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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Three Gardens House in Al Funaitees, Kuwait by AGi architectsMarch 18th, 2017 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: AGi architects It all started with a question: Are you able to design an outside space that can be used 365 days a year? For moderate climates such as the Spanish it seems quite simple, but in the case of an extreme weather like that of Kuwait it was necessary to think about new strategies. So we asked the client: Could you live in an outer space located at different levels? Could you classify your outdoor activities in evening and daytime actions, summer and winter events? These enquiries may be very difficult to answer for a Mediterranean family, but definitely not for those who are used to living in adverse weather conditions and who easily know what can -and cannot- be done during the summer outdoors.  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG
 Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG We decided to stratify the external uses according to the period of the year and the hours of the day in which these activities could be developed, and accordingly we designed three gardens. The first one is a Wet Garden on ground floor, which allows us to activate related spaces during the hottest periods. The pool and some fountains are located in this garden, which is surrounded by the main social spaces of the house.  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG The Summer Garden stands in the coldest layer, 4 meters below street level. Protected by the soil’s thermal mass and the projected shadows of the housing volume, a large sheet of water is placed to catalyze the evapotranspiration that -through convection- rises and refreshes the air towards upper spaces. The third one lies on the roof, an ideal place for winter days and hot summer nights. A perforated skin covers the Winter Garden, avoiding direct solar radiation and raising the privacy of its inhabitants.  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG These three gardens become unified as a single outer space and are connected -visually and physically- through exterior stairs; we begin to develop the rest of the home from the generation of the aforementioned voids, articulating the program of required uses around them. Another important aspect to understand is the internal circulation of the dwelling, strongly linked to the concept of “family” assumed by the clients. From the main entrance, the separation of spaces and levels acts as a filter with guests; therefore, those who circulate through it are only the ones closest to the family (including service staff and workers of the house). The circulation inside the building -both vertical and horizontal- is conceived in a fluid way, creating multiple routes and possibilities for the inhabitants to reach the rooms in a more or less direct way. The routes can be interior or exterior, offering differently qualified views and experiences. In this sense, all “public” areas are visually connected, leaving the most private rooms more intimate and looking outwards. Opposite to the closed volume towards the outside -emphasized by the uniform stone cladding- is the total transparency of the spaces facing the interior courtyard -covered in white ceramic tile-, which reflect the light and help to illuminate the rooms in a natural way.  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG The same perforated skin that serves as a filter on the roof -a “deployé” metal mesh of anodized aluminum- has been used to maintain the privacy of the inhabitants from the neighbors’ eyes and to filter direct sunlight, serving as a shelter for the vegetation inside the aggressive Kuwaiti climate.  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG AGi architects The international design firm AGi architects was founded by two architects educated at Harvard University, Joaquín Pérez-Goicoechea and Nasser B. Abulhasan. With a noticeable international character and a multidisciplinary focus, AGi architects offers a professional service emphasizing quality, creativity and exclusive design. AGi has a vision to create environments that create a lasting value for clients through distinctive and imaginative solutions. At present, the studio has offices in Kuwait and Madrid, with a team comprised of more than 50 professionals.  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG The studio’s architecture is based on four founding pillars: innovation, an inherent life component, ecological and social interventions and research. AGi architects provide comprehensive services in architecture, urban planning and design, interior design, research, consultancy and complementary services. AGi architects have been recognized with more than 25 international awards such as: Boutique Middle East Architecture Firm of the Year 2015, 2014 & 2012, Residential Project of the Year 2015, 2013 & 2012, at MEAA; Nomination for the Mies van der Rohe Award 2015; Selected Project at FAD International Awards 2016; Best Religious Building 2014 at WAF Awards.  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © Fernando Guerra – FG+SG  Image Courtesy © AGi architects  Image Courtesy © AGi architects
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Tags: Al Funaitees, Kuwait Categories: House, Residential |
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