Mr. Aqeel was the principal architect for this development of 22 high-end detached residential villas in the Al Barsha area of Dubai. The design approach was to create a haven from the busy and dense surroundings. In doing so, the parcels for the units were divided into 12m (40ft) widths, half of which was allocated to the residential unit and the other half to a garden and pool.

By organizing the spaces in a linear fashion, circulation was kept to the side and minimized while the main spaces were organized and opened along the length of the garden with views of the pool. This meant keeping the openings to one side of the unit as opposed to the street or back yard, which is typical of row house development. This allowed for better visual privacy and reduced noise pollution, hence creating a pseudo-courtyard.

The other end of the villa was used as the dividing wall between the units and as a backdrop for the garden's landscape. The villas' modern design, in sync with the trendy look of the area, uses full-height glass on the ground floor, integrating the garden and pool visually and physically with the interior.

*Architects: Centimetre Cube, Dubai

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