Sample of Work
Rabih H. Ibrahim
About Me An artist in spirit. Between Image and Space 2011 I finished a one-year introduction to film program at afilm Barcelona, Spain 2007 I graduated from the American University of Beirut with Bachelor Degree in Architecture 1992 Summer. I was eight years old when I came back to Beirut two years after the end of the war, and I can still remember clearly how Beirut looked that day; the buildings, the destruction, the leftovers, the people and the sky. Beirut has always been my inspiration. She doesn’t mind change; she embraces it and grows, or refuses it and moves on. My Beirut has taught me what it means to be bewildered and be strong because of it. I am a product of my city. Now Asking question. Between Film and Architecture Architecture; A passion in creating space, the built and un-built, perceived and conceived, sensed and imagined Film: a whole new set of tools of expression. It offers me a bridge between the abstract and literal, and a moment between moving in space and perceiving images in motion. My questions explore their answers in the visionary and the experimental, the two words that describe my process and destination.
ANIMATION 1.
[pre-production]
root B with Fouad Mezher + Dara Sabri + Ahmad Bizreh + Jamal Malaeb + Lina Abu Reslan + Elissar Mezher Comic (Animation) Oct 2011 - Feb 2012
Root B is a retro futuristic tale that unfolds in an imaginary city. A freedom fighter from the commoners tries to fight the fascist “Arrangement� of the Machkinas. He get rescued by an Urbanite, who becomes his unlikely ally. Root B is a visual articulation of an alternative dialogue at the crossroads of a subjective longing for conceptual and tangible freedoms and the delusional immersion in a rapidly unfolding reality; two situations that often seem simultaneously impossible to achieve and impossible to evade. With the emerging signs and images of freedom of speech, a new promise of freedom emerges that of true encounter, simultaneously from within the physical reality of the system as city and from within the boundaries of the individual into the collectives as city.
references
architecture 1
2
1- Installation by Arne Quinze, Beirut Lebanon 2- Scene 7, Illustration by Giacomo Costa 3- Inhabiting the earthquake, Illustration by Lebbeus Woods 4- Red Tower (Homage to Tatlin’s Tower) Illustration by Yuri Avvakumov and Yuri Kuzin 5- Re-Ruined Hiroshima, Ink and Guache by Arata Isozaki
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MachinES
1-Siteline Vienna , Model by Lebbeus Woods 2- SCAB Construction, Illustration by Lebbeus Woods 3- STRANDBEEST, Moving Sculpture by Theo Jensen 4- Gift of the Wind, Moving Sculpture by Sasumu Shingu 5- Open House, Illustration by COOP Himmelblau 6- Siberia, Photograph by Jewgeni Chaldej
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FASHION 1
1- Item part of Fall 2011 collection , by John Galliano 2- Sketch of item part of 2007-2008 collection, by Rui Leonardes 3- Suit part of Project Artisanal by Maison Martin Margiela 4- Item part of Men’s Spring/Summer 2011 collection by Jean-Paul Gaultier 5- Sparkling Crystal Dress by Hussein Chalayan
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atmosphere 1
1-Mandan , Photograph by Joel-Peter Witkin 2- Steamfitter, Photograph by Lewis W. Hine 3- Lisa Fonssagrives, Photograph by Erwin Blumenfeld 4- Sao Paulo, Photograph by Rene Burri 5- On the Pavement, Photograph by Alexander Rodchenko 6- Steelworks, Photograph by Felix H. Man 7- The Photojournalist, Photograph by Andreas Feininger
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VISUALS
characters commoner
urbanite
machkinas
GobI-17
HAMMA-13
GEMMA-34
SANA-23
ACHA-05
BADO-08
SAKI-12
city plan
shot 1
“...THE COMMONER observing something out of the corner of his eye. On the wall in front of him is a poster with a statue of martyrs that says “Rise.”...”
Shot 12 shot
“...They stare at each other until the URBANITE gestures with his hands that he means no harm. THE COMMONER retains a cautious posture....”
Shot 3
“...The rope sways somewhat loosely at first and then suddenly stiffens. The camera tilts down to reveal THE COMMONER hanging from a hook.....”
FILM MAKING 2.
