On a green plot
overlooking the sea, this series of 42 residential villas was influenced by iconic stone monuments: Stonehenge and
Easter Island, and local rock formations in Faraya.
Deir Koubel Gate
was an inspired response to the area’s challenging development regulations. Like individual monoliths that form a monumental
whole, the project is comprised of twin villas that make up one comprehensive
gated community. This approach also answered the client’s demand for an escape
from the density and conformity of
city life, just outside Beirut.
Despite a minimum
distance requirement between villas, the development is laid out in a way that
blurs the number of homes. Each block consists of two coupled residences, but
their strategic fragmentation breaks the scale; determining just how many exist
on the plot is nearly impossible from the outside.
Each villa is
three levels with a vertical circulation that forms voids as the stories
connect. The footprint of each level varies according to its function; from the
outside, the stacked levels give the volume its irregular, slanted shape. Openings
are positioned to favor the view, adding to the individualized details that
strengthen each home’s independence. Private gardens at every residence heighten
the tranquil, suburban atmosphere.
Environmental
concerns were fundamental to the project’s design. The community’s internal
road is intended as a green promenade, integrated into the slope of the site to
minimize its impact on the surrounding land. Rather than traditional asphalt, the
road made from a sustainable alternative. Tree-lined sidewalks and bike lanes accommodate
pedestrians and cyclists, while a recreation club, pool and playground are
spread between trees in a center
plot. This common park is the lung of the project, breathing life into the
community.
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