White Surra Town

Architectural Strategies for Al-Surra Housing Development Project

White Surra Town

• Anchor Building
  • Define each street with an anchor house that shall help create an identity for the street.
• Curb Appeal
  • Merge back to back lots with one underground parking to reduce the amount of cars parked on the side walk, hence creating a better feel for the neighborhood and increasing the property value.
  • Ground level tenets must park inside the lot. The other tenants shall use parallel parking leaving the rest of the side walk for pedestrian and planting.   
• Intimate Scale
  • Emphasizing the main entrances of each house on the fence line to create a human scale masses in tandem.  
  • Street furniture must be set in proportion to the main entrances.
• Private Courtyards
  • Strive to provide for all tenants a private outdoor area integrated within their living quarters. This shall enhance the experience of the indoor environment and will provide an open air place for landscaping. 
• Visual Unity
  • Limit materials and colors.
  • Adjust building height in proportion to the individual house and the town as a whole, in order to create a harmonious townscape.

This neighboring development diagram was created for a competition entry to design a residential block in Surra town in Kuwait city.

The diagram follows few simple rules that would ensure a harmonious environment and a pedestrian friendly streets. The rules center around: Anchor Buildings, curb appeal, intimate scale, private courtyards and visual unity.