Aïshti Foundation

Beirut


The Aïshti Foundation is a combination of seemingly strange bedfellows. On one hand, it’s a high-end mall aimed at people who have a few grand to spend on handbags, but it’s also a museum, home to mogul Tony Salamé’s world-class collection of contemporary art and sculpture (which often seems to be commenting on the culture of consumerism to which the other half of the building is a temple). The structure itself is an architectural standout, all red zigzagging aluminium designed by David Adjaye at the cost of US$100 million.


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