Inward Courtyard House Design

Overview

The Writers Box is an ongoing expansion to M/s Suhail and Fawad Architects Residential portfolio in Islamabad. This split level home in Islamabad has been intended for the famous poet and columnist Harris Khalique, his better half Shabana and their two kids. The idea was to create an open frame plan with multiple levels which would celebrate the natural environment, abiding the famous architectural philosophy of “function over form” in the sense that the final product is heavily dependent on interaction on part of the owners and visitors alike. Therefore, the house was meant to act as a transparent box from outside, but on the inside, airy and well lit.

To implement this idea, the residence has been divided both horizontally & vertically through which the overall design of the residence centers around oneself made garden in the focal point of the house, but its outside perspectives opens out to an existing open park and beautiful green scenery. This division makes the rooms be placed on various levels in a way that each gets a balcony and green spaces to look out, but they also somehow have a view into the central courtyard on every level.

Moreover, the architectural elements are particularly conceptualized with each room opening out to either man-made patios or green spaces. However, small and large balconies are included on outer sides as a significant element with brick jaalis standing tall before the grey and terracotta palate used to balance the blue of the metal. Thus, the blend of this strategy makes house sufficiently bright for the duration of the day while around evening time it turns the house into a private inward looking garden with wide corridors, living rooms, bed rooms and two storied library opening into it.

Further, the formal drawing room is in the basement opening directly into focal water court which is designed as a garden with sitting space, plantations and tensile fabric covers over it, so that it can be used throughout the day.

In nutshell, the play of volumes, solids and voids with diverse color palette & brick is adopted to enhance the quality of space and it is an excellent attempt into an inward courtyard plan but making sure that external views are not compromised and natural light, cross ventilation and colors continuously contribute to the contemplative atmosphere of the interiors.

Schematics

Undertaking

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