This vast Kuwaiti barn conversion houses a secret corridor
Designed by local architecture and design firm Pad 10, this impressive 41,700 sq ft private home clings to the coastline, drinking in calming seaside views
The Baraka Seaside Residence is an imposing family home on the coast of Bnaider, Kuwait. Designed by principal architect Naji Moujaes and his team at Pad 10, the home responds to a brief to ‘celebrate rather than suppress' an existing barn on the plot.
Pad 10 chose to raise the barn physically, elevating it to make the most of the impressive coastal views. In addition, a distinct guest house was newly built, to accommodate the family's needs for flexible living and entertaining spaces. For example, the mother's hosting area in the guest house is connected to the kids’ playroom in the family barn, via a shortcut ‘secret corridor’ embedded within the wood cladded library snaking both structures. Elsewhere in the guest house, the diwaniya (a formal hosting area) maintains its privacy by the use of a sliding barn door that stretches across the ground floor.
The sense of interconnection between the volumes continues thanks to great swathes of glass – you can see right through the dining room, and out to the impressive views beyond, from the central courtyard.
A movie theatre, staff quarters, gym and four metre tall basement (fit for both cars and boats) complete this vast residence, which manages to maintain its homeliness despite its size, thanks to a warm material palette and sensitive landscaping.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Elly Parsons is the Digital Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees Wallpaper.com and its social platforms. She has been with the brand since 2015 in various roles, spending time as digital writer – specialising in art, technology and contemporary culture – and as deputy digital editor. She was shortlisted for a PPA Award in 2017, has written extensively for many publications, and has contributed to three books. She is a guest lecturer in digital journalism at Goldsmiths University, London, where she also holds a masters degree in creative writing. Now, her main areas of expertise include content strategy, audience engagement, and social media.
-
Explore Cornwall's cosiest coffee shops
Cornwall is known for its natural beauty and stunning landscape, here is our pick of coffee shops to enjoy the views and refuel
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Maude’s Brâncuși-inspired sex toys go on display in a new Paris exhibition
Maude’s design-led vibrators are now on display at Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, as part of ‘Private Lives: From the Bedroom to Social Media’. Brand founder Éva Goicochea talks to Wallpaper* about partnering with the museum and opening up cultural conversations around sex
By India Birgitta Jarvis Published
-
‘I was captivated by the idea of merging two iconic brands’: Nigo on his 1990s-inspired collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz
Unveiled at Moncler’s ‘The City of Genius’ event in Shanghai this past weekend, Japanese fashion designer Nigo unpacks his three-way collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz, which includes a play on the G-Class alongside a fashion collection in his eclectic style
By Jack Moss Published