Articles by Hadir Al Koshta

The residence Au Loin is part of a new development zone on the outskirts of Toulouse. It is intended to be representative of innovation in construction and the housing of tomorrow. However, it doesn’t invent anything. It also does not revolutionize the way of living. The primary concern of the residence Au Loin is to offer a new landscape for each of its homes. To achieve this, it is shaped by simple siting principles and architectural choices that have stood the test of time. Reflecting the values of the GGR agency, the Au Loin project aims to be economical, sustainable, timeless, and human-centered. Because a city cannot be built solely on achievements. The project aims to take advantage of the landscape qualities of a complex urban context: a narrow corner plot, located on the edge of the main axis of a developing neighborhood and bordering a wooded area and a ‘wild’ stream. To achieve this, two buildings are constructed along the street to protect the common garden from road nuisances. A large building rises to the maximum permitted height to free up the ground and allow the inner courtyard to breathe. A smaller building is lowered to engage in dialogue with the neighboring residential fabric. The space between the two buildings forms the entrance to the residence. The void of the central garden connects with the void of the retention basin of the development zone, giving residents the impression that their common garden is immense.

This project is an expansion of the Chabad of Charleston’s rapidly growing Preschool of the Arts. Shortly after completing the original building and launching the school, the program quickly outgrew the two classrooms to which it was designated. The leadership sought to double the attendance of the school while also maintaining the unique character of the site. Unfortunately, the open space on the 2.5-acre site was largely unbuildable due to the 11,000 SF existing building, the program’s parking requirements, outdoor play area needs, extensive buffer yards, and protected wetlands.

Nestled on a historic plot near the Kattegatt Sea – on land held by the Lesslie family for generations – Villa Lesslie is designed to harmonize with its natural surroundings while meeting the needs of the young Lesslie family of four. Positioned on the highest part of the site, the house creates a sense of being enveloped by nature while affording a view of the sea over the treetops.

The apartment building is situated in the Gellert district of Basel. In place of an old garage, a U-shaped perimeter development was built at one end, which is orientated in three directions. The plastered single-leaf brickwork with regularly arranged windows and deep reveals gives the façade its spatial depth.

In January 2021, Déchelette Architecture won a competition launched by Seine Ouest Habitat et Patrimoine to design a building at 17 Rue des Quatre-Cheminées in Boulogne-Billancourt.

This residential complex of 188 units of student housing and 50 flats for families emerges from the Empalot site, in the city of Toulouse, at the point connecting the housing estate dating from the 1960s, the new footbridge that straddles the Garonne to the Île Ramier, and the sports field that serves as the district’s central point. The project is designed to give inhabitants a tangible “at home” feeling and to create a mellow urbanity that can reconcile the surrounding architecture’s disparate silhouettes.

The urban development area Pen 76 is located in Vienna Penzing on the site of the former Siemensgründe – the company’s former headquarters. On the one hand, the former Siemensgründe is characterized by its green “insular location.” Shielded by a large-scale perimeter block structure, this is a park-like landscape in a quiet setting. At the same time, the upper floors have a fantastic view far over Vienna and of Schönbrunn Palace. The terraced plot with the adjacent green spaces and the all-enclosing perimeter block development enables the development of a noise-protected park & garden area for all residents. This quality is reflected in each separate building in a very individual way. Four buildings will be placed on the site according to the current development plan of the City of Vienna. Each building will be worked through according to the quality of its location on the one hand and the underlying marketing concept on the other. The result is an ensemble of separate buildings that nevertheless form a self-contained unit.

Designed based on simple typological characteristics and construction solutions, the new preschool is built in wood and consists of a series of disjointed volumes organized beneath an ample pitched roof. The building provides an open educational environment where the interconnectedness of spaces and the relationship between indoor and outdoor areas are part of an educational experience aimed at providing children with numerous opportunities for discovery. Constructed in 150 days, the building spans an area of 600 square meters. Since January 2024, it has been accommodating approximately 70 children, divided into 2 preschool sections and 1 nursery section. The project is part of the redevelopment program promoted by ABF (Andrea Bocelli Foundation) in collaboration with the Municipality of Macerata.