A|Z VILA
Location: Dubai Hills, Dubai, UAE
Design Director: Raya Ani
Company Name: RAW-NYC Architects
Category: Architecture
A|Z is a family villa part of an exclusive villa community on a prime plot within Dubai Hills Estate developed by Emaar Properties.
The massing consists of 4 rectangular blocks, each block slanted in a different direction. The four blocks were then carved out at the center allowing the Villa to house a series of three courtyards. Solid concrete walls with weaved-in wood inserts define the architectural expression of the front and rear façade. The wooden strips undulated with slits on the West and East side allow filtered light in and screened views in and out of the courtyards.
The design celebrates the use of two contrasting materials - raw concrete with rich natural wood throughout the exterior and the interior of the villa.
The design challenge was to create an open plan with views to the outdoors using large glass windows while maintaining the level of privacy required while controlling the amount of heat gain resulting from having large glass windows - a common environmental concern when using large glass windows without proper shading. In designing this villa, the focus was on achieving the balance between maximizing the openness and transparency of the living spaces for the indoor-outdoor while respecting the unique privacy requirements and managing the environmental concerns of the heat.
