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Vision, Site, and Topography
Enclaved between the flourishing valley and framed perspectives through the natural contours, these villas are designed to intertwine with a green panorama. A luxurious familial housing project nestled within lush green thickets, these residences—PK House, DK and KK Houses, and PV and AP Houses—represent a bold and innovative design approach in Kenya's breathtaking valleys. As one approaches the villas, they pass through an outhouse featuring a security cabin, washroom, and a name-plated wall serving as the gateway. The layout accommodates a side driveway, providing buffer space for turning and seamless access to the houses. The driveway is aligned to the backyard of the villas, offering a stunning view of the valley through all five housefronts. The unique site topography gave the idea of designing seamless views for each house. It enabled a one-floor plate variation between the PK house from the AP and PV house and, in turn, the DK and KK house from the PK house, creating a harmonious flow through the site.
Enclaved between the flourishing valley and framed perspectives through the natural contours, these villas are designed to intertwine with a green panorama. A luxurious familial housing project nestled within lush green thickets, these residences—PK House, DK and KK Houses, and PV and AP Houses—represent a bold and innovative design approach in Kenya's breathtaking valleys. As one approaches the villas, they pass through an outhouse featuring a security cabin, washroom, and a name-plated wall serving as the gateway. The layout accommodates a side driveway, providing buffer space for turning and seamless access to the houses. The driveway is aligned to the backyard of the villas, offering a stunning view of the valley through all five housefronts. The unique site topography gave the idea of designing seamless views for each house. It enabled a one-floor plate variation between the PK house from the AP and PV house and, in turn, the DK and KK house from the PK house, creating a harmonious flow through the site.
- Project Name: GREEN ABODE
- Office Name: VPA ARCHITECTS
- Office Website: http://www.vpaarchitects.in/
- Contact email: vpaarchitects@gmail.com
- Firm Location: AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT, INDIA
- Completion Year: 2024
- Gross Built Area (m2 / ft2): 4000 m2 APPROX
- Project Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
- Program / Use / Building Function: RESIDENTIAL
- Lead Architects: RONAK PATEL, JINAL PATEL, NAIYA PATEL
- Photo Credits: INCLINED STUDIO
- Photographer’s Website: https://www.inclinedstudio.com/
- Photographer’s e-mail: inclinedstudio@gmail.com
Layout and Design Nitty-Gritty
A commitment was made to design privacy for each house while fostering a sense of connection among all houses. Thus, each villa flaunts a front yard and discreet access, with a pedestrian bridge winding through the manicured landscape while the driveway runs along the side. The mirrored exteriors of PV and AP houses make the first impression as one walks in, inviting one to pleasant local stone-clad elevations revealed only through a walk down from the courtyard. ‘Narok’ black stone adds depth, and ‘Naivasha’ grey stone emphasizes the character of each villa as an earthy but edgy structure. The facades respond to nature with integrated porosity and a blend of locally sourced materials. All villas have a unique story; however, all facades embed the language of multiple screens, floating verandahs and decks, accessible terraces, and frames that ribbon the walls. The rustic aluminum screens alleviate the bold elevations and narrate the dance of sunlight indoors. In contrast, the concrete screens perform as buffers between services like parking and interiors, espionage into green screens.
A commitment was made to design privacy for each house while fostering a sense of connection among all houses. Thus, each villa flaunts a front yard and discreet access, with a pedestrian bridge winding through the manicured landscape while the driveway runs along the side. The mirrored exteriors of PV and AP houses make the first impression as one walks in, inviting one to pleasant local stone-clad elevations revealed only through a walk down from the courtyard. ‘Narok’ black stone adds depth, and ‘Naivasha’ grey stone emphasizes the character of each villa as an earthy but edgy structure. The facades respond to nature with integrated porosity and a blend of locally sourced materials. All villas have a unique story; however, all facades embed the language of multiple screens, floating verandahs and decks, accessible terraces, and frames that ribbon the walls. The rustic aluminum screens alleviate the bold elevations and narrate the dance of sunlight indoors. In contrast, the concrete screens perform as buffers between services like parking and interiors, espionage into green screens.
PK house forms the center of the villas and enjoys a courtyard on each side of its massing. The courtyards are a statement of all homes; the courtyard as a gathering space is the layout identity of PK house. All villas’ courtyards offer multiple entry points, connecting the parking and corridor. In the case of DK and KK house, a trickling water court leads the way within while the water feature in the rest three houses decors the backyards.
An open-plan design is adopted for all homes on the ground floor for visual permeability to offer great views. It is planned in three modular grids, including kitchen and dining, living, and drawing areas connected to decks, courtyards, and skylit staircases. The tropical climate of Kenya promotes the integration of the landscape and the built. In these villas, the extended decks become living spaces that confluence with the floorplans. The contoured plinths intensify these interactions between residents and the surrounding ecology.
An open-plan design is adopted for all homes on the ground floor for visual permeability to offer great views. It is planned in three modular grids, including kitchen and dining, living, and drawing areas connected to decks, courtyards, and skylit staircases. The tropical climate of Kenya promotes the integration of the landscape and the built. In these villas, the extended decks become living spaces that confluence with the floorplans. The contoured plinths intensify these interactions between residents and the surrounding ecology.
While discussing spatial design within, all homes reflect their owners' choices through amusing design takes. The PV and AP house’s mirroring layouts brew conversations from the dining space transitioned into elongated decks. In KK and DK houses on the lowest plinth, the indoor courtyards are illusioned refreshments of landscape that blur the exterior from the interiors. An open-to-sky plantation porch frames the entrances of these two homes. The back porches, each accessible via a pedestrian path, serve distinct purposes: one transforms into a lively sandpit, while the other leads to a tranquil seating area.
Sustainability
The site's natural contouring and clients’ need minimized soil excavation, while sustainable design efforts like using local materials shaped the project. Courtyards, skylights, and screens provide regulated daylight, and all interior spaces have been cross-ventilated with bedrooms on the edges for two-sided windows while the services are centralized. Parking areas feature a tensile shade installed for cooling. Reed ponds, installed in every house, use reed species for wastewater irrigation and support energy-efficient stormwater management, reducing runoff.
Sustainability
The site's natural contouring and clients’ need minimized soil excavation, while sustainable design efforts like using local materials shaped the project. Courtyards, skylights, and screens provide regulated daylight, and all interior spaces have been cross-ventilated with bedrooms on the edges for two-sided windows while the services are centralized. Parking areas feature a tensile shade installed for cooling. Reed ponds, installed in every house, use reed species for wastewater irrigation and support energy-efficient stormwater management, reducing runoff.
Five Villas, One Project
This project was envisioned experimentally, fostering an unusual site response synthesizing resident interaction with the surrounding nature. It became a toolkit of storytelling elements -- screens and shadows, water features and their distinct placements, extensive skylights for regulated sunlight, verandahs, and courtyards responding to the plinth levels. The five villas thus became one green abode.
This project was envisioned experimentally, fostering an unusual site response synthesizing resident interaction with the surrounding nature. It became a toolkit of storytelling elements -- screens and shadows, water features and their distinct placements, extensive skylights for regulated sunlight, verandahs, and courtyards responding to the plinth levels. The five villas thus became one green abode.
