Bungalow for a family of 6 in Oman

DESIGNING A BUNGALOW FOR THE WEEKEND GETAWAYS OF A FAMILY IN SOHAR, OMAN

Oman is a well-developed country located in West Asia with a population of over 40 lakhs owing to the rise in oil prices and the booming opportunities in import and export businesses. Being situated near Dubai, a large metropolitan city with significant development and large-scale construction growth, Oman is a well-planned country offering its citizens a vast number of civic facilities. Sohar is a port town in Oman, housing about 2.22 lakh people and known for its rich history, cultural heritage, and strategic maritime location.

Coming from a well-known family in Sohar, Oman with a family business of over 40 years in building construction, our client approached us with a vision to develop a simple, yet elegant and innovative weekend bungalow for his family of 6 members at Sohar. The plot for the proposed bungalow is sprawled across an area of 1 acre (43560 sq. Ft.) and is located right next to the national highway with a few residential structures spread around its neighbourhood.

Creating a well-rounded residential space with the addition of multiple open, courtyard spaces and reinforcing a seamless connection between the built and the unbuilt zones became the main concept behind the design development. Studying and analyzing the climatic conditions of the site is always the first and foremost step in the process of planning. Having a hot and arid climate, Oman showcases a considerable difference between the maximum and minimum temperature range, with the average maximum temperature soaring up to 40.4°C and the average minimum temperature dropping to 17.3°C. Keeping all these statistics in mind, along with a detailed understanding of the sun path and the natural wind flow direction, the orientation and planning of all the areas of the bungalow were strategized accordingly.

With a vast piece of land as the plot area, ample space is designed for the comfortable parking of 2 cars of the client along with enough space for a guest car park as well. The plot is segregated into two zones, one that hosts the 5,500 sq. Ft. luxurious bungalow and the other that has been dedicated to farming activities. A 2 m wide main door creates a feeling of a grand main entrance to the bungalow, while a side entrance to the house provides access to the house help and facilitates them in stocking the granary.

Representing an open L-shaped form, the layout houses a family living room next to a formal male gathering space at the front side, while the rear arm leads a person to three bedrooms having their own personal bathroom spaces. Each bedroom depicts lavish interiors with unobstructed views of the outdoor landscape. The external wall of each bedroom has a wide opening with sliding doors which floods the space with natural light and free-flowing wind during early morning or late evening hours, although the curtains need to be closed during the afternoon hours to obstruct the harsh sunrays.

Considering the climatic statistics and the proximity of the site to the sea, the incorporation of green passages, open courtyards, and gardens became paramount to regulate the indoor environment and reduce the indoor temperature with the help of mechanical ventilation to enhance the comfort of the residents. The windows of all the bedrooms face the external passages that run along the external façade of the house and have been planned in a way that shields the interiors of the rooms from harsh sunlight. The kitchen, utility area, dining, and bathrooms have been strategically placed in the southern zone of the site to impart maximum daylight to these spaces throughout the day. The angular orientation of the deck is placed along the northwest direction to face the predominantly prevailing winds and enhance the airflow circulation throughout the house.

Understanding the site conditions in such projects where the climate is completely different becomes highly important to develop the most functional, comfortable, and desirable residential space. We delved into detailed research about different thermal comfort strategies and passive design solutions. Careful consideration and selection of the exterior façade material were required to achieve thermal regulation leading to adequately insulated interiors. An abundant amount of thought and analysis was put into the planning and zoning of the bungalow to attain a comfortable living space filled with controlled natural light and soothing ventilation.

Tailored to meet the specific requirements of the family, this bungalow design project became a crucial experience in understanding different climatic zones and implementing design strategies that are contextually relevant and also fulfil the client’s vision.