people live precariously here on mounds of soil with a bit of flooring.

Camera Chiara
© Interni
Camera Chiara
© Nicoló Lanfranchi

I decided to carry with me a “chunk” with its thickness and layers of ground to try to show the complexity of the city.

WHAT WILL THE VISITOR FIND THERE ?

The visitor will find a cosy place. The wood floor was hand painted by craftspeople in the same patterns found on Lebanese ceramics.

A sofa and vintage armchairs invite the visitor to sit. A vintage damask silk fabric covers the main couch. It’s also a noisy place...

Camera Chiara
© Nicoló Lanfranchi
Camera Chiara

Lebanon is quite noisy. The noise from outside always comes inside.

To show this, I wanted to play a recording of the hubbub of the city.

This place is like my place. There’s a selection of objects I chose or designed.

Camera Chiara
© Nicoló Lanfranchi
Camera Chiara

And there will be a toilet in the shape of a phosphorescent throne.

Mixed with the traditional Arab music playing on a vintage gramophone and the singing of a bird comfortably perched on its cage.


Camera Chiara
© Interni
Camera Chiara
© Interni
Camera Chiara
© Nicoló Lanfranchi
Camera Chiara
© Interni
Camera Chiara
© Interni


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Section
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Floor Plan

Annabel Karim Kassar Architects
T +44 77 88371240
Annabel Karim Kassar Architects
11a Elsworthy Road NW3 3DS, London, United Kingdom