Q Weekend House / Paul Kaloustian Architect

Aug 2010

By Sebastian J — Filed under: Houses , Paul Kaloustian Architect, Qatar

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Paul Kaloustian Architect shared with us his project Q Weekend House, a villa for a Sheikh in Qatar who wants to visit the house for a few days each month to disconnect from everyday life. More images and architect’s description after the break.

Courtesy of Paul Kaloustian Architect

Located in an made made forest and zoo in the desert, the weekend house is designed horizontally as a one storey building. While surrounded by all sides with big trees, the typology of the house is based on the islamic court house where the center of the architecture is a void filled with greenery and water, a symbolic paradise. In the Q house, the geometry of the architecture is a ring with a huge water basin as a center, with islands of trees floating on the water. Based on the client’s need of privacy, the house is a result of a contradiction between openess to the outside garden and the inner oasis using total transparency, and the idea of privacy and enclosure reflecting the client’s lifestyle.

Courtesy of Paul Kaloustian Architect

We created a total transparency with a double layer of glass with the house inhabiting the in-between and at the same time, by using curtains and vertical greenery, we allowed privacy to be present whenever the client needed it. This flexibility is achieved by the use of movable layers of curtains fixed on the outer side of the slab. The roof of the house is all planted with greenery as a protection from the heat while the curtain/exterior envelope creates a buffer zone for the direct sun light. In winter, when the temperature becomes milder, the house could be all open allowing cross ventilation with the water becoming a refreshing source in the heart of the house. The floor to ceiling circular glass panels and the water create a play of reflections with the trees and their projecting images and shadows reinforcing the idea of lightness and imateriality.

: Courtesy of Paul Kaloustian Architect

: Courtesy of Paul Kaloustian Architect

: Courtesy of Paul Kaloustian Architect

: Courtesy of Paul Kaloustian Architect

Cite:
Jordana , Sebastian . "Q Weekend House / Paul Kaloustian Architect" 22 Aug 2010. ArchDaily. Accessed 25 May 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/74264>

Comments (13)
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Links to this entry (1)

AmyeToTheRescue! says:

So happy to find this site!

# August 22, 2010 at 22:00

Jazzy says:

looks just like a rip off of SANNA… sad.

# August 22, 2010 at 23:18

Josh says:

It can’t be a ripoff of SANAA, it has some color to it with the materiality!

My guess is he is somehow related to SANAA via internship/work experience/teaching/professor. Definitely has the same minimalist view.

# August 22, 2010 at 23:39

Evariste says:

Yeah…SANAA’s Circle: Patent pending.

# August 24, 2010 at 15:33

ASphere says:

nothing seems to relate to SANAA’s work
just materiality

# August 23, 2010 at 02:16

valentina says:

is SANAA inspiration the problem?guess what happen when outside temperature is 45°C … sunlight is unbearable in Doha …no shading materials no briese soleil…it is not serious

# August 23, 2010 at 02:50

Keven says:

its an oven not a house in Doha desert , respect the nature good luck ,

# August 23, 2010 at 03:18

d.teil says:

funny! people seeing a rendering like this and the first thing they mention is ” jesus, this is a sanaa copy” . Guys, this is boring!

however, this villa looks quite boring to me, it seems that every open room has the same depth, each bedroom has the same depth, long long ways to go around, nothing exciting, nothing surprising.

# August 23, 2010 at 06:53

AxeTB says:

I’d prefer a nomad’s tent near an actual oasis to be able to “disconnect from everyday life”.

# August 23, 2010 at 08:18

jjs says:

Obvious copy of sanaa Rolex Learning Center. It should never have recieved this much attention. It is sad for our profession.

# August 23, 2010 at 09:48

bill says:

“The roof of the house is all planted with greenery as a protection from the heat while the curtain/exterior envelope creates a buffer zone for the direct sun light.”

Nope. It’s gonna be air-conditioning all the way. Not too bad as a house, though.

# August 23, 2010 at 10:36

Liam says:

I’d say look closer to home for inspiration: Bernard Khoury’s work; especially inspired by BK: the plan diagram. Go through Khoury’s firm’s website and you might agree.

# August 23, 2010 at 10:44

up_today_arch says:

Todays, in existing information fields, I am afraid, not possible create something absolutely new… all new buildings look little bit like something else… It is the architectural process… small steps from project to project… The new is crystallized from the very common everyday things and some project always repeated each other. It is nice villa, cool and easy, and when it will be done, it will be perfect example of modernism, I hope…

# August 24, 2010 at 05:10

7:04 PM Aug 22nd

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7:12 PM Aug 22nd

Talita Matthiesen

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7:13 PM Aug 22nd

Lare Union

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7:30 PM Aug 22nd

Peter Newton