University of Damascus

The Slab House was designed to juxtapose construction materials, combining wood, concrete, and steel. The design is at once hyper-modern yet discreet. The huge windows are an immediate focal point, but they are protected from the weather and street-view by concrete slabs. Gardens feature heavily in the property, both on the ground level and at the first floor, allowing the residents to feel connected to nature as they interact with the property, creating a unique flow as one moves from the entrance to the living areas.

The residence utilizes a modern aesthetic while retaining a central courtyard, which evokes the traditional Kuwaiti practice in the building of houses. Here the residence is allowed to acknowledge both past and present, without clashing. The water feature at the steps of the main door sweeps outwards, the floor to ceiling glass helps keep the spaces more open, allowing the users to go between outside and inside, past and present, effortlessly.