GHAITH&JAD
Scenography and Design

Designer Bio

 
GHAITH ABI GHANEM - JAD MELKI

GHAITH ABOU GHANEM - JAD MELKI


We, Ghaith Abou Ghanem and Jad Melki, are architects who began our Beirut- based architecture and design studio GHAITH&JAD in 2013 and have since expanded our reach to Europe and the Gulf.

Our practice operates at different scales, from architecture renovation to exhibition scenography, from experiential installations to interior and object design. We have had the privilege to work on large-scale exhibition design and production for leading art institutions in the Middle East and beyond, including recent projects for CID Center for Innovation and Design at Grand-Hornu, Beligum; mudac Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts, Switzerland; ADMAF Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, UAE; and the American University of Beirut, Lebanon.

Working at the intersection of art, design and architecture, we create environments that sensitively extend and reflect the concerns of the curatorial brief and exhibition participants. Our practice focuses strongly on issues of sustainability and the exploration of socio-political and cultural concerns. Whether it is the community of craftsmen we work with, the locally sourced material we find, or the repurposing of the different sets we create, transferability is always at a forethought of our designs.

Being from Beirut, we have been intimately shaped – as architects and as people – by states of impermanence and flux, and our work responsive to the imperative of adaptation. For over a decade we have been part of the core team running a site in Beirut named Mansion – a nineteenth century Lebanese house, abandoned after the civil war, transformed over time by a team of cultural producers into an active living and working community space. Mansion inhabits and builds upon Ottoman architecture to respond to the changing social, political and practical needs of the city. In this way, our practice bleeds beyond the institution and exhibition, extending to long- term transformation of space with people and communities at its heart.


SCENOGRAPHY & EXHIBITION DESIGN_

  • 2023.09.08 / 2024.02.04
    _Space is the place_COSMOS: Design d’ici et au-delà
    MUDAC . Musée cantonal de design et d’arts appliqués contemporains a Laussane
    Curated by Marie Pok

  • 2023.04.07 / 2023.08.06
    _Beyrouth, Les temps du design
    MUDAC . Musée cantonal de design et d’arts appliqués contemporains a Laussane
    Curated by Marco Constantini 

  • 2022.07 / 2022.10
    _Beirut Residential Architectures, at the source of modernity 1840-1940
    In collaboration with Beirut Heritage Initiative and the French Ministry of Culture, 
    Gouraud Street, Beirut, Lebanon . Curated by Dr. Robert Saliba (1950-2022)

  • 2022.04.24 / 2022.08.14
    _Beyrouth, Les temps du design
    CID . Centre d’Innovation et de Design au Grand-Hornu 
    Curated by Marco Constantini

  • 2022.01 / 2022.04
    _Portrait of a Nation II: Beyond Narratives 
    ADMAF . Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation,
    Part of Abu Dhabi Festival 2022, Manarat AlSaadiyat, Abu Dhabi
    Curated by Maya El Khalil, Co-Curated by Roxane Zand

  • 2021.10.21 / 2022.02.27
    _COSMOS: Design d’ici et au-delà
    CID . Centre d’Innovation et de Design au Grand-Hornu
    Curated by Marie Pok

  • 2021.04 / 2021.05
    _Everyone is the creator of one’s own faith
    Art Design Lebanon, Tabbal Building, Lebanon 
    Curated by Annie Vartivarian

  • 2020.03 / 2020.05
    _The Cup and the Saucer, Hashel Al Lamki
    Solo Exhibition at Warehouse 421, Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi
    Curated by Munira Al Sayegh

  • 2019.12 / 2020.02
    _How to Maneuver: Shape Shifting texts and other publishing tactics
    Exhibition at Warehouse 421, Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi
    Curated by Kayfa ta [Maha Maamoun and Ala Younis]

  • 2019.03.11 / 2019.03.24
    _In Transit
    Exhibition for the Mahmoud Kahil Award 2019, Beit Beirut - Museum and Cultural Center, Lebanon
    Curated by Khajag Apelian and Yara Khoury

  • 2018.12
    _Elevate, House of Today Design Biennale
    House of Today, 3Beirut, Lebanon
    Curated by Cherine Magrabi Tayeb

