Articles by Hana Abdel

The one-acre site of Saukhya Farm is nestled in the lush valley of Beze Village, on the outskirts of Nashik. Surrounded by small farms, it offers sweeping views of Beze Dam and surrounding hills. The clients’ brief was to transform the site into a farmhouse and to cultivate part of it into an orchard. Work on the farmhouse began amid lockdown delays. Frequent visits to the site inspired us as we observed the valley’s dramatic seasonal changes—from vibrant green in the monsoon to muted brown later in the year. These observations became central to the design of ‘The Open House,’ a farmhouse that frames and integrates with its surroundings, encouraging users to slow down and engage with nature.

Moss Column is a prototype to examine how to combine living organisms with architecture. A renewed perspective on the built environment has increased in the period following COVID-19. Even though various methods have been employed for sustainable design, the construction material itself in contemporary architecture has remained largely unchanged for some time. In this experiment, I am now presenting a direct embedding approach of plants into artificial materials.

This small house was built for a couple who have finished raising their children and are retired. The house is located in an old residential area on the outskirts of Tokyo, blessed with lots of greenery and a good environment.

The site is located in the suburbs of Sukagawa City, Fukushima Prefecture. The 400 m2 site was spacious enough, and combined with the rich natural environment of the surrounding area, it is a spacious and pleasant place to live. The owners are a family of four, a young couple and their two small children. When we first met them, we sensed a sense of anticipation for their future life and a positive attitude toward creating their own lifestyle. Since we were building a house in a blessed site environment, we proposed a lifestyle in which the richness of the family’s life would not be limited to the house, but would extend to the garden as well. We placed all the water facilities in the center of the house and created living spaces that surround the water facilities.

The design deconstructs architecture to integrate with nature. Long street houses are transformed into five staggered volumes with gaps between them. Horizontal and vertical planes formulate floors of different levels, allowing for natural elements to get in. Imagery of valleys is combined with the traditional Taiwanese courtyard, forming the architecture that adapts to wind and sunlight.

Aniketana is placed in a calm residential area, a north-facing plot with a frontage of 40 feet and 60 feet depth. The existing tree at the entrance is retained as it brings a touch of nature to the space while also serving as a buffer and screen, creating a sense of separation and privacy for the site.  To create a sense of hierarchy and prioritize privacy, the house is divided into four main levels and stacked vertically: the entry-level, the family space, the private areas, and the master suite.  We enter the ground floor through a landscaped area leading us to the formal living and home theatre. The pet’s living and services are neatly tucked away in the back.