Lebanese design firm GM Architects will be presenting its “Museum of Civilization” at the Time Space Existence exhibition of the 2014 Venice Biennale. The firm will be the only group representing Lebanon at this year’s exhibition. Their museum design addresses the Biennale’s theme of fundamentals by exploring the historical basis of architectural culture in the rich and varied context of their home country.
The museum will be sited in Martyr’s square, Beirut, and take the form of an excavation in the earth. Visitors will enter the excavation on a scaffolding system that is 20 meters by 60 meters in area, with platforms at different levels. Each platform will be an exhibition of a civilization that once encompassed Lebanon, from the Roman Empire to the more recent French occupation.