Designed by Renzo Piano, the headquarters of the Societe Generale Bank of Lebanon (SGBL) is located at the borderline between two historical neighborhoods of Beirut's flourishing center. With archeological and urban constraints keenly present within this geographical context, the architectural project develops vertically in two forms: a podium-like structure of five floors, on top of which rises a double tower. The podium structure is divided into three parts, creating within it at the site's center an open space facing the city. This small ground-floor square, crisscrossed by access walkways, is dotted with a collection of pre-Hellenistic ruins.

The podium's roof terraces are unified with a landscape of tall trees. The horizontal composition lines of the towers are repeated at terrace level to bring about a play of perspective. Wide bands of stone alternate with thin gravel lines. In moving away from the facades, the stone and gravel gradually give way to more and more abundant vegetation. As the vegetal strata multiply, they superimpose over one another to form a rich and complex environment at the limits of the site. The pedestrian crosses through what becomes a kind of forest edge, following an informal pathway, made of stone. The view then extends from the heights across the city and sky.