Contemporary Apartment Building | By ATELIER D35 – GULBERG APARTMENT RESIDENCIA
Project |
GULBERG APARTMENT RESIDENCIA |
| Client | ABDUL WAHEED |
| Location | GULBERG 2, LAHORE |
| Site Area | 14 MARLA – 70’ X45’ |
| Covered Area | 10800SFT |
Architecture Design Firm |
ATELIER D35 |
| MEP CONSULTANTS | 7TH SKY CONSULTANTS |
| Project Year | 2018-2019 |
A challenging and very interesting brief, combining two adjacent plots and to design a low-rise apartment building, with 6 identical apartments. The site, in heart of Lahore, Gulberg 2, is surrounded by old Art Deco houses, majority of them almost half a century old. The challenge was to accommodate these single, double and triple bedroom apartments in a very limited space.Being a north facing façade, the site gave us the opportunity to play with big open windows in the front and since the amalgamation of two consecutive plots, a wide front, which in return helped us in spacing out the internal rooms and spaces around the edge of the plot.
The planning started by placing the core towards the center of the plot, for vertical circulation with a provision of future installation of an elevator, creating a wind tunnel with a catcher at the top to trigger the wind channel.
The core is connected to the front garage, as well as, to all the lounges, which then connects to the individual bedrooms. The openings of the core is strategically kept at the north so as to minimize the heat gain. Placement of rooftop storage spaces and overhang is also planned to minimize heat gain and maximize climatic efficiency of the structure.
A total of 15 bedrooms with attached baths, 6 lounges, 6 kitchens, 5 storage units, parking garage and a communal drawing room is enclosed in the building.Each floor contains two apartments, towards each side of the core.
A single and a double bedroom apartment on the ground with the garage, and three bedroom apartments consecutively on the remaining two floors.Each apartments hosts a balcony that can be accessed from the two front bedrooms.
On rooftop, mumty leads to a semi covered, multipurpose open space, covered by a 10’ cantilevered overhang that becomes a major design element in the elevation. A seating alongside a barbeque pit is provided for the notorious weather of Lahore. Metal louvers along with planters provide a bit of privacy from the neighboring context.
The façade is a combination of wood, concrete and gun metal with hints of white to balance the composition.
The overhang on the rooftop becomes the main feature of the building. Multi leveled and layered façade textures adds a dynamic element to the façade.
Façade lighting creating a romantic mood in the evening, with cove lights and wall washers to add to the texture play in the structure.
