AGi architects | Wafra Living Residential Complex

in Concept & Competition by editor — 4:23 pm | June 10, 20120 comments

Spain and Kuwait-based practice AGi architects has been commended at MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects Awards 2012, for their BBS Preschool and Wafra Living Residential Complex proposals. Both of them are currently under construction. In the first case, the project competed in Mixed Use Category and, the second one, in Residential Category. This is the third award for Wafra Living Residential Complex after WAF Prize 2011, in Future Projects-Residential Category, and the Arabian Residential Property Award 2011, under Multiple Residence Architecture Category. “This type of recognition is always an encouragement for going ahead with our way of working”, said Joaquin Perez-Goicoechea, Principal of AGi architects.

The Wafra Living residential complex is 42,000 m2, offering three categories of rented apartments. The difference between them lies from the quality of finishes, type of facilities and their size. This type of exclusivity allows for a greater return on investment while at the same time breaking down the scale of the complex making it more personal to the individual resident. It is in this experience that AGi architects aim to create a quality environment that differs from other residential developments in Kuwait, and is based on both international and regional cultural influences. To achieve this, the conception of a distinct “landmark” and identity for Wafra Living has been pursued as one of the principal objectives.

The design for Wafra Living complex consists of a high rise building set back from the street and an L-shaped building defining the street edge, conceived to maximize privacy within the community, whilst providing ample natural light and usable indoor and outdoor common spaces. Cuts have been made in the front building in order to provide better views for the lower floor apartments in the back tower.

The proposal combines at different levels domestic and collective scales, private and public, within the complex, whilst at the same time traces the way to merge in the neighborhood by offering part of the ground floor level (where the pedestrian and car access are) to community life through the retail facilities included. At level +6.00 m is created a “High Square”, a community space for the tenants to enjoy sports or any other leisure activities in a more private environment. A “veil” climbs the façade as an occupiable layer that conceals the various service spaces within the apartments that do not directly relate to the public. It also hosts the fire escape stairs, separated away from the cores to be placed in this secondary circulation layer that faces the inner courtyard of the complex.