By Fabian Cifuentes

Architects: Massive Order
Location: Kuwait
Architect In Charge: Muhannad Albaqshi
Design Team: Reem Al-Jalal and Eman M Kassem
Area: 600.0 sqm
Year: 2014
Photographs: Nelson Garrido

Project Manager: Faisal Al-Hawaj
Construction Manager: Hamad Al-Kharaz

From the architect. Box House I houses three families in three different volumes within one box. The idea is to give each family a unique and private spatial experience, hence the program was divided volumetrically and each volume overlooks a private court yard. The ‘L’ shaped volume accessed in the ground floor is the largest volume and it includes a vestibule, in lot parking, and a large yard. The ‘T’ shaped volume accessed from the first floor is the smallest one; the inverted ‘T’ shape affords the courtyard a view of the sky and double height living space. The ‘U’ shaped volume is on the second floor, containing a discontinuous yard that creates two courtyards one with a water feature and the other with greens.

The exterior of Box House I has mainly stone cladding emphasizing the main mass (box). The stone cladding is to be read as a crust that wraps all three families. In order to achieve the perception of a crust, the thickness of the stone is revealed around all openings on the facade. The inside of all openings are finished in stucco to emphasize both perceptions of the crust and the volumes.

Source:: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ArchDaily/~3/vpfigIazbGg/