Rather than a single larger building, this architect’s office reflects its residential neighbourhood’s scattered nature by being divided into five moderate-sized masses – foyer, meeting room, pantry/dining room, studios, library/gallery. The former three open towards the inner court; the latter two appear more massive. Low-cost, low-carbon, low-maintenance materials are used instead of industrial finishes. Double-layer walls of interlocking bricks blend with the humble setting while concealing steel reinforcements. An "architecture in the box" concept is applied to the office, with glazed inner and brick outer walls - avoiding either a sense of enclosure or distraction from outside, and letting sunlight enter while limiting solar heat gain. Rainwater filters into underground tanks for reabsorption into the ground, reducing the municipal disposal load.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture