Chadirji Villa

Notes

Iraqi architect Rifat Chadirji built his personal residence in Taha Street of the Waziriyya District of Baghdad. The project dates to 1954, toward the beginning of the architect's career, and reflects many of his design principles and architectural interests on a smaller, more personal scale.

Stables used to occupy the lot on which the house was constructed. The modest dimensions of the lot constrain the size of the house; however, the plan layout managed to maximize efficiency by omitting the use of hallways. Like many of his projects, Chadirji integrates the surrounding garden through large windows, covered porches, and patios. These transitional spaces are modern versions of elements already present in the traditional domestic architecture of Iraq, namely the arcaded courtyards at the center of large houses.

The house's plan is simple. Its enclosed spaces are mainly organized along a T-shaped layout.
Its central segment includes a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. On one side, this central segment is flanked with a covered porch, acting as a semi-outdoor space, separated from the garden with a screen wall. On the other side, it’s bounded by two patios covered with arbors.
The other segment of the T-shaped layout is occupied by an office and a bedroom. The office has a large window overlooking one of the trellised patios, and the bedroom has a window and double door opening onto the other patio.
 

Sources

Caecilia Pieri, Bagdad: La Construction d’Une Capitale Moderne (1914-1960), Beirut: Presses De L’ifpo, 2015.

Rifat Chadirji, Al-Ukhaydir wal-Qasr Al-Billawri [Al-Ukhaidir and the Crystal Palace], London: Riad El-Rayyes, 1991, p. 41.

Khaled Al Sultany, Rifaat al Chadirji: Mi'mar, Amman: Adib Books, 2016, p. 152.

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