From Altitude into Attitude.
Tucked high in the rugged spine of the Chouf, Lebanese mountains, the old Baadaran airstrip had long slipped into silence, a relic left behind by time and turbulence.
But with the backing and under the leadership of the Chouf's most prominent, respected and deeply rooted families, I was brought in to reimagine the impossible: not just to revive the site, but to transform it into Lebanon's most daring high-altitude destination. Becoming Lebanon's first skydiving haven and a heartbeat of rural tourism, fueled by vision, grit, and fearless reinvention.
Chouf is no ordinary backdrop. It's a region steeped in legacy, where cedar trees echo the soul of Lebanon and villages still hold onto their untold potential. That's exactly what made it the perfect location for something different, something disruptive. This wasn't just about transforming a space. It's about reawakening a whole region.
The vision was ambitious and personal. I walked the cliffs. I mapped the terrain. Every curve and crevice became part of the concept. What emerged was more than a resort - it was a kinetic experience stitched into the landscape, designed to put Baadaran back on the map in a way no one could ignore.
The concept? A full-scale revival of the abandoned airstrip into Lebanon’s first extreme tourism resort, with skydiving at its core
The rebirth of this forgotten runway centers around a full-throttle adventure and tourism hub, an aerial playground anchored by a skydiving platform led by international experts. Global DJs would be flown in by helicopter to headline mountaintop events. Cliffside bungalows - 34 in total, facing a horizon-wide infinity pool that bleeds into the valley. These aren't just rooms, they're private launchpads into one of the most serene, yet adventurous, corners of the country.
It took more than design. It took strategy, topographical mastery, and vision with altitude.
Every element: from adrenaline-fueled motocross, ATV trails and horseback riding routes to a mountaintop spa carved into the rocks was chosen to create contrast, movement, and balance. Families are part of the picture too. Dedicated kid's zones, a yoga retreat with horizon views, an open-air gym facing the mountains, offer balance and breath, ensuring every energy has a place to land.
By day, it’s a playground of extremes:
Skydiving led by global pros.
ATV and motocross tracks cutting through the wild.
Horseback riding, hiking, outdoor gym, mountain biking, and Harley Davidson meetups tearing through the hills.
By night:
The energy lifts again, the airstrip lights up. This isn't just nightlife - it's sky-life. Elevated, immersive, unforgettable. A pulsating nightlife zone soundtracked by rotating local and global DJs flying in straight to the strip, no traffic, no waiting, just music and magic at 1,200 meters above sea level.
Creating Baadaran's Takeoff concept wasn't just a renovation project for me. It's a declaration - that even the most overlooked places can rise again, louder and higher than ever.
