Private Villa II

Qattan Architects

Office #1, 14th Floor Building 7,
Elite Tower Qibla Block 11,
55 St, Kuwait
tel (965) 2244-9349 fax (965) 2244-9359
admin@qattana.com

Private Villa II

Jabriyah

Jabriyah, Kuwait

In the particularly dense Jabriyah quarter of the city, narrow streets and party wall connections allow for no building setbacks or other exterior articulation. Courtyards become emphasized architectural features. On a 750 square meter plot, this house for a husband, wife, and three daughters becomes a study in how the path of the sun can generate a sculpted and rounded courtyard.
Direct entrance from street to courtyard provides an unusual spatial experience of decompression, a technique that is often lost in current architecture. In this space, curving walls emphasize the softness and femininity of the plan. These peel away from the building mass to connect the different functions, or they erode to allow new spaces to form. In function, there are two building blocks containing housing for the parents and the daughters, respectively, with a bridge connecting them and also allowing access to a rooftop garden. At ground level, a colonnade encloses a reception hall for guests, beneath the husband and wifes quarters, which are completely segregated. Other functions include a spa and a home theater. At the center, a pool enhances the sense of an oasis, especially since plantings and greenery have grown in.

Location

Jabriyah, Kuwait

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