30 | Architecture & Design
one from the back. Therefore, the courtyard
and the roof are the only external spaces of
the property with rooms overlooking the said
yard, which is a typical feature of this type of
houses. This made the internal yard and the
roof very important for the concept of this
project.
In order to define and distinguish clearly the
difference between the old and the new,
but at the same time extend the property
respectfully towards the old, the design team
took the external spaces a step further by
introducing a bold gap between the existing
fabric and the new extension, creating a
series of intimate semi-outdoor spaces to
be enjoyed by all guests and users. This
concept gave the old house space to breathe
with plenty of daylight flooding through
these spaces. The newly built addition is
suspended in mid-air above the void and the
added front and back units are connected by
a bridge.
The vision of the design architects for the
contemporary extension was to introduce
volumes and spaces, that are defined by the
form as well as an intricate interlace of space
and geometry. The use of small openings
and geometric shapes dotted around the
property is adding interest in every corner of
the cubic negative volume of the courtyard.
