ARCHITECT SAMER CHAMOUN
Samer
Chamoun
Lebanese architect · lead designer at ZHA · founder of SCA, Beirut · Architectural Association
Born in Lebanon in the deadliest period of the war, schooled in Montreal and London, and now shaping buildings across Europe, the Middle East and China. In pursuit of beauty and elegance, in all their forms.
Samer Chamoun has good taste in everything, especially his friends. The talented Lebanese architect is lead designer at Zaha Hadid Architects, and is currently based in London.
“I was born in Lebanon in the deadliest period of the war, and escaped with my family to Canada at the end of the 80s, where I became fat after discovering fast food and popsicles. In the mid 90s I returned to Lebanon and did my French Baccalaureate at the Lycée Français. At 17, I ran away from the decadence of Beirut and returned to Montreal, where I studied architecture and all the other life lessons that made me what I am now.”
“After six years of sleepless nights at school and in the craziest underground clubs, I moved to London to study at the Architectural Association: two years of 3D and digital architecture masochism. Five minutes after my final presentation at the AA, I was approached by Patrik Schumacher, the director of Zaha Hadid Architects, asking me to join their office. I have been at ZHA since, working on competitions and projects across Europe and the Middle East. The highlight was the day I raised my hand to go to China to set up the office in Beijing. A turning point in my life. During those two years I travelled across Asia, discovering the craziest buildings, landscapes and people.”
From a pen to a city.
“The design of a 13 centimeter long pen, and a 13 kilometer long city masterplan.”
A 13 centimeter pen. Every line matters, even the smallest.
The Pleasure Dome.
His dream project is the thesis he presented in Canada. It began as an ironic criticism of the post-war social status of Beirut, and he would love the time to develop it one day.
“A micro city designed by creative minds of all fields, in which physical and social morals are redefined. It started as an ironic criticism of the post-war social status of Beirut. I would love to have the time to develop it more one day.”
“Beauty and elegance, in all their forms.”
In competition with the geniuses of electronic music.
“My greatest inspiration is beauty and elegance, in all their forms. There are so many geniuses in electronic music production. I try to be as creative in designing objects and buildings. We are in competition, at a different level, and it is very challenging.”
He reads the Lebanese news websites in the morning, the only thing that makes him laugh and cry at the same time, and follows design sites like CPLUV, Dezeen and NOTCOT, plus Beatport for releases and Resident Advisor for gigs. And, he adds, Ninu Nina.
And a recent discovery from Germany, Eno Henze, who makes art with plotters he programs himself. Crazy stuff.
Practical inventors, with no signature style.
SCA is a team of problem solvers dedicated to making the physical world better for everyone. Based out of the design studio in Beirut, they work at all scales, from buildings, spaces and master-plans to objects and infrastructure. Their motivation is to design soulful and interesting places that embrace and celebrate the complexities of the real world.
Founded by Chamoun, whose background is immersed in research and experimentation, the studio emphasizes formal expression, integration with the environment, and digital tools as a platform for experimentation. Positive and pragmatic, the team listen, question, then lead the conception and construction of special and unusual places, using ingenuity to keep projects affordable and buildable. The client is vital, a collaborator who comes on the journey and challenges the thinking.
“Our best future projects are the ones that will teach us the most.”
I take questions. Anyone?
Antakly Projects, originally Ninu Nina, has been in conversation with the most inspiring voices in art, photography, design and culture since 2003. Interview by Leila Antakly. Samer Chamoun designs at every scale, and never loses the pursuit of elegance.
All works © their respective studios, including Zaha Hadid Architects and SCA. Thank you to Samer for the conversation.
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And for the personal rants on life, opinions you didn’t ask for, and the occasional existential spiral: follow me on Substack. Follow us at @antakly.projects on Instagram.
Beauty and elegance, in all their forms. ✦
