Natura May - June 2012 | Page 46

Projeler/Projects: Akoura spaces for living during the six months of temperate weather found in this climate. Climate in this area has in this way dramatically affected the shape of architecture. Buildings open to the exterior, embracing nature and the vista, the wind in the summer, sunlight in the winter, is the meaningful rationale behind this architecture. In the SC House all these principals are applied in a subtle yet direct way in the houses’ plan. There is the central courtyard with a canopy to protect from the sunlight during the day but open to the wind and sky at night. In the plan, spaces for living and rest are set on either side of this courtyard towards the view while functional spaces such as the entrance, guest bathrooms and bar are set back towards landside. These two arms of the plan are divided in section on two distinct levels with bedrooms and these living spaces distinct from each other. The SC House reflects Tohme’s interest in reinterpreting programs and materials. In this case the dramatic and unique location on a steep escarpment presents an opportunity to reinterpret the setting in the mountains of Lebanon in a contemporary version of traditional vernacular prototypes. The resulting spare and direct engagement with the landscape is closely aligned with Tohme’s goals of using the context in a straightforward and honest way. For Tohme, the harsh, rugged mountains are the foil to the SC House’s rigid lines as much as the traditions of Lebanese domestic architecture. 46 NATURA • MAYIS-HAZİRAN / MAY-JUNE 2012