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 Pok2023.04.07 / 2023.08.06
_Beyrouth, Les temps du design
MUDAC . Musée cantonal de design et d’arts appliqués contemporains a Laussane
Curated by Marco Constantini2022.07 / 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 Constantini2022.01 / 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 Zand2021.10.21 / 2022.02.27
_COSMOS: Design d’ici et au-delà
CID . Centre d’Innovation et de Design au Grand-Hornu
Curated by Marie Pok2021.04 / 2021.05
_Everyone is the creator of one’s own faith
Art Design Lebanon, Tabbal Building, Lebanon
Curated by Annie Vartivarian2020.03 / 2020.05
_The Cup and the Saucer, Hashel Al Lamki
Solo Exhibition at Warehouse 421, Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi
Curated by Munira Al Sayegh2019.12 / 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 Khoury2018.12
_Elevate, House of Today Design Biennale
House of Today, 3Beirut, Lebanon
Curated by Cherine Magrabi Tayeb2018.11
_Le Chariot De Farah
Photography Exhibition and Book Launch, Solo Show for Carla Henoud
Maison Rabih Keyrouz, Beirut, Lebanon2018.10 / 2018.12
_ARD 50th Architecture Program 50th Anniversary Celebrations
at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Curated by Mustapha Jundi and Abir El Tayeb2018.06.14 / 2018.07.06
_Mère, il est temps que tu saches
Solo exhibition for photographer Charbel Saadé
Institut français du Liban . Espace Des Lettres . Beirut . Lebanon2016.05 / 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 AUB2015.10
_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 Asseh2019.05
_Myriad . Bench part of WEHE, Collective Design Exhibition at Athr Gallery, KSA
Curated by Nicolas Bellavance Lecompte2019.05
_Mother Cast . Sculpture part of WEHE, Collective Design Exhibition at Athr Gallery, KSA
Curated by Nicolas Bellavance Lecompte2017.08
_Print Imprint Press Impress . Part of Kindling . Fotopub Photography Festival, Novo Mesto, Slovenia
Curated by Rachel Dedman2016.05
_Gilt
Installation at Gilt Beirut for Beirut Design Week . Beirut, Lebanon2015.04
_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