With a population of about 40 lakhs, Oman is a developing country in West Asia, offering vast opportunities in import and export businesses and well-planned civic facilities to all the citizens. Housing about 2 lakh people, Sohar is a port town in Oman, well-known for its strategic maritime location, rich history, and cultural heritage.

Our design team, at Atelier ARBO, was approached by a well-known family of Sohar, to conceptualize and visualize a weekend bungalow for a peaceful retreat from the monotonous routine life. With a family business of building construction for over 40 years, our client envisioned a minimal yet eclectic holiday home comfortably accommodating his close-knit family of six members.

A vast and spacious plot area of 1 acre (43560 sq. Ft) is segregated into two zones, where one zone is dedicated to farming practices while the other zone hosts the 5,500 sq. Ft bungalow for the residents. With ample space on site, car parking has been provided for the two cars of the client along with a separate guest car park space. A well-kempt driveway leads to the entrance of the house creating a comfortable drop-off point for visitors and residents alike.

Understanding and analyzing the climatic conditions of the site was the first and foremost step taken to develop and conceptualize a contextually relevant design. Considering statistics, like an average maximum temperature of 40.4°C and an average minimum temperature of 17.3°C, sun path diagrams, and wind flow directions, the orientation and zoning of the residential space is done accordingly.

A 2 m wide main door attributes a feeling of grandeur and luxury to the main entrance of the house, welcoming visitors in a lavish style. A discreet side entrance has been provided for the house help staff to access and restore the granary. Having an L-shaped form, the frontal area of the house hosts a family living room with a formal male gathering space situated right next to it, while the rear arm has three spacious bedrooms with individual bathrooms for the comfortable stay of the residents.

The external wall of each bedroom has a wide opening with sliding doors to maximize the intake of natural daylight and free flowing wind during early morning and late evening hours. The angular positioning of these walls with the openings helps in cutting the harsh sunrays during afternoon hours. Each bedroom has luxurious interiors and an unobstructed view of the scenic outdoor landscape. The kitchen, dining, utility area, and bathrooms have been strategically placed in the southern zone of the house to increase the exposure of these spaces to natural daylight. The angular orientation of the deck is done along the northwest direction to aptly improve the airflow circulation throughout the entire house.

The design revolves around the careful consideration of the climatic statistics of the site, the unique requirements and needs of the client, and the incorporation of various passive design strategies to achieve utmost thermal comfort and regulation in the interior spaces. Through this project, we gained a well-rounded and valuable experience of exploring different climatic zones and implementing thoroughly researched design strategies to suit the climate and the client’s wishes.