Articles by Hadir Al Koshta

Architecture That Embraces the Flow of Life – In the heart of the Monconseil Eco-District in Tours, aligned with the Grenouillère Park, three “plots” gently emerge. These buildings represent a new approach to housing, where architecture and nature are harmoniously integrated. The green roofs, dubbed “plants,” are not merely green spaces but serve as vegetable gardens and community gathering spots for residents. These roofs become communal terraces where people can grow plants, share gardening tips, or simply relax.

Heritage Context – In 2023 young emerging Lithuanian architect duo Dalia Puodziute Seniuniene & Julius Seniunas executed a pavilion entitled ‘Atlas – ‘Vilnius 200 years ago’ as a part of the celebration of Vilnius city 700th anniversary in Lithuania.

Over decades, the once-forested rural slice of land had its center carved out and its length severed by a series of retaining walls straining to hold back the sloping earth. An aging suburban home sat uncomfortably at the promontory. With an affection for the Key Peninsula developed through 35 years of visits to a small beach cabin nearby, our clients were enthusiastically engaged in the process of creating a home on this slice of land. They envisioned a new home for themselves, a bunch of foster dogs, a few horses, and visiting family and friends.

In the most introverted part of the Salesian Don Bosco center in Mestre, the facades are composed of each other, drawing a void, destined over the years to be a garden. A garden consisting of a green lawn and inhabited only by trees of different species and sizes planted here randomly, without an overall design. This space appeared as an island built inside the void defined by the buildings and separated from them by an almost impassable ring of asphalt, crossed by cars and also used as a parking lot.

Concept – The RDO family house is situated in the southwestern part of the residential zone Záhorské Sady, characterized by dense development and a lack of privacy. The client’s primary requirement was to ensure maximum privacy while incorporating a mature oak tree located near the center of the plot. The house design addresses these needs through a thoughtful layout that balances seclusion with openness. The plot, with its relatively regular shape, is bordered on three sides by neighboring properties. The fourth side opens to a quiet local road that leads to the Malé Karpaty hills. These conditions, coupled with the terrain’s natural features, influenced the house’s placement and design.

This project in Žvėrynas, Vilnius, is a thoughtful integration of architecture, family history, and environmental sensitivity. Located behind a 1935 wooden modernist villa, the house has undergone several transformations, with the latest reconstruction designed to adapt to modern needs while preserving its historical significance. The client’s childhood home, this space holds deep personal meaning, and the renovation aimed to create a structure with lasting value within the urban fabric and an environmentally friendly approach.

Snøhetta, together with 70°N architecture and artist Joar Nango, delivered the winning proposal in the architectural competition for a new Sami theatre and school building in 2021. Now, the prominent building has been inaugurated. The name Čoarvemátta comes from the Sámi words for horn and root, after the innermost and strongest part of the reindeer antlers. This symbolizes different qualities and strengths and represents elements that unite, as Čoarvemátta will be a unifying force for the institutions that share the building: the Sami National Theatre Beaivváš and the Sami High School and Reindeer Herding School.