The studio focuses on the design of an olive oil interactive depository where experience and knowledge are equally essential. It shall be a built testimony to the Lebanese olive oil culture and know-how. The depository shall serve as storage as well as a museum encompassing a multitude of olive oils and derivatives such as soap, and act as an informative space where visitors may participate in tastings and learn all about the industry, from crop to table.
The site is located within the vicinity of the historic monastery Deir Saydet El Natour, Enfeh, North Lebanon. Loaded with historical layers, the area was recently threatened by large scale developments and the subject of many discussions about its cultural and industrial heritage and need to safeguard. Given its location where natural salt production near the coast and olive groves, it is considered an emerging tourist attraction and the ideal spot for an olive oil depository that functions both as a storage area for producers and a museum for olive oil enthusiasts. The project must reconcile indoor and outdoor spaces as a whole, and address issues of access and views within the site.