Dar Zefta is an estate built in 1910 under Ottoman influenced Lebanon at the time.Whilst converting the interiors of the 1911 “Dar Zefta” Ottoman mansion into an off-the-grid traditional Lebanese hotel, Antoine Maalouf Architects was faced with several challenges including:
Allocating spaces to their desired functions in hospitality management to create fully functional communicating areas in terms of rooms, living quarters, dining spaces, technical rooms, and outdoor areas.
Restoration of decades, in some cases hundred year old furniture and fixtures with their implementation in the interiors to create functional space management. on. Cost effective use of the existing materials at hand through preservation, relocation, and restoration.
Studying the space lighting to determine its needs in terms of light temperature, intensity, and versatily relatively to its allocated functions. Creating and custom designing lighting fixtures while taking into consideration the space openings, daylight factor, and electrical consumption.
Creating and custom designing fixtures and furniture that blend in the existing century old mansion without colonizing the space and undermining the heritage.
Through four years of design studies and micromanaged follow-ups on intricate executions and restorations, “Dar Zefta” opened its doors to the public and has been one of Lebanon’s must-visit gems as a stand-alone mansion turned into a hotel in the heart of the country’s southern district. With a guest experience often referred to as a home away from home, Dar Zefta managed to recreate the feel of the traditional comfortable spacious living, the reminiscence of a distinctive Lebanese character through a genuinely unique fully sustainable hospitality space.
