Courtyard House - Ripple Design

Ripple Design projected a courtyard in the middle of the house that reveals itself as a kind of plaza on a micro-urban scale ideal for relaxing or entertaining.

The outside becomes the inside of the house when you open the courtyard doors, that regulate comfort via breezes and heat gain as well as diverse social interactions.

The building reduces the ecological footprint thanks to the way in which the house is nestled into the hillside, the thickening of specific walls and ceilings, the exploitation of dense or reflective materials, the solar cells that heat water and create electrical energy, etc. In fact, the house creates all of its own power.

Stool Designs

Prayer and Meditation Pavilion in Soba, Sudan By Studio Tamassociati.

One of the projects nominated for a Detail Prize 2009, in the Special Prize Architecture Export category, is this Prayer and Meditation Pavilion in Soba, Sudan by Venice, Italy's Studio Tamassociati.

The jury comments:

"The architects have succeeded in creating a neutral place for meditation for all religious and ethnic groups present in the Sudan. Using local materials and a straightforward design, they have built an objective room that has a marked simplicity. This is enhanced by the deliberate use of light and shadow and radiates a calming influence reinforced by the surrounding areas of water. Also praiseworthy is the sensitive use of local materials and design characteristics as well as of local builders."

Husnain Lotia Residence, Karachi, Pakistan

Green Housing?

Zaragoza Bridge Pavilion by Zaha Hadid

The note

you could have said a word before,
or given a small tear to roll,
even a short look of grieve,
when handing out that deadly brief;

it said all but by who,
i tried to find you i knew,
read over and over till no more,
voices are lost and eyes are sore;

and when the wall started to break apart,
they walked over a broken heart,
crumbling under a shattered man,
without his soul now he may stand;

an art that could be taught,
passion that saw the worst drought,
my south road became your north,
beauty of thy love is all the gutters' worth;

there is no truth that life is unfair,
you wont make it all that bad,
give you smiles to make me sad,
all is said but not all is read;

on the shores, mending my boat,
giving all to get a little note,
they know it and so do you,
in there there was no you.

Wasted

As she walked on those weeds, I sit here and watch those beautiful feet touch the grainy sands. Her fair skin glowed in the evening sun and my eyes comforted at the sight of her smiling to herself. That smile is the beautiful spell that is cast over me all so many times again. This is my pain- I chose it for myself. Half soaked in water I wonder if this self infliction will ever end and if this night ever see a morning. The day may break in every time but who can make the darkness to escape? I question God's work, respect His decisions and ask for what i must get. Its like that bottle of wine you cant help getting drunk on, knowing no matter how bad it will be. Linguistically its referred to as addiction, the heart calls it love.

On the road back I see those car headlights coming closer and closer only to speed away. My neck feels too heavy to hold up this head. I want to bow down to Who knows all. How many times I breakdown is so okay to me that I care not move my lips to murmur a prayer even. My smile denies its self and the path seems never ending. I may leave thy footsteps on this road but I never wanted to be a traveler on it. Deep down in the depths of my self I wanted to be here forever. For once I wanted to be what I am. To find out who I am- for someone that is. Do prayers work and if the wishes come true? I let fate decide. Whatever the result, I loose both ways; one with a wrenching heart and other with everything I could possibly have. If only the rivers from these eyes ever fall into her deep oceans.

Calatrava: Church of St. John the divine (Project)

Nuktey -urdu poem-

Basti mein in murdoo ki

Zindagi ko parvan charhana ha

Ek nuktey k ghulam ban ge hazar

Ghoomay ja baja har bazaar

K eik meri aas thi

Who bhi jo meri pyas thi

Us nuktey k who loogh

Uthey bachey chor maa ki ghud

Yad aaya woh jo us din aya tha nazar

Jis k naam pe hum ne ki eik zindagi basar

Who nuktey na miley jahan

Hum chor aey apna sab kutch wahan

Humey yad sab kutch tha magar

Sabar ker k unke hum chaley dagar

Nuktey phir jag uthey eik din

Ghulam unke hai sarey insaa o jinn

Dekh raha hon mei yahan beth

Rang jo bikharey ga har har khet

K un nukto k baghair lafzoo ki kya okaat

Jaisey namaz ho bina rakaat

Gar unko ghum ho tu kyun na mein rou jaon

Unke liye mei tu bas mar jao

Tamam lugat ha dushman-e-nukta

Ab mujh pe aa nahi sakta koi sakta

K abb tu safey bandhi hain k ho ada namaz

Kahey na koi ab k aai na humey awaz

-dabeer hemani