26 www.thedesignermagazine.com


Cover Feature


A Template for Living


Karim Rashid has been up to his usual curvy and colourful tricks, with this concept house design showcasing his many product designs for the home


A CONCEPT


interior exhibited by Corian during the Milan Furniture Fair


in 2010 demonstrated the passion that designer Karim Rashid has for the way the domestic environment works. His thinking extends beyond just the individual items he is commissioned to create for the likes of Gorenje, Cisal and Artemide to name a few. His latest take on the residential lifestyle has been turned into a full size concept house design which was on display at the Le Marche exhibition in Cairo, Egypt at the very end of last year. Called Komb House, the dwelling is an attempt to present a


vision of a lifestyle that could successfully incorporate both modern and traditional materials whilst at the same time minimizing the impact on the environment. Ecological ideas are incorporated into the house, such as solar panel heated water, energy efficient appliances, reuse of grey water, low energy LED lighting and raised radiant flooring. The house can be easily disassembled and its materials, such as wood, metal, glass, and solar panels can be reused. The house shell is composed by a repetition of reclaimed wood


fins. Each is set at slightly different profiles to the next creating a dynamic, fluid quality to both the outside & inside walls of the house. Due to their angles and depth, the fins create a play on privacy. Viewing from outside one can scantly see into the house, but from the interior the natural light creates an interesting play of light shadows from the fins. The self-supporting façade is prefabricated off-site and assembled on location for modularity and ease. The interior of the house is composed of four spaces that


represent our main activities: Play, Eat, Sleep and Cleanse. The central space, inspired by Islamic patios, features an oasis with skylight and center plunge pool. The skylight opening controls the house temperature. When open, the skylight captures rain water which is then filtered by the pool. Above this, a kinetic art sculpture levitates - as it rotates, it


captures wind power and distributes the energy throughout the house. The house layout flows from the central pool and expands to


four quadrants making up the living room, bathroom, bedroom and dining room. The black floor morphs into different floor inlays in the kitchen and bathroom. In the living room and bedroom the flooring motif translates into soft carpeting. The multi-colored vinyl flooring and carpet contain recycled content.


“THE CONCEPT ATTEMPTS TO INCORPORATE BOTH MODERN AND TRADITIONAL MATERIALS WHILST AT THE SAME TIME MINIMIZING THE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52