Residential

Curvature House: A Playful Fusion of Styles

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By 
Micah Mongcal

In line with the project’s purpose as an entertainment center, built adjacent to the main house, Curvature House creates a delightful fusion of styles. The material palette is composed of pale shades of natural stone, concrete and terrazzo, which set the stage for the splashes of color in greenery and water features.

Curves soften the structure’s visual impact
Photos courtesy of Office 313
Monochromatic palette creates a magnificent calm space inside the building.
Photo courtesy of Office 313

The vernacular architecture of the past has given way to a precise, modern, and luxurious building that continues to maintain a relationship with the positive attributes of traditional Kuwaiti themes. The designs of traditional homes were based on the necessities of the physical climate and cultural practices. The fluid architectural design of Curvature House is a visual metaphor that gently guides the view towards the present reality of the economic growth and social advances that have transformed daily life in the region.

Curvature
The aerial view shows a heat-reflective roofing, designed to protect occupants from the intense sunlight.
Photo courtesy of Office 313
The visually soft material palette and the spatial structure create a coherent experience of warmth and relaxation. Photo courtesy of Office 313

The simplicity of the exterior is updated with a façade that looks outwards. The arched entryways, a common feature in traditional architecture, are illuminated with warm lighting. The lighting has a significant impact on the interior as well, where chandeliers and wall lamps define the hallways’ curves with patterns of light and shadow.

The structure’s exterior melds with the surrounding landscaping.
Photo courtesy of Office 313

Whereas most architectural designs are rectilinear, composed of straight lines and right angles, Curvature House takes a successful design risk with its most prominent feature, the curved roof. This departure from conventional rules of architecture reflects the vernacular style that was based on instinct and resourcefulness. The water features and shading devices echo the energy-efficient features built in traditional homes in response to the intense desert heat.

The overall effect is one of an effortless flow and smooth transitions throughout its eponymous curves – a sense of being guided through the structure, where each new space or decorative feature is a gradual revelation.

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