Dome

"Part of a massive reconstruction effort that followed a disastrous earthquake in 1960, this ingeniously planned, compact, middle-income housing development consists of 17 units of single-storey row houses. So cleverly interlocked as to allow each house five private patios and a service court, living and sleeping rooms enjoy light and air from two directions. Winter sun enters all these spaces, while the summer heat is moderated by cross ventilation. Economical in their use of urban land, the dwellings were also inexpensive to build, are easy to maintain and are suited to the life-style of an urbanised middle-income Muslim population. The jury cited the project for its "response in plan form to climate and, in a broader sense, to the demands of privacy. The exploration and development of the courtyard form for urban housing point a way towards appropriate unassuming design solutions in the heterogeneous character of contemporary Muslim cities."Recipient of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, 1980; Project number: P000155exterior, landscaping near door, 1981