Back in May I linked to a PDF taken from a 1969 issue of National Geographic and spoke about the Villa pictured above because I loved the design of it. Well a reader just landed across my post and commented the following:
Hi, this is our house, it used to belongs to my father and 2 brothers, Mohamed, Nasser (my late father) and Faisal Al-Duaijani. It was built and finished in 1968 and we moved into it when I was 5 years old after previously living in Do3′a (Farwaniya now).
The house is located at the intersection of the 4th ring road with Damascus street in Al-Rodah and it was sold to Mr. Al-Mokeazeam (cant recall his first name.. sorry) back in 1985. There was some modifications done to it, they completed the 3rd floor and closed the balconies which really made it lose its futuristic (at that time) looks. The villa was also shown in (Tarbiya Wataniya) elementary school book back in 1979 as one of the landmarks of Kuwait with my uncle Faisal shown standing in the first floor balcony. The villa just next to it was built and owned by my aunt and her husband the late Mr. Jasem Al-3otaiby. It had the same features and it still exists (also with some modifications) but it was sold directly to Al-Banwan family which i guess they’re still living in it.
I’m sorry I can’t recall the name of the architect and I’ll try to ask about it and give tell you if I find out. From what I recall we had big disputes with him about the mocked copies of the villa, the one in 3deliya and the one in Khaldiya about the exclusivity of design and rights to it which believe it or not was stronger back in the 60′s & 70′s than today!!
Aaahh, I’m 45 years old now, where did the good old days go??!!
Thanks,
Abdulla
11 replies on “The story behind the house”
Did you notice how clear and blue the sky was during that time?! And it was summer time! I wish if we get the same sky these days 🙁
oooooh i love the house design! In fact i love all the houses with futiristic designs that were built in the 1960’s! You see it in the doors and doorways… the windows… the uneven angles and curves and strange wild detailing… I would love to see the inside of those houses… how would they be from the inside and i wonder why people had so much taste back then while now they would opt for houses that look like boxes with windows… and now that people are actually buying the old houses and tearing them down it makes me sad 🙁
There is a house in shuwaikh that is white and has a similar yet bigger design… i love that house as well
and i know that if sometime in the future i get a piece of land in Q8 i would love to build a house with a similar archeticture! how could anyone opt for anything else?!
I don’t think the architect was aiming for futuristic. To me it looks like it designed to resemble a yacht.
When my first looked to the picture I thought the house is built this generation, after reading the article I found out that the house is older than me, creative architect.
The horizontal lines are nice and well proportioned, but the fence is too overpowering. You can also tell that the details of the entrance were not the architect’s idea, might have been added at a later stage or proposed by someone else, it doesn’t go with the concept. Regardless of my opinion now, Its very bold and advanced compared to when it was designed.
Back then people made homes.. now they just makes houses!
My word… what a futuristic design!! Even by todays standards if you look at the picture its really eye catching and appealing. Brilliant.
Hello
There are plenty of houses with similar architectural features in Shuwaikh – along Jamal Abdul Nasser Street, and there are also others in Shuwaikh A – facing Al Jahra Road with modern interior (you can see it at night with lightings). Some of are deserted and others renovated and still living in it like the case of Mr.Jassim Al Qatami house – Block 4 and the other house in Shuwaikh A – don’t call the name.
i believe most of the shamiyah houses were designed like that. until their owner had to do make overs though…
Does this house still exist or is it torn down?
is this the ghost house that was on the 30 opposite the new english school???
that is a true mystery, i want to know what happened to that and why
I heard about that ghost house along fahaheel road just before you cross 4th ring if you drive from Bneid Al Gar. It is in Maidan Hawally. It remains to be an urban legend, so to speak.