Grounded in the values of contemporary design, the ‘Kakoli Manor’ designed by architect Faisal Ahmed demonstrates a commitment to the definitive architectural principles of space, light, and proportion. The result emanates an overall feeling of clarity and composure – a home that enhances the life of the growing family who resides within its walls. The residence equally emphasizes street presence and surrounding vistas of the Bashundhara residential area to where it locates.
From the architect, various parameters lead the concept of the design, from the site’s orientation, air-movement to the choice of material to the integration of vegetation and light. The design team has worked on this project inside out, sculpting spaces according to form and function while allowing each material to create the requested atmosphere. Mrs.Kakoli Milon, the owner of the house, desired a home that is generously open, airy, and bright. It was achieved by a careful articulation of the plan, which is kept fluid, with vast open spaces that helped in creating an open ambiance, full of natural light and greenery. The residence is spread over three stories, offering different experiences with its surrounding environment. The ground floor expands to the outdoor pool and garden. It also hugs green lushes and trees adopting them as part of the house. The ground floor is a public zone consisting of formal living and dining areas. Furniture items are delicately placed benefiting from natural views and proper daylight.
The first floor is where the residents spend most of their time. It comprises a family dining and a coffee bar area, two separate kitchens, a TV room, and a sufficiently big walk-in closet room essentially designed for the boss lady of the house. The second floor is a private zone consisting of two bedrooms for the children and one bedroom for the parents, each opening to a terrace. The rooftop contains a gym, an indoor lounge, and elegantly furnished outdoor seating areas. The landscaping in the terraces and external areas is of predominantly tropical, low-maintenance species, creating a lush tropical feel inside the spaces.
There is a continuous visual link in the house. Through double-height spaces, passages, and multiple terraces, one can connect the multi-functional spaces of the house. “All the spaces are visually connected. I can foresee who is entering/exiting the house, can overlook the garden and the pool below, and can have an eye on my children all the time right sitting on one of the corners of the house. The continuous visual link of the spaces makes it very convenient for me to supervise every little stuff happening around; my life is a lot easier now,” shares Mrs. Kakoli.
The project creates connection throughout the rooms, expands the visual contact with the surrounding natural environment, and promotes new dynamics of the ever-changing play of light inside.
The result is an all-season escape space in the city with its qualified, airy, bright ambiance. The home’s three-story staircase is conceived as a sculpted element of the house. With a skylight aperture above, the stair is a vehicle for light entry and vertical engagement, illuminating as an artistic presence to each level.
The project is entirely built in concrete and used in its natural state giving an earthy tone. Interestingly, stretching one part of the interior wall is engraved in a graphical motif that brings out the details and beauty of concrete; especially, when light falls on the three-dimensional, textured natural finish, the phenomenon redefines the simplicity and minimalistic beauty of concrete. “During construction, we often lack technical difficulties. We are not ‘technically sound’ yet. Further, if it is a fair-faced building we need to put in extra effort to get the desired finishing. We got immense support and flexibility from the client throughout building this project made our design implementation easier”, shares architect Faisal Ahmed. “Analyzing design factors such as the micro-climate and ecological factors and other definitive architectural aspects: site orientation, light-air movement, neighborhood context; one can play with the three-dimensional space, its spatial quality, indoor-outdoor relationship – which would ultimately lead to creating a unique spatial character” continuing.
The architect believes one should have an eye on global happenings, must design according to contextual factors and time, should be work-driven, and inspire/influence society through designs should be the driving principle for any young architect.
Photography by – Rezwan Kobir and City Syntax
