East Architecture Studio

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East Architecture Studio

Founded in 2015, EAST Architecture Studio is a collective practice committed to architectural design and experimental research.

BACKGROUND

Founded in 2015, EAST Architecture Studio is a collective practice committed to architectural design and experimental research. The firm’s systematic design approach questions a wide range of cultural, urban, ecological and material knowledge that stimulate the significance and creativity of a project. We seek design solutions that optimize the use of sustainable energies, natural reso

urces and human comfort to yield high performance buildings and urban environments. We aim at delivering a product that is polyvalent and inventive, while contextual. We believe that architecture has a social, economic and historical responsibility that we use as a trigger for innovation. We are committed to be constantly aware of upcoming changes and challenges in an ever evolving environment, and to synthesize the information around us in its most essential components. FOUNDERS

Nicolas Fayad

Lebanese national Nicolas Fayad completed his bachelor in Architecture at the American University of Beirut in 2008 before earning a Masters in Architecture with distinction from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in 2010. Fayad’s academic path was furthered by professional experiences in international offices such as Ateliers Jean Nouvel in Paris, and Morphosis Architects in New York City. His work has been exhibited at Harvard, the Venice Biennale, the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Culture and published in Wallpaper Magazine, Architecture Record and l’Officiel. He was recently recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the ‘30 Under 30’ in the Art and Design category. Charles Kettaneh

Lebanese-American born Charles Kettaneh joined the Department of Architecture at the American University of Beirut in 2003 before moving to New York City where he earned his bachelor in Architecture with honors from Pratt Institute in 2009. Kettaneh is the recipient of the Outsdanding Merit Award offered by Pratt Institute, and his thesis work was selected and presented at the Pratt Awards. His work was also published in the Pratt ‘In Process’ publication throughout his degree. His professional path includes experiences in international design offices across the USA such as Nelson, RSVP Studio and Perkins Eastman before joining Raed Abillama Architects in Lebanon.

13/02/2026

We are glad to share that AlMusalla has been selected as a finalist in the Small Scale & Installation category for Building of the Year 2026 !
Conceived as a contemporary interpretation of spiritual space, AlMusalla explores the interplay of light, geometry, and materiality to create an environment rooted in reflection, gathering, and collective presence. A project shaped by cultural meaning and human experience, it stands as a quiet yet powerful architectural gesture.
Support us by casting your vote via the link in bio.
Photos Courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation
Photographer

11/02/2026

We’re honored to share that EAST Architecture Studio has been appointed as scenographers of the Lebanese Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia Arte 2026.
Working alongside artist Nabil Nahas, curator Nada Ghandour, and the Lebanese Visual Art Association, we are shaping the spatial experience of ‘Don’t Get Me Wrong’, an immersive installation unfolding over 45 meters at the Arsenale.
The pavilion becomes a navigable frieze and an experience to be inhabited. Drawing on geometry, cosmology, and layered cultural references, the scenography supports a journey through unity and contradiction, rootedness and transcendence, echoing Lebanon’s plural and evolving identity.
We are proud to contribute to Lebanon’s presence on the international art stage and grateful for the trust placed in us through this collaboration.
Arsenale, Venice
May 9 to November 22, 2026

05/02/2026

From a place of gathering and reflection to a contemporary architectural landmark, AlMusalla reinterprets spiritual space through light, geometry, and materiality. A project grounded in cultural meaning and crafted for collective experience. Nominated for Building of the Year, cast your vote and be part of this recognition via the link in bio.

Photos by

04/12/2025

Thrilled to be included in this year’s AD100 Middle East honourees list, a celebration of the designers, architects and creative voices shaping the future of our region.
Grateful to be recognised among such inspiring talents who continue to reinterpret heritage, push materiality, and imagine new possibilities for our built environment.
With appreciation to the team for this distinction and to everyone who continues to support our vision.
Photographers in order of appearance .photographs
Photos 1, 3, 5 and 7 are the courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation

30/11/2025

A cross section through our Capsule Retreat reveals its intimate relationship with the land, organized from the inside out, compact, and intentional.
Photograph by .photographs

23/11/2025

As we conclude our participation in two remarkable moments for AlMusalla, we reflect on its journey and the conversations it has helped spark.
In Venice, a fragment of our musalla found a temporary home within ‘Rooted Transience’ at the historic Abbazia di San Gregorio, a site layered with movement, memory, and spiritual resonance. There, it entered into dialogue with ideas of place, impermanence, and the architectures that carry us.
Meanwhile, the musalla itself traveled from Jeddah to Bukhara to take part in the Bukhara Biennale, continuing its exploration of how ritual spaces migrate, adapt, and connect across geographies. To see it situated within the rich cultural fabric of Bukhara has been profoundly meaningful.
With the closing of both exhibitions, we extend our thanks to the curators, collaborators, and visitors who engaged with the work along the way. These encounters, rooted, transient, and everywhere in between, are what give the musalla its life.

