The client wanted their family home, on a corner plot in a residential district, to stand out as iconic but retain total privacy. Its form resembles origami. The high density of the reinforced-concrete walls insulates against the hot climate, and they are clad in sandblasted pearl-grey marble tiles. The few external windows are angled to protect from both prying eyes and strong sunlight. As is traditional in Islamic architecture, the interior has no corridors: the spaces - smaller than the local average - are arranged around a central courtyard, offering multiple routes for continuous communication between them. Natural convection of air cooled by the pool in the courtyard keeps the inside temperature down and maximises natural ventilation for the rooms.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