A Story of A Moment Cast & Crew: Giovanni Smets + Allan Ignaczak + Desiree Haupts + Theo Prasidis 3 minute movie using 16mm Canon Scoopic Completed Feb. 2011 Link: https://vimeo.com/40041762
In the matrix, Fast Mat wakes up! He realizes that he is being tracked down; Fast Mat is running away from people from places from his dream. He got spotted by the agents, and while he was about to jump away the machine takes his brain to a world of parallel reality, that acts as a maze to capture his brain. In the maze Fast Mat tries to escape but the agents stop him from doing that by controlling his brain and constantly changing the space of movement. Fast Mat brain is no more free, his brain is under control, full control ... he is an agent. Fast Mat is STILL IN MOTION
1. Shooting of A Story of A Moment
ASOAM Story Board Fast matt RUnning Agent 1 reports
o183edh9232wsjdh8923wdj928wqdjxhd98w930uerdFast mat runs past agent 1 j940efjc89j342ef483hf343204r9dj493jehe RUns He Stops AGENT 2!!! he JUMPS !!!!!!! 9rj49jef3049r9efj4093jf094jf094jf94fj o183edh9232wsjdh8923wdj928wqdjxhd98w930uerdj940efjc89j342ef483hf343204r9dj493jeFAST matt runs for his life!!! 9rj49jef3049r9ePARAllel reality Agent 2 reports fj4093jf094jf094jf94fj Agent 1: Dynghi o183edh9232wsjdh8923wdAGent 1 anticipating Fast Mat j928wqdjxhd98w930uerdj940efjc89j342ef483hf343204r9dj493je9rj49jef3049r9eAgent 2: Dirty Dutch fj4093jf094jf094jf94fj o183edh9232wsjdh8923wd-
FAST matt RUNNING!
FAST matt is running scared!!!
ZOOOOOOM FAST matt JUMPS in time!
FAST matt JUMPSSSSSS!!!
Agent 3 r
epo
rts !!!
Agent 2 PASSES HIM BY!
START OVER !! Agent 2 reports
Agent 3: Crazy Daizy
START
OVER !!!
HE passes him by but no reaction ?!?!!!
FAST matt RUNNING Again!!!
Agent 2 reports Fast matt pass by Agent 2 again!
HE JUMPSssss!!!!
ZOOOOOOM
START OVer !!!
Agents Anticipate
Fast matt is running stuck in his mind maze
o183edh9232wsjdh8923wdj928wqdjxhd98w930uerdj940efjc89j342ef483hf343204r9dj493je-9rj49jef3049r9efj4093jf094jf094jf94fj he is o183edh9232wsjdh8923wdstuck j928wqdjxhd98w930uerdj940e!!!! fjc89j342ef483hf343204r9dj493je-9rj49jef3049r9eFast matt runs fj4093jf094jf094jf94fj Fast matt Jumps back to First REality ! past the agents o183edh9232wsjdh8923wdj928wqdjxhd98w930uerdj940efjc89j342ef483hf343204r9dFast matt Spots Suspect j493je-9rj49jef3049r9efj4093jf094jf094jf94fj o183edh9232wsjdh8923wdj928wqdjxhd98w930uerdj940eAgents fjc89j342ef483hf343204r9dreports! j493je-9rj49jef3049r9efj4093jf094jf094jf94fj Agents reports! o183edh9232wsjdh8923wdj928wqdjxhd98w930uerdj940efjc89j342ef483hf343204r9dj493je-9rj49jef3049r9e-
Love & Moustaches Cast: Jordi Domènech + Caroline Pierce + Alexandra Buga Crew: Giovanni Smets + Allan Ignaczak + Desiree Haupts + Theo Prasidis 10 minute movie using JVC GY-HM600 Completed May 2011 Link: https://vimeo.com/40041502
Love and Moustaches is a tale about hope and doubt. It starts when Jamal a young man spots beautiful Emily walking on the beach. He tries to take her picture, and with his trial a fantasy of what-could-be draws the movie. The story is a walk and a talk about dreams, pictures, likes, dislikes and of course moustaches colored by the attraction and emotions rising between Jamal and Emily. Love and moustaches is a longing to love story where Jamal makes a voyage through the fantasy he wishes to capture with his camera, through doubt, and back again to reality, with no camera to hide behind, just his doubts and hopes.
