M84 and M5 Projects, Damascus Syria.

Description: Two adjacent parcels located at the main western Marota city Entrance and the Ring Boulevard thoroughfare. The location provides added value to the dramatic mountain views as well as to its immediate potential neighborhood.

The master plan dedicates this sector for mixed use center with specific guidelines for building setback, Building Envelop “ tahreek “, height regulations along with function distribution and

Program:

A residential development with amenities and related services consisting of two main towers rising each of 55 meters. The Ground floor is dedicated to retail, the first floor is reserved to offices, culminated with a frontal 6-meter-wide perforated arcade, defining the lower urban retail from the upper residential community.

The residential tower 10 floors above the technical floor are dedicated to the residential, with 3 additional set back floors reserved for special apartments with outdoor gardens.

M84 Tower; Comprises of 891 m2 dedicated to retail and offices, 55 dwelling units mix of 10,132 m2 (2 Bedroom Apt of 21 unit, and 3 Bedroom Apt of 34 units), and 4 underground parking with total of 104 cars.

M85 Tower; Comprises of 1,368 m2 dedicated to retail and offices, 63 dwelling units mix of 12,169 m2 (2 Bedroom Apt of 16 unit, and 3 Bedroom Apt of 47 units), and 4 underground parking with total of 193 cars.

Concept,

The dichotomy between the User’s needs (both spatial and social), and the Client’s quantitative and marketing requirements was an important ingredient in the design methodology.

A contemporary design approach, a vertical community, based on spatial GRID to provide flexibility, diversity and simplified non chaotic perceptual variations to the project.

Massing design conforming to the master plan, with certain sculptural carvings and setbacks on the roof to redefine the Boulevard edge.

Adaptive reuse of the iconic regional Damascus features such as the Courtyard “Diwan”, and narrow screened balconies “Mashrabieh” with a contemporary syntax, were important inspiration to the concept “Grid” design.

Vertical landscaped rectangular cutouts throughout the facades used as a perceptual focal point. Staggered Linear louvered balconies located in front of the bedrooms to serve as a spatial mediator, a privacy screen, natural light filter, and a well-tempered environmental element to the apartments within.