Obeid Retail Complex / Nunc Architecture And Design

Architects: nunc Architecture and Design
Area: 4,000 m²
Year: 2024
Photography: Bahaa Ghoussainy
Lead Architects: Manhal Kaassamany, Ribal Haidar, Diana Aridi
City/Location: Beirut
Country: Lebanon

The Obeid Retail Complex by nunc Architecture and Design redefines commercial architecture in Lebanon through a striking synthesis of form, structure, and performance. The 4,000-square-meter development houses a major supermarket chain alongside retail, food, and office spaces. Its vertical configuration responds to a constrained site, while a sculptural aluminum façade conceals irregular functions and manages daylight, ventilation, and privacy. Cantilevered upper floors extend confidently over the street, creating a sheltered entry and a dynamic presence within Beirut’s mountainous region. The project integrates sustainable thinking through its double-skin system, which regulates temperature and reduces energy use. Advanced structural engineering allowed for column-free interiors using tension cables and high-precision concrete techniques. More than a commercial facility, the complex emerges as a landmark that embodies a new architectural language for Lebanese retail environments.

Obeid retail complex / nunc architecture and design

Conceived as an architectural landmark rather than a conventional commercial center, the Obeid Retail Complex stands as a deliberate act of contrast within its urban fabric. nunc Architecture and Design approached the project as an opportunity to challenge the predictable typologies that dominate Lebanon’s retail sector, offering instead a sculpted volume that engages both the street and the sky. Its confident massing asserts itself in a context of low-rise structures, inviting attention and redefining the architectural tone of the area.

The conceptual narrative began with the idea of “dropping a weirdo,” a phrase coined by the design team to describe an intentional rupture in the built landscape. This notion manifests in the cantilevered upper levels that project above the entrance, creating a striking overhang that doubles as a shaded and welcoming public space. The gesture not only emphasizes visual prominence but also introduces a moment of human scale beneath the hovering mass.

Inside, the program unfolds across multiple levels that combine commercial and social functions. A supermarket anchors the lower floors, while upper levels host offices and additional retail spaces. The spatial organization prioritizes intuitive circulation, allowing visitors to navigate seamlessly through the building’s vertical arrangement. Open parking areas and generous internal corridors contribute to a smooth operational flow, reinforcing the project’s emphasis on clarity and accessibility.

Structurally, the project pushed local construction techniques to new limits. The architects collaborated closely with engineers to achieve large column-free spans that would accommodate flexible retail environments. Cantilevered floors were realized through the use of specialized tension cables and reinforced concrete systems, introducing a technical precision rarely seen in the region’s commercial architecture. This structural ambition became an integral part of the building’s identity, shaping both its exterior form and interior experience.

Materiality plays a defining role in the project’s architectural language. Exposed concrete surfaces and visible mechanical systems express an industrial authenticity, while the white geometric aluminum screen introduces a refined counterpoint. Generated through algorithmic design, the façade alternates between solid and perforated panels, achieving a balance between enclosure and openness. Its layered composition conceals functional irregularities and creates a constantly shifting play of light across the building’s surface.

Sustainability is embedded within the project’s design rather than treated as an afterthought. The double-skin façade operates as a climatic moderator, retaining heat in winter and facilitating natural ventilation in summer. This passive environmental strategy minimizes dependence on mechanical cooling and lighting systems, enhancing comfort while reducing energy consumption. Sunlight is softened and filtered through the external screen, ensuring balanced illumination and maintaining a sense of privacy for occupants.

Beyond its technical and aesthetic achievements, the Obeid Retail Complex represents a broader statement about the evolution of Lebanon’s architectural identity. By transforming a limited plot into a vertical landmark, the project demonstrates how design innovation can elevate everyday programs into cultural signifiers. Its bold form and sophisticated engineering reflect a contemporary architectural maturity, one that embraces experimentation while remaining grounded in context.

In its synthesis of utility, artistry, and environmental awareness, the Obeid Retail Complex stands as a model for the next generation of commercial architecture in Lebanon. It redefines the expectations of what a retail building can represent—serving commerce while engaging the public imagination. Through its commanding form and carefully tuned performance, the project marks a new chapter in Beirut’s built landscape, where ambition and restraint coexist in architectural harmony.