Rotana Arjaan - Facade Rehabilitation & Envelope Protection

Client: ROTANA Arjaan 

Consultant: Bureau Said Bitar

Status: Completed on October 2018

Location: Rawche, Beirut

Rotana Arjaan Management appointed the works to rehabilitate and protect the building facades, with a scope focused on restoring 

deteriorated concrete elements, improving facade safety, and maintaining the original architectural appearance of the hotel. The project included balcony soffit and spandrel concrete repair, ACP ceiling replacement, granite cladding inspection and rehabilitation, facade cleaning, and 

protection works.

Services Delivered

✔ Facade rehabilitation
✔ Concrete repair works
✔ Reinforcement corrosion treatment
✔ Balcony and spandrel restoration
✔ ACP ceiling replacement
✔ Granite cladding inspection and stabilization
✔ High-pressure facade cleaning
✔ Water repellent protection systems
✔ Stainless steel drip profile installation
✔ Safe access and protection systems

The works were executed in a sensitive operational hotel environment requiring strict coordination to protect hotel guests, circulation corridors, and surrounding areas while maintaining normal hotel operation.

The scope included careful demolition of deteriorated facade elements, repair of damaged reinforced concrete areas, treatment of corroded reinforcement, installation of new ACP ceiling systems, granite cladding rehabilitation, facade cleaning, and protective treatment works.

Deteriorated concrete and cracked plaster at balcony edges, spandrels, and exterior beams were carefully removed to expose damaged areas and corroded reinforcement. Existing rebars were cleaned and treated using corrosion protection systems, while additional reinforcement was installed where required to restore structural integrity.

Concrete repair materials were then applied to reinstate the original sections and provide proper concrete cover around the reinforcement before restoring the architectural finish of the facade elements.

The existing mechanically fixed granite cladding showed localized deterioration and damage at several side pin fixation areas. Positive and negative pressure pull testing was performed on each granite panel to verify fixation stability and identify loose or defective cladding elements.

Following inspection, loose fixation points and damaged areas were repaired to restore proper facade stability. 

The complete granite facade was then cleaned using high-pressure water jet cleaning to remove contamination and restore the original appearance of the stone surfaces. A water repellent protective treatment was subsequently applied to improve long-term durability and reduce water absorption.

One of the major challenges of the project was the requirement to complete all concrete repair and ACP ceiling replacement works during the hotel’s low season within a limited execution window of approximately one month per year. The fast-track schedule required intensive coordination, accelerated execution, and strict quality control while maintaining hotel operations.

Another major challenge was the implementation of extreme safety measures within an occupied building environment. Special external catching platforms were installed below balcony areas to safely collect demolition debris and prevent any falling materials from reaching lower levels or public zones. Due to the limited working space and facade configuration, the installation and coordination of these protection systems required extensive planning and controlled execution.