Visite
The Restoration of Charles Corm's house
22 November, 2022 - 22 November, 2023
Heavily damaged during the civil war, the house of poet and entrepreneur Charles Corm (1894-1969) with its avant-garde furniture and incredible library opens its door to the public for a new lease of life.
Designed by Corm in 1929 in a nod to the skyscrapers being built in America, this graceful white tower was for a long time considered to be Beirut’s tallest building.
It initially housed the headquarters and showroom for Corm’s company, which included the Ford Motor dealership for the Levant, where hundreds of cars were assembled and sold - including Ford’s iconic Model T.
In the late 1930s Corm left the world of business to devote himself to writing and transformed his headquarters into his family home, decorating its interiors in the contemporary Art Deco and Bauhaus styles.
The oriental lounge, the music room, the "Cormoscope" (the cinema room) and most importantly, the library became meeting points for writers and artists. The Lebanese Friendships, a program of talks and conferences, hosted in his library made Corm’s home a truly open house. While in the garden, Corm set up a studio for his good friend the sculptor Youssef Hoayek’s (1883-1962).
In 1975, the Lebanese war marked the end of this golden age. The house suffered a great deal throughout the conflict - occupied by various militias and enduring heavy shelling.
Patient restoration works led to the building reopening its doors to the public in 2022 as the Charles Corm Foundation in partnership with Beirut's Saint-Joseph University; once again a cultural lighthouse in the heart of Beirut.
Tours of the house are available on Saturdays. To book, email hello@fondationcharlescorm.org.
It initially housed the headquarters and showroom for Corm’s company, which included the Ford Motor dealership for the Levant, where hundreds of cars were assembled and sold - including Ford’s iconic Model T.
In the late 1930s Corm left the world of business to devote himself to writing and transformed his headquarters into his family home, decorating its interiors in the contemporary Art Deco and Bauhaus styles.
The oriental lounge, the music room, the "Cormoscope" (the cinema room) and most importantly, the library became meeting points for writers and artists. The Lebanese Friendships, a program of talks and conferences, hosted in his library made Corm’s home a truly open house. While in the garden, Corm set up a studio for his good friend the sculptor Youssef Hoayek’s (1883-1962).
In 1975, the Lebanese war marked the end of this golden age. The house suffered a great deal throughout the conflict - occupied by various militias and enduring heavy shelling.
Patient restoration works led to the building reopening its doors to the public in 2022 as the Charles Corm Foundation in partnership with Beirut's Saint-Joseph University; once again a cultural lighthouse in the heart of Beirut.
Tours of the house are available on Saturdays. To book, email hello@fondationcharlescorm.org.