Story board 1.1A
1.1B
1.1C
1.1D
2.1A
2.1B
2.2
2.3
2.4A
2.4B
2.5
2.6
1. Love & Moustaches making off
2. Love & Moustaches making off
3. Love & Moustaches making off
4. Love & Moustaches making off
ARCHITECTURE 3.
Beirut In Between Final Year Project American University of Beirut with Instructors Rana Haddad + Rami Daher Oct. 2006 - June 2007
Beirut in Between makes use of leftover spaces found in the city , and offers a much needed constructive public space for the youths of Beirut. The youths need a new opportunity of development, diversity, and new frontiers beyond space limitations. Beirut In Between are spaces for the youths of Beirut designed to serve their needs in order to enhance their sense of belonging to a city that needs them. Beirut in Between study took place in Ghobaire a low middle class residential area in the suburbs of Beirut. A place full of youth and scarce on spaces. Beirut in Between are neutral spaces of interaction, creativity, information support, and development, offered to the Lebanese youths, who want to grow and express their authentic identities
1- Story of BIB i-Once upon a time, there was a boy call B, playing in his neighborhood, which had a lot of spaces for him to play in. ii-Then a building was built in that space but it only took a part of it so B kept playing in the space. iii-But then many other buildings came up, and B didn’t have any space left to play. iv-So what he did is he flooded his neighborhood with water. v-And where the water seeped and remained,the spaces in between, is his new playing space. There is always space.
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3. Ghobaire neighborhood
From junk space to real space i. Choose a block ii. Cast the void iii. Subtract unusable space iv. Conclude space
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4. Mapping of left-over spaces
5. Intervention site elevation
6. Intervention site perspective
8. In-progress study model of the leftover space of Gobi 1.06
9. Gobi 1.06, an intervention part of Beirut In Between
10. Gobi 1.06 structural build-up
12. Skin structure
Dubai Constant with Polypod / Hani Asfour + Lina Abu Rislan + Chantal Harb ThyssenKrupp 11th Architecture Award entry Competition Site: Za’abeel Park - Dubai August 2008 - Sep. 2009
Dubai constant is a safe harbor for the people of Dubai. It is a reliable base from which Dubai’s collective memory will spring, as a witness and a guardian, as a reference and a support. As a constant. Dubai Constant provides a much-needed permanence amongst the emptiness of the fleeting spectacles of modern living. Dubai Constant, in its publicness, emerges as the first living icon of the city. Its structure is a product of dynamic vectors that evoke machine-like rhythms, which, in their lightness, de-materialize the tower’s massiveness. The rich programs encourage spontaneous and unscheduled events that dismantle any possibility of pinning a singular reading of the experience.
1. Process sketches and models
2. Plan in progress
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c 3. Section d
4. Elevation of Dubai 5. Tomorrow Steps 6. Today Gallery 7. Urban Common
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8. People Stairs
9. Elevation
Dubai Constant is at once a tall urban object and a welcoming public space. Standing at 170m, it emerges proudly from the ground, where it appeals to the human scale through its elements and details. At the same time, it addresses its immediate context Dubai Constant, ultimately, represents the ephemeral permanence, the immaterial presence, and the transient strength that is the future of Dubai. Ever changing, Dubai Constant is the much needed anchor that will ensure Dubai’s constant transformation and growth.
10. Perspective Looking up from Wire City
As a public space Dubai Constant works like a gigantic piece of urban furniture anchoring the middle-ground: through its programs, it activates the neglected inbetween open spaces with identity and community building activities. As an icon, it plays an affirmative role in defining the background—the skyline of Dubai. As a functional object, it creates a foreground for each of its users through the haptic interactions they create and experience.
Flow 17 with 4b Architects Competition by Kittaneh Group Competition Site: Plot# 3696 in Badaro, Beirut Feb 2011 - March 2012
Flow 17 is a residential complex that takes place in Badaro District in Beirut. It is located at a cross point between a commercial road and a neighborhood street. It is located between two different city scales an office building one, and a smaller neighborhood residential one. The complex contains 36 apartments of 4 sizes; 250m2, 200m2, 120m2, 80m2. Flow 17’s main idea is to keep a flow of space between the main road and the neighborhood thus inviting the light inside flow17’s inner space and into the adjacent neighborhood; Marking the light space with green planes and facades, providing the residents with gardens and the area with breathing space. The slides following show the background study and three different schematic designs. All the ideas are driven by the idea of the flow but each translated into a different volume and skin.
