Warqaa Courtyards, Dubai

Mr. Aqeel was the principal architect for the 120,000 sq.ft. 76-unit mid-rise apartment complex. The project used passive cooling in a desert climate and was short-listed for an international design award in the residential category.

Inspired by the traditional introverted courtyard houses of Dubai, the Warqaa Courtyards seeks to create a new typology of apartments: the courtyard apartments. Situated in a densely planned neighborhood, the site is surrounded by residential buildings on two sides and two small side streets with buildings planned across the other sides. 

The design solution came in the form of introverted architecture found in traditional courtyard houses that were necessitated by environmental and cultural factors. The courtyard gardens are linked visually and physically to give the impression of a park. In contrast, using the rectangular courtyard form in the center of the building allows wind to flow through the open-air corridors, fostering passive cooling. 

*Architects: Centimetre Cube, Dubai