ARD 532 is a renovation project of a semi-attached house built in the 1980s in Amman.
The design approach started with de-cluttering the structure and stripping it down to essentials so as to create more openness and spatial interconnectivity. The house area was increased to accommodate the new program by utilizing the back-patio space which has become part of the interior and a connection point between ground and first floors.
Starting with dark interiors and windowless rooms, light was a key player in different decisions. The intervention’s main focus was to transform the interior space through a smart introduction of openings that would invite natural light and fresh air in, and help in making the building a more sustainable, energy-efficient, and environment-conscious home. Sculpting the natural light was done through a strategic positioning of openings. The artificial lighting planning and design has also mimicked the way natural light illuminates the interior while accentuating different architectural elements.
The design rethinks the use of standard facade finishing material in Amman; i.e. stone and combines the existing white stone with black basalt for exterior cladding. The visual impact of this simple tweak is powerful and makes the building stand out with minimum effort and insignificant cost impact. The play of color, and shade and shadow patterns, result in an abstract mass, a sculpture-like habitat that is in stark contrast with the “business-as-usual” architecture of its immediate context.
View Original