Beit Chabeb Museum – Lebanon

Beit Chabeb Museum – Lebanon

Beit Chabeb – Lebanon, 2022

Area: 347 sqm
Status: Under construction
Scope: Concept, design, detailing and site supervision
Style: Modern and Industrial

Focus: Bringing awareness to the cultural richness of what Beit Chabeb was known for in ancient times

Beit Chabeb is a village of Bell and Pottery making.

The etymology of its name is said to come from the Syriac Bet Shebāba meaning “House of the Neighbor”. Beit Chabeb has preserved its traditional aspect of craftsmanship through generations, among which pottery, weaving and bellfounding. The latter craft was introduced in Lebanon by Russians in 1700, and was the only Bell foundry in Lebanon that manufactured bells for the churches in Lebanon, Jordan,  Turkey and Syria.

The museum aims to take you on a discovery path of what this village was known for. At first you are greeted by the Dima, an old textile machine that was present in all textile factories in Beit Chabeb. Then you continue your path to explore some pottery crafts all displayed in clusters, then you reach the bell section in which you can ring the bells to discover the different sounds and patterns. You continue for a short rest in the projection room that will walk you down memory lane: old videos taken from pottery making (videos from Fawzi Fakhoury; a descendant of a generation of pottery makers owning biggest man made terracotta oven in the East, and the other 40 pottery makers), videos showing bellfoundrings, textile making and old Beit Chabeb village shots. You later end your cultural journey in a gallery promoting the paintings of aspiring artists from Beit Chabeb.