Bronze A' Design Award Winner 2025
Rising before you stands a multi-story residential building constructed primarily of warm earth-toned brick, approximately eight to nine stories in height, photographed under clear daylight conditions with bright sunlight illuminating the structure from the upper right, creating strong contrast between sunlit surfaces that read as pale buff or terracotta beige and shadowed areas that appear as deeper amber or burnt sienna. Beginning at the building's base, the ground level features a solid brick podium with minimal fenestration, interrupted by what appears to be an entrance portal on the left side where darker materials suggest a doorway, while mature trees with full canopies of green foliage partially obscure the lower portion, their organic forms providing textural and chromatic contrast to the geometric architecture, the trees appearing to be positioned along the street edge where two parked vehicles in white and light metallic tones establish scale and context. Moving upward along the left portion of the building, approximately five stories of residential units feature deeply recessed balconies that create regular horizontal bands of shadow, each balcony carved into the building mass rather than projecting outward, these recessed spaces reading as dark voids that create strong figure-ground contrast against the sunlit brick planes, the balconies appearing to wrap partially around the corner where two façades meet at approximately ninety degrees, glass railings or transparent barriers allowing light to penetrate while maintaining safety at these elevated thresholds. The brick surface itself carries a fine horizontal texture like the coursing of individual masonry units laid in running bond, this linear pattern creating subtle striations across the entire façade that catch light differentially, making the wall surface appear neither completely flat nor heavily textured but possessing a quiet material presence that suggests the handcrafted quality of stacked and mortared units. A distinctive feature appears at regular intervals on both the left wing and the taller right tower: rectangular panels of perforated brick screen where the wall becomes a geometric lattice rather than a solid plane, these screens appearing as grids of small square openings that create a mesh-like texture, allowing filtered light and air passage while maintaining visual privacy, the perforations reading as darker squares against the lighter brick background, positioned in vertical alignment creating rhythmic repetition. The taller right portion of the building rises approximately three stories higher than the left wing, this vertical tower element dominating the composition's right third, its façade continuing the same brick treatment and perforated screen strategy but with fenestration that appears as vertical slots of glazing, narrower and more linear than the wider balcony openings on the left, these windows creating dark vertical accents that contrast with the predominantly horizontal reading of the brick coursing and screen patterns. The top of the building terminates in flat or slightly parapet-edged roof planes that create clean horizontal lines against the clear blue sky, the sky itself reading as a cool periwinkle or cerulean blue that provides chromatic counterpoint to the warm ochre and sienna of the earthen masonry, this complementary color relationship between cool atmospheric blue and warm terrestrial clay creating visual balance. The overall impression suggests permanence and groundedness, the heavy masonry construction conveying solidity and thermal mass, while the perforated screens and recessed balconies suggest thoughtful environmental response, creating shaded outdoor spaces and naturally ventilated zones that mediate between fully enclosed interior and fully exposed exterior, the architecture reading as a carefully considered response to climate, privacy, community, and the human need for both shelter and connection to air and light.
Salamat Apartment is a meticulously crafted architectural design that strikes a harmonious balance between functionality and aesthetic appeal. The project faced key challenges, such as limited natural light and the irregular geometry of the site. These issues were addressed with thoughtful planning to maximize natural light and air circulation while ensuring privacy and comfort for the residents. The apartment consists of multiple levels, including duplex units, strategically positioned to offer scenic urban views while optimizing space usage.