1. Location
2. 3D Model of the Area
5. Sun Movement Diagram
North
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3. Flow Space Diagram of Flow 17
4. Skyline on Main Road
Scheme 1
Scheme 2
Scheme 3
INTERIOR DESIGN 4.
BWG hirosaki / Lina Abu Rislan Make Up Boutique Saida - Lebanon Sep 2009 - Jan 2010
The young make-up artist wanted to start the site execution of her beauty lounge in three weeks. She didn’t want to demolish anything existing. Overlay. Inspired from the elegant human touch of make-up art, the walls disappear behind light-washed white voile curtains. Softness. Each of the three main spaces of the lounge has a varying light quality and privacy level. BWG stands for black, white and gold. The white symbolizes light carved out of a mass— black, while the shine in gold represents the carefully designed and placed objects inside the carved spaces and in between them. The austere color scheme of black and white is tinted with framed moments of bright pink, creating a sense of fresh elegance and gateways through experiences
1. Schematic Diagram
2. Conceptual Plan 3. Schematic Perspective 4. Schematic Plan
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5. Boutique Reception
6. Make Up Room
7. Specialist Room
8. Bathroom
9. Make Up Room
nsite hirosaki / Lina Abu Rislan NGO Headquarters Beirut - Lebanon Aug 2009 - Dec 2010
nSITE is a creative community workspace and an accessible and supportive learning environment on the ground floor level of a building in the heart of Beirut. Learning Space. nSITE is a space for individuals, pairs, groups and communities from all ages and backgrounds to reflect, exchange, share and co-create freely and responsibly. Its settings adopt flexibility and build on multiplicity in scales, functions and levels of privacy, hence providing resources and opportunities for working, holding events, experimenting, visualizing ideas and other activities of creative communication. Settings for inspiration. In its delicately minimalist design and use of raw materials, nSITE is a background that invites engaged reinterpretation of possibilities of being in it.
1. nsite spatial diagrams
2. Main Space Perspective
3. Main Space Rear Perspective
4. Entrance Perspective
5. Main Space
7. Through the looking glass
6. Entrance
8. Working Space
9. Window Overlooking Main Space
10. Private Working Space
11. nsite main Space
Wadi Fresh Outlet with Maha Nasrallah Organic Food Store Cairo - Egypt August 2011 - Dec 2011
This concept proposes an integrated design with nature, a Nature Friendly Shopping Experience, at the level of the design by using natural or recycled construction materials as well as at the Commercial level by targeting clients with the same philosophy. The program offers a good opportunity to intervene on an already designed structure on the site proposing a new function in line with nature and farming activities with the linear park. The site is a dense green olive grove planted on a grid of 4m x 6m. The proposed landscape treatment respects the grid composing with the given conditions, and using the site to its full potential, at times re-locating some of the olive trees to insert new plantations.
Desert Highway Service
Road
Netted Area Existing Service Buildings
Advertisement Flags
Green Area
Display Unit Gate
Outlet
Fish Pond Outlet Restaurant
Indoor Area Cash Point Pedest
Coffee Shop Parking
Farmers Market
rian Pa th
Outlet Entrance Display Unit
Service Area Office Desks Open Storage Area Closed Storage Area
1. Top Plan
2. Outlet Plan
15m Netted Dome Netted Dome Skin: Shading Triangular Panels Netted Triangular Panels 9m Indoor Dome 5m Service Dome 3m
Highest
3. Section
Indoor Domes Skin: Double Glazed Panels Suspended Lighting + Advertising Lanterns
4. Structure + Skin
3. Lighting + Advertising Grid
2. Display Blocks + Landscape
1. City Overlay
4. Build - Up
5. Axonometric
6. Outlet Perspective
7. Outlet Interior Perspective
8. Products’ Presentation
Objects 5.
Paper Express with Hamza Sarout + Jamal Mlaeb American University of Beirut Vertical Studio with Instructors Hani Asfour + Ayman Zahreddine March 2004
Paper Express is a white space where citizens can express their thoughts and feelings, observe the expressions of others, and interact with people in real and paper space. Paper Express in its final form emerged from studying writing postures and paper roll strategies. The experience was continuously tested on a one to one scale. Paper Express intends to provide a space that allows people to express freely. No matter what they are trying to express - their thoughts, feelings, or just random scribbles - It seems that people have the tendency to write on blank public surfaces. As if they are leaving an eternal fingerprint. A basic answer to a basic human urge.
