FROM GOLDEN OLDIES COMES THE HOTTEST NEW JAM
The New Upcycled Junkyard is Hardcore Rock'n'Roll
Concocted from a small shipping container along with a handful of cast-offs, and fitted out with basic kitchen paraphernalia, the Junkyard made a short-lived appearance two years ago, much to the delight of local foodies when it popped up, and their dismay when it dismantled. Now, the Junkyard has stepped up to the plate, and this time it is here to stay- come rain or sunshine! When you drop by, we urge you to leave at the door whatever memory of an "outstandingly original" recycled project you may have-because it's not an overstatement that everything pales in comparison to the Junkyard 2.0.
Behind the United gas station in Mar Mikhael lies the all new Junkyard, a gastropub sequestered under a blue shipping container that's graffitied with a scantily-clad babe and features witty signs such as "Sshh... our neighbors have eggs
Make your way through the dimmed out passageway. The fun begins here. The two indoor floors, terrace and rooftop of the Junkyard are a happy mess of generously upcycled items and a mashup of some insanely intelligent ideas that were rendered alive by Ramy el-Khazen, the cousin of the owner, restaurateur Mario Jr Haddad. Owning up-without a shred of timidity-that he is not a designer or architect whether by foundation or practice, el-Khazen notes that the Junkyard was executed without a blueprint. But the young man professed to possessing an uncanny connection with containers- that's because el Khazen's bread and butter is making arak and he's been around alcohol barrels throughout his life. The place will have containers, a whole lot of them - el-Khazen and Haddad knew that much. The rest el-Khazen had lurking in the back of his mind, sometimes playing it by ear
Twelve containers were brought into the 1200 square-meter space, making up its skeleton and turning up again and again, such as on the bars and walls. El Khazen scoured wreck yards and rummaged through heaps of scraps, walking away with odds and ends from the most unexpected places. Nothing was collected inadvertently or arbitrarily. Out of the 40 trucks he spotted, he picked the one that spoke to him enough to hang gloriously in the garden - half of it at least. In fact, he had a little anecdote for almost every piece that he'd salvaged from the dungeons of oblivion and gave a new purpose, such as the 1936 tractor that he planted on the terrace. The tractor looks up to a mammoth tree that rocks a heart of steel. Dangling from it are old washing machine drums, water dispensers and gas canisters have been rebranded as lighting fixtures The Junkyard is also markedly riddled with graffiti work, which was Implemented by the "m3alim", the moniker for Lebanese urban art wizard Rami Mouallem
In terms of resourcefulness and ingenuity, the Junkyard holds back no punches. A lire changing machine has been Shell reassembled as an eight-person table. Engine parts are restructured and artistically laid out across a staircase railing, hile the fate of a jeep door is rewritten as the gate of the bar in the outdoor area El-Khazen continues to bring out the big guns-literally. Bomb heads and rocket propelled grenades were turned into chandeliers, in his bid to remove the "tragic" stigma from the Lebanese war. That's why you'll find an old y truck that's been rechristened as a private dining area, cushioned with camouflage printed textiles and decked out with shrapnel for adornment. Another elevated VIP lounge has been constructed on the base of a Sukleen truck that has been dressed in a garden of colors in concord with its milieu, In the indoor restaurant, el-Khazen gesticulates to a table, which was welded out of 366 steel pipes, as well as chairs that were reproduced out of construction wood and painted over with a blissful mix of pastel hues.
On the upper floor is yet another bar, but this one has been fashioned out of recycled bottles. So many other recreations merit a mention, including the caterpillar pistons that were made into a lampshade and the reused napkins, plates and cutlery, once offered at local restaurants that went under.
There's of course, the "Confession Wall" next to restrooms, where patrons spill the soup behind a curtain and have their secret hung up on the dedicated wall. That's not to mention the elevator, which actually is a construction hoist, and the excavator cranes that form the stairs that lead to the roof. When you arrive at the roof dome, el-Khazen's sheer madness smacks you across the forehead. A geometric art piece created out of steel and glass, the almost nine-ton structure was set up without the aid of a pole, intricately erected on the ground and lifted upwards. It can be viewed up close from the balcony, from where the neighbors can be seen getting a slice of the action until 2am. every night.
El-Khazen's commanding efforts granted him the 2014 Green Mind Award, which recognizes brilliant ecological practices by organizations and individuals in the Middle East and North Africa. It's a fulfilling decoration, according to the inventor, who rolled up his sleeve at more than one occasion and built things with his hands. In the wake of all the aforementioned details and the extensive reworking of the gathered junk, the owners ended up forking out a handsome $2million. Haddad gulps as he recalls the cost, shifting focus to his greatest passion, the food. "We also recycled the street food concept into gourmet street food," says Haddad whose restaurant serves such delicacies as Australian grass-fed rib-eye for burgers and cod for the fish and chips.
