House Francis Kettaneh

Notes

Antoine Nahas (1901-1966) graduated from the Ecole Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, Paris, in 1925, and from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris, in 1930. He designed the house for Francis Kettaneh but never came to the site. Engineer Daher Farkh, who was well versed in stone building, and detailing was in charge of execution.* The house is made of Forni stone from Mansourieh, partly bosseled and partly bush-hammered (cylindrical columns, stairs sides, etc.). The stonework is very well crafted with almost invisible joints. An elegant concave cornice crowns the walls, a recurrent feature in Nahas' designs. The house has green tiles on the roof, an unusual color. Due to the sloping site, the landscaping is made of successive terracing walls. Next to the house is the guardhouse with refined details (elegant cornice and balcony handrail). Villa Francis Kettaneh belongs today to the Al Thani family from Qatar, who also bought villa Jean Fattal next door. 

Sources

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