1. Examples of expressions in the city
2. Writing-body postures
3. Different scenarios of Paper Express
4. Paper roll strategies
Paper Express design process started with studying the writing postures and paper roll strategies. It developed into a 3D model leading to the final one to one model. With Paper Express we got the chance to experience the design of the “built� and adjust it.
5. 3D model of design in progress
5. Building process
6. Final model
7. Final model + writing postures
8. Paper skin There are different kinds of details in PaperExpress; connection, lighting, display, and structure.
How to use ? - Express - Interact - Observe - Read - Don’t leave any white spaces
9. Paper Express after use
Perception free time experimentation March 2008
Bliss Bliss street Analysis Design Studio I AUB Archtiecture Studies February 2003
Stick Model Dubai Constant In Progress Study Polypod November 2008
Idea 3 Dubai Constant Formal Experimentation Polypod August 2008
PHOTOGRAPHY 6.
Life Without a Vision Model: Toufic Al Ayyash Competition entry in Soura Photography Magazine Jan. 2008
Appearance Life starts you appear you immerge so small so insignificant relative and in the background. You grow get In Touch it’s all about the body it’s all about the strength. Being dominant is life it’s in the posture it’s in the knife. Suddenly you are larger than life you are at the Zenith. The peak of your existence the peak of your strife No worry to survive. The top is nothing but the beginning of the end you can’t handle it it’s your Recluse nobody can see you like that you are not the man you used to be away please away. Until others are so away and you have no choice but to Condense once again insignificant once and once again in the background living the life; the Life Without a Vision
Appearance
In Touch
Zenith
Recluse
Condense
Hamra Noir with Michael James Dennsion A series of Poems by Michael assorted and accompanied with photos by Rabih Ibrahim July 2010
Hamra Noir is a book of chosen poems by Professor Michael James Dennsion inspired by the city of Beirut, and specifically the neighborhood of Hamra. The final product is a result of cooperation of his words and my photographs and layout design. The book is a result of a personal reading inspired by our separate artistic experiences of a distinctive city. The juxtaposition of the perspectives draws a multi-personal picture of Hamra. And in the words of the author “with love and gratitude looking into the private gates of my city, to the people, to the spaces, to the ghosts.�
1. Snapshot of a spread from the book
THE INQUIRY AT THE BORDER “...Why have you come to Beirut? I have come to meet a friend...”
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THE WEDDING “...and the zodiac dream, this is how it started, when I knew the sails were black...”
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DREAM SONNET (From Dante’s La Vita Nuova) “...This sonnet is for all my brothers who do not stand a chance in love and hate to think about the woman but still do...”
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NOTE FROM BEIRUT TO HANNAH “...I had watched you turn his pages in the loft of the churchland a year later...”
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Camera City Tour Cameras: - N65 Nikon (Analogue) - Olympus E-620 (Digital)
Instructions: grab1 Camera WALK in the city, LOOK around, and TAKE pictures. Results : Spaces . Places . People . Architecture . Kids . Emotions . Movies in the Making . Objects . Cities . Leaves . People . Structure . Junk . Leftovers . Close ups . Lamps . Statues . Water . Reflection . Transparency . Tunnels . Spaces . Lights . Movement . Peep hole . Openings . Opaque . Alone . Together . Mechanics . Screw . Wheel . Texture . Shadows . Alignment . Fantasy . Shadows . Spaces . Objects . Moments . Colors . White . Black . Illusion . Lines . In Between . Community . Together . Sky . Rhythm . Repetition . Walk . History . Focus . Background . Depth of Field . Geometry . Stories . History . The Moment Before . Juxtaposition . Eyes . Direction . Lines of Vision . Vision.
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karthaj , Tunisia September 2011
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Barcelona , Spain September 2011
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Damascus , Syria November 2009
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German Pavillion, Barcelona October 2010
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Rotterdam, Netherlands March 2011
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Crazy Daisy A Story of A Moment Photoshoot January 2011
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Madaba , Jordan September 2010
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Barcelona , Spain October 2010
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Beirut , Lebanon April 2006
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hiroskai brand photo shoot June 2010