A&H HOUSE
IN COLLABORATION WITH AR. JAD ABI FADEL
2021 | QORNAYEL, LEBANON
IN COLLABORATION WITH AR. JAD ABI FADEL
2021 | QORNAYEL, LEBANON
ROAD FACADE VIEW
NESTLED IN THE VILLAGE OF QORNAYEL, IN THE BAABDA DISTRICT OF MOUNT LEBANON, A&H HOUSE IS A RESPONSE TO BOTH THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF ITS SURROUNDINGS AND THE CLIENT’S DESIRE FOR INDEPENDENT YET CONNECTED LIVING SPACES. SITUATED 1,600 METERS ABOVE SEA LEVEL AND SURROUNDED BY DENSE PINE FORESTS AND NATURAL LAKES, THE SITE SPANS 2,700 SQM WITH A GENTLE 12% SLOPE. MORE THAN FIFTY MATURE PINE TREES FORM A FLOATING CANOPY, CREATING A SERENE INTERPLAY OF LIGHT AND SHADOW ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE.
LOCATION OF THE VILLAGE
VIEWS FROM THE SLOPES OF QORNAYEL
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
THE PROJECT WAS CONCEIVED AS A DELICATE INTERVENTION THAT RESPECTS THE LAND’S NATURAL STATE. DESIGNED FOR TWO BROTHERS, THE RESIDENCE COMPRISES TWO INDEPENDENT LIFELONG HOMES WITH AN INTERMEDIATE GUEST HOUSE FOR THEIR EXTENDED FAMILY. INSTEAD OF IMPOSING A TRADITIONAL FOOTPRINT, THE DESIGN EMPLOYS A SEQUENCE OF CONCRETE WALLS THAT RISE FROM THE SLOPED TERRAIN, SUBTLY FRAMING THE LIVING SPACES WITHIN. THE MAIN VOLUMES OF THE STRUCTURE ARE CANTILEVERED BEYOND THESE WALLS, MINIMIZING DISRUPTION TO THE LANDSCAPE AND ALLOWING THE GROUND TO REMAIN LARGELY UNTOUCHED.
INTERIOR VIEW OF THE MAIN LIVING AREA
VALLEY FACADE FRONT VIEW
VALLEY FACADE SIDE VIEW
THIS APPROACH SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATES ARCHITECTURE WITH NATURE, ALLOWING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT TO COEXIST HARMONIOUSLY WITH THE UNTOUCHED LANDSCAPE. THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN RAW CONCRETE AND THE ORGANIC SURROUNDINGS CREATES A STRIKING YET BALANCED COMPOSITION—ONE THAT EMPHASIZES BOTH SOLIDITY AND LIGHTNESS. THE CONCRETE WALLS, RISING FROM THE SLOPED TERRAIN, SERVE AS STRUCTURAL ANCHORS WHILE FRAMING THE EVER-CHANGING NATURAL SCENERY, ESTABLISHING A DIALOGUE BETWEEN PERMANENCE AND FLUIDITY. THE CANTILEVERED VOLUMES EXTEND BEYOND THESE WALLS, FLOATING ABOVE THE GROUND TO MINIMIZE IMPACT ON THE LAND, PRESERVING THE RICH ECOSYSTEM BENEATH. THIS DELICATE BALANCE RESULTS IN A RETREAT THAT OFFERS BOTH SECLUSION AND OPENNESS—PROVIDING THE RESIDENTS WITH PRIVACY WHILE MAINTAINING AN INTIMATE CONNECTION TO THE SURROUNDING PINE FOREST, SHIFTING LIGHT PATTERNS, AND EXPANSIVE VIEWS OF THE MOUNTAINOUS LANDSCAPE.
SCHEMATIC iSOMETRIC VIEW