Modern Mashrabiya

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Because the brief called for a mixed-use typology, another key challenge for the KEO team was figuring out how to integrate office, retail and residential space – each of which came with myriad height/aesthetic/storey requirements under the guidelines. Patel’s solution to the problem was a modern take on the ancient concepts of courtyards, mashrabiya and elevated gardens. KEO’s design solution

Each of the three office buildings are situated to address the main street and provide excellent views of the social, urban and natural space. The commercial buildings step from 25 storeys at the northeastern portion of the site to 29 storeys at the northwestern corner of the site.

Elevated sky gardens are located in strategic locations of each tower to offer tenants a connection to nature and break up the mass of the building.

“We wanted to resort to vernacular principles. That’s why the courtyard and mashrabiya are there. The elevated gardens have come out as a new typology,” says Patel. “In the past, when you’re building 1- and 2-storey buildings, it’s easy to incorporate courtyards and mashrabiya. But as we go higher and higher, we have to introduce spaces that connect users back to nature. Those courtyards allow us to present a connection to a horizontal plane that is open to the sun, no matter how high we go.”

The courtyard was conceived as a buffer zone. While the north side is aimed at attracting people to the commercial space, the south side provides privacy for the residential space.

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FEATURED COMMENT I don't see any, the title is misleading so is the explanation. I didn't see any plans so I don't know about the elevate   1 Comments Read more comments »

Aesthetically speaking, the buildings have a shard-like quality. They include sharp angles and jagged, almost harsh, lines at every turn. This, says Patel, was done purposely. The facades developed for the project are inspired by a vernacular vocabulary, which deals with the transformation of patterns, protection from the sun’s rays and privacy.

To achieve the desired affect, Patel used various sizes of solid panels and glass. He had to continuously strive to balance between using all the space while ensuring the final product didn’t look like a multi-coloured box. This aesthetic aim – as well as a Lusail initiative that said no more than 50% of the façade could be glass – combined to create the unique bevelled façade of the project.

“We accepted that challenge and decided that instead of just doing ribbons of glass windows, we would study woven patterns such as Bedouin rugs and tapestries,” explains Patel. “Tilting the panels was a function of studying those woven patterns. We wanted to avoid a very flat or static image. We wanted something that would look very interesting as the sun and shadows moved throughout the day.”

Although they might seem randomly placed, the bevelled pieces of the façade are the byproduct of a mathematical formula that can address any glass/façade requirement. “We developed a very simple module that allowed us to put in our main lines and infill the pattern,” says Patel. “So with the module, we could determine where we wanted glass and where we wanted solid. By doing this, we could go anywhere from 5% to 90% glass.”

The final word

The resulting composition of the building masses, which are unified with gardens, have the opportunity to create a landmark development for this site. The glass entrance volumes are wrapped in random lace-like patterns of metal to mimic the quality of light found in traditional souqs.

The residential buildings play with an array of stone, metal and glass to provide maximum views of the water from the units within. The facades create a dynamic image for the project and respond to the environmental conditions of the site by respecting traditional architectural concepts but delivering them in a modern, contemporary way.