biennial

18/11/2025

A few more days to experience ‘Rooted Transience’ at the Venice Biennale, curated by where a full-scale architectural fragment of AlMusalla occupies a corner of the Abbazia di San Gregorio’s courtyard. The exhibition explores the design and architectural possibilities of musallas, or temporary prayer spaces, by examining how practices rooted in adaptability and impermanence can inform contemporary architecture.
The rich history of the Abbazia di San Gregorio and the multiple programs it has held since its founding; from church, to abbey, to laboratory, to art restoration center, to exhibition space, becomes a site to showcase part of a structure whose primary intention is to offer a space for prayer and spiritual reflection as well as a place for gathering and knowledge exchange.
The AlMusalla fragment, stemming from the offers a transformative opportunity for a wider audience to engage with the structure, serving as an introduction to the profound knowledge and innovative skills essential in its creation. It celebrates the Saudi date palm tree by utilizing its waste as the primary building material; using palm fronds to rethink columns and beam, and palm fibers to create a hand-woven screen that contiguously wraps along the structure.
Video courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation

15/09/2025

Capsule Retreat | Eclecticism in Concrete Form
Deliberately monochromatic, generously daylit, and emulating weightlessness, the residence appears still and monastic.
Elevated volumes and large openings invite air and light, while gentle curves soften the atmosphere.
At the same time, warmth and grounding appear through hearths, repurposed wood, textured surfaces, handcrafted details, and generous proportions.
Thank you .architecturalplatform for featuring our work, beautifully portrayed by
Photography by .photographs
Link to article in our bio.

10/09/2025

From Jeddah to Bukhara
In recent months, AlMusalla has journeyed across lands, carrying with it the spirit of prayer, resilience, and devotion. On September 5, it found its new home in Uzbekistan, as part of the inaugural Bukhara Biennale.
From the embrace of the Red Sea to the heart of the Silk Road, this journey stands as a testament to AlMusalla’s transience, and a manifestation of how sacred spaces can move, adapt, and be reborn in new places.
Its story is a reminder that spirituality travels with us; resilient in change, radiant in every moment of arrival.
This ongoing project thrives under the leadership of H.R.H and H.E .
We extend our deepest gratitude to Prince Nawaf Bin Ayyaf jury chair of the for his unwavering support, continued trust and visionary belief in AlMusalla’s ability to respond to shifting contexts and cultures.
To the leaders, thinkers and makers at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation with .s.husseini .m.alali and many more; your commitment continues to shape AlMusalla’s story.
Our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors Acwa Power and Vision Invest, whose generous support made this journey possible.
It is a true honour to be welcomed by .biennial and under the leadership of H.E Saida Mirziyoyeva and commissioner Gayane Umerova for this exciting new chapter. This first edition of the Bukhara Biennale - curated by Diana Campbell along with creative director of architecture Wael Al Awar .al.awar - is on view until November 20.
Endless gratitude to for orchestrating the construction process and every individual whose hands have shaped and crafted the structure.
And finally, to our collaborators .kara and artist Rayyane Tabet; thank you for carrying forward the enduring legacy of this unique project with such seamless dedication.
Photos courtesy of Diriyah Biennale Foundation
Photography by Sara Saad

22/08/2025

We’re excited to share a project that’s been close to our hearts : The Capsule Retreat.
When we first began imagining it, the goal was simple yet ambitious. How could we create a retreat that feels both grounded and transcendent? A space that welcomes nature, while giving its visitors a sense of shelter, pause, and renewal.
The process became a journey of exploring intimacy, scale, and material honesty. Every decision, from structure to finish, was guided by the desire to create something that quietly amplifies its surroundings.
Seeing this vision come to life, and now being able to share it with our community feels like a milestone. We’re deeply grateful to Ellie Stathaki and Wallpaper* for featuring our work and capturing the spirit of the project so beautifully.
Read the full feature via Wallpaper* by Ellie Stathaki; a story of collaboration, patience, and a belief in humble spaces with substantial meaning.
Link in Bio
Photography by .photographs

13/06/2025

‘Rethinking Pavilions as Potential Museums’ explores the evolving role of pavilions in architecture and museum design, as part of the Fondation Cartier Conversations at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia
In this podcast by Chris Dercon, director of the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain moderates a conversation between architects Nicolas Fayad and Lina Ghotmeh
They touch upon both historical pavilions - such as the Belgian Pavilion in Venice (the first foreign pavilion to be constructed at the Giardini della Biennale back in 1907) - and contemporary projects like the Serpentine Pavilion designed by Lina Ghotmeh Architecture the forthcoming inaugural permanent pavilion for Qatar in the Giardini as well as the winning pavilion of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s inaugural AlMusalla Prize and the Niemeyer Guest House renovation, recipient of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture both designed by Nicolas Fayad’s practice EAST Architecture Studio.
Speakers discussed the potential of pavilions to serve as adaptive, functional spaces that foster community and cultural exchange, emphasizing the importance of craft, modularity, and co-authorship in their design.
Thank you Beatrice Grenier .grenier for orchestrating this unique collateral event in Venice.
Listen to the full episode on koozarch.com, fondationcartier.com, and KoozArch’s Spotify and Apple Podcasts channels.
Photos by Marco Cappelletti / Marco Cappelletti Studio

25/05/2025

Today marks the closing of the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, where AlMusalla stood as a profound expression of spiritual and cultural manifestation.
More than a prayer space, AlMusalla became a living, breathing expression of communal devotion, shaped by hands, stories, and tradition.
As it now prepares to journey on, its memory remains stitched into our collective reflection.
Photos by Marco Cappelletti / Marco Cappelletti Studio

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