More than the sum of its parts, the Junkyard has composed a synchronized, jam-packed rhapsody, one that is becoming a timeless classic as you read these very words.
Words: Maha Majzoub - Photos Anthony Rahayel
Behind the United gas station in Mar Mikhael lies the all new Junkyard, a gastropub sequestered under a blue shipping container that's graffitied with a scantily-clad babe and features witty signs such as "Sshh... our neighbors have eggs
Make your way through the dimmed out passageway. The fun begins here. The two indoor floors, terrace and rooftop of the Junkyard are a happy mess of generously upcycled items and a mashup of some insanely intelligent ideas that were rendered alive by Ramy el-Khazen, the cousin of the owner, restaurateur Mario Jr Haddad. Owning up-without a shred of timidity-that he is not a designer or architect whether by foundation or practice, el-Khazen notes that the Junkyard was executed without a blueprint. But the young man professed to possessing an uncanny connection with containers- that's because el Khazen's bread and butter is making arak and he's been around alcohol barrels throughout his life. The place will have containers, a whole lot of them - el-Khazen and Haddad knew that much. The rest el-Khazen had lurking in the back of his mind, sometimes playing it by ear
THE DIRTY DOZEN
Twelve containers were brought into the 1200 square-meter space, making up its skeleton and turning up again and again, such as on the bars and walls. El Khazen scoured wreck yards and rummaged through heaps of scraps, walking away with odds and ends from the most unexpected places. Nothing was collected inadvertently or arbitrarily. Out of the 40 trucks he spotted, he picked the one that spoke to him enough to hang gloriously in the garden - half of it at least. In fact, he had a little anecdote for almost every piece that he'd salvaged from the dungeons of oblivion and gave a new purpose, such as the 1936 tractor that he planted on the terrace. The tractor looks up to a mammoth tree that rocks a heart of steel. Dangling from it are old washing machine drums, water dispensers and gas canisters have been rebranded as lighting fixtures The Junkyard is also markedly riddled with graffiti work, which was Implemented by the "m3alim", the moniker for Lebanese urban art wizard Rami Mouallem
In terms of resourcefulness and ingenuity, the Junkyard holds back no punches. A lire changing machine has been Shell reassembled as an eight-person table. Engine parts are restructured and artistically laid out across a staircase railing, hile the fate of a jeep door is rewritten as the gate of the bar in the outdoor area El-Khazen continues to bring out the big guns-literally. Bomb heads and rocket propelled grenades were turned into chandeliers, in his bid to remove the "tragic" stigma from the Lebanese war. That's why you'll find an old y truck that's been rechristened as a private dining area, cushioned with camouflage printed textiles and decked out with shrapnel for adornment. Another elevated VIP lounge has been constructed on the base of a Sukleen truck that has been dressed in a garden of colors in concord with its milieu, In the indoor restaurant, el-Khazen gesticulates to a table, which was welded out of 366 steel pipes, as well as chairs that were reproduced out of construction wood and painted over with a blissful mix of pastel hues.
ON THE UP AND UP
On the upper floor is yet another bar, but this one has been fashioned out of recycled bottles. So many other recreations merit a mention, including the caterpillar pistons that were made into a lampshade and the reused napkins, plates and cutlery, once offered at local restaurants that went under.
There's of course, the "Confession Wall" next to restrooms, where patrons spill the soup behind a curtain and have their secret hung up on the dedicated wall. That's not to mention the elevator, which actually is a construction hoist, and the excavator cranes that form the stairs that lead to the roof. When you arrive at the roof dome, el-Khazen's sheer madness smacks you across the forehead. A geometric art piece created out of steel and glass, the almost nine-ton structure was set up without the aid of a pole, intricately erected on the ground and lifted upwards. It can be viewed up close from the balcony, from where the neighbors can be seen getting a slice of the action until 2am. every night.
El-Khazen's commanding efforts granted him the 2014 Green Mind Award, which recognizes brilliant ecological practices by organizations and individuals in the Middle East and North Africa. It's a fulfilling decoration, according to the inventor, who rolled up his sleeve at more than one occasion and built things with his hands. In the wake of all the aforementioned details and the extensive reworking of the gathered junk, the owners ended up forking out a handsome $2million. Haddad gulps as he recalls the cost, shifting focus to his greatest passion, the food. "We also recycled the street food concept into gourmet street food," says Haddad whose restaurant serves such delicacies as Australian grass-fed rib-eye for burgers and cod for the fish and chips.
More than the sum of its parts, the Junkyard has composed a synchronized, jam-packed rhapsody, one that is becoming a timeless classic as you read these very words.
Words: Maha Majzoub - Photos Anthony Rahayel