  • 2018.11
    _Le Chariot De Farah
    Photography Exhibition and Book Launch, Solo Show for Carla Henoud 
    Maison Rabih Keyrouz, Beirut, Lebanon

  • 2018.10 / 2018.12
    _ARD 50th Architecture Program 50th Anniversary Celebrations
    at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon
    Curated by Mustapha Jundi and Abir El Tayeb

  • 2018.06.14 / 2018.07.06
    _Mère, il est temps que tu saches
    Solo exhibition for photographer Charbel Saadé
    Institut français du Liban . Espace Des Lettres . Beirut . Lebanon

  • 2016.05 / 2016.11
    _Genus: Nation, Gender, Status
    Pavilion and Exhibition for American University of Beirut 150th Anniversary, Assembly Hall Garden,
    Commissioned by the President’s Club at AUB

  • 2015.10
    _Iconic City: Brilliant Beirut
    Dubai Design Week 2015, at d3 Dubai Design District
    Curated by Rana Salam


INSTALLATIONS & EXHIBITION PARTICIPATION_

  • 2019.10
    _1/4660 . Architecture Demolition Archiving and Representation
    Curated by Sana Asseh 

  • 2019.05
    _Myriad . Bench part of WEHE, Collective Design Exhibition at Athr Gallery, KSA
    Curated by Nicolas Bellavance Lecompte

  • 2019.05
    _Mother Cast . Sculpture part of WEHE, Collective Design Exhibition at Athr Gallery, KSA
    Curated by Nicolas Bellavance Lecompte

  • 2017.08
    _Print Imprint Press Impress . Part of Kindling . Fotopub Photography Festival, Novo Mesto, Slovenia
    Curated by Rachel Dedman

  • 2016.05
    _Gilt
    Installation at Gilt Beirut for Beirut Design Week . Beirut, Lebanon

  • 2015.04
    _Projection Lines
    Installation for Meet d3, the opening of Dubai Design District d3, Dubai, UAE


INTERIOR DESIGN_

  • 2023.12 _Molo . Bar / Eatery Interior and Lighting Design . Badaro . Lebanon

  • 2022.12 _Maryool Qatar . Eatery Interior and Lighting Design . Katara Village . Qatar

  • 2022.11 _Maryool Kuwait . Eatery Interior and Lighting Design . Khaleejiya Complex, Kuwait

  • 2022.10 _BD Residence . Interior Design and Selection . 3Beirut . Lebanon

  • 2018.12 _HA Residence . Building Renovation and Interior Design . Lebanon

  • 2017.09 _Maryool Beirut . Eatery Interior and Lighting Design. Mar Mikhael . Lebanon

  • 2014.04.23 _STARCH . Starch Foundation Store Interior .Saifi, Lebanon

  • 2014.10 _Khoury Sanitary Showroom and Offices . Erbil . Iraq


PRODUCT, FURNITURE, AND LIGHTING DESIGN_

  • 2022.07 _Teardrop . Lighting installation for private residence, 3Beirut, Lebanon

  • 2016.12 _Neckline . Vase designed for Wallpaper store in collaboration with House Of Today

  • 2016.12` _Tines . Dining table for a cook, Chef Reem Azoury, Saifi, Lebanon

  • 2015.10 _Blue . Lighting Experiment and fixture, designed for Dubai Design Week 2015

  • 2014.10 _STARCH . Lighting design, Hanging system, and Display pedestals for STARCH boutique


WORKSHOP, LECTURES, JURIES_

  • 2022.07.04 _End of Term Guest Jury . Design Lab Program . Gerrit Rietveld Academie

  • 2022.03.18 _Mid Term Guest Jury . Design Lab Program . Gerrit Rietveld Academie

  • 2021.05..12 _Studio Presentation for École Camondo Méditerranée . Instructed by Francois Leblanc Di Cicilia

  • 2019.10 _Playscapes Workshop . Tumo Studio, Yerevan, Armenia

  • 2018.07.22 _Talk . Rebuilding Syria From Within Summer School . University of Minho. Braga . Portugal

  • 2018.03.09 _Presentations / Sessions . Architecture Design III . ARCH203 . American University of Beirut . Lebanon