Mohammad Abed Al-Wahab House

Notes

Rifaat Chadirji was commissioned to design this villa for a close family friend. The concept revolved around a corridor that provides fresh ventilation across the entirety of the house. This corridor is clearly separated from the rest of the house using a high wall that is extended and made apparent from the exterior. Beside ventilation, the corridor fulfills two other purposes: from the side of the street, it acts as a separative element isolating the kitchen and its services; and, from the side of the garden, it acts as an intermediary space preceding the bedrooms and private spaces.

A curtain wall façade was developed for this house allowing a floor-to-ceiling glazing that provides a clear connection to the garden from the interior while allowing for separation and privacy when needed. The curtain wall can slide open all the way through, merging the garden and the living room into a single space. On the other hand, privacy can be achieved with the use of the curtain hanging on a suspended metal bar. The choice of the curtain’s fabric, as well as the use of greenery throughout the landscape, is intended counter excessive heat and sunlight.

Sources

Chadirji, Rifaat, Al-Ukhaider and the Crystal Palace, London: Riad El-Rayyes Books Ltd, 1991, pp. 37-39

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