AGi Architects' Black and White House: A Masterpiece in Residential Design

Golden A' Design Award Winner Transforms Kuwait's Landscape with Lego-Inspired Design

The Black and White House is located on a main highway in Kuwait. Its distinctive façade design sets it apart from its surroundings. The design team used white stucco material as the base for all the houses, while dark grey bands of stone turn corners, go indoors, and climb up and down, creating a flow and continuity throughout the project. This contrasting color scheme defines the individual houses while achieving unity among all six.

Each plot accommodates two houses: one facing the inner neighborhood street and the other facing the 5th Ring Road highway. The front villas are introverted courtyard houses with large windows overlooking the courtyard, creating dramatic light and shadow contrasts. Smaller strip windows face the street, and various outdoor spaces are located at different levels to provide ample light into the adjacent spaces, in addition to creating outdoor terraces and pool areas.

The back villas overlook a garden facing the highway. Volumetric spaces and dramatic light-wells guide visitors to the main entrance of the house and lead them onto the garden. This not only extends the space to the landscape through large windows but also acts as a buffer between the houses and the busy road. The landscape separates the houses from each other through different levels, creating privacy and independence.

Natural light and ventilation are a significant aspect of the design. Each house has a certain level of complexity in terms of spatial organization and the relationship between indoor and outdoor. With every visit to the houses, one discovers new spatial and visual experiences. The complexity of the project was based on the varying levels and careful program layouts, which were studied to achieve maximum privacy between the six adjacent houses.

The Black and White House is a testament to AGi Architects' innovative approach to residential design. The design team, led by Dr. Nasser B. Abulhasan and Joaquin Perez-Goicoechea, has created a project that not only transforms the landscape of Kuwait but also sets a new standard in multi-housing design. The project's unique properties and the challenges overcome during its creation have earned it the Golden A' Design Award, a prestigious accolade granted to outstanding creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom.