Mashrabiya for a private residential project in the Shuwaikh district of central

Kuwait City.

On an aesthetic level, I believe this project merits consideration, for traditional artisanal carved stone Mashrabiya  panels into a starkly modernist façade. These

panels became the principal organizing element of the façade fully integrated into the design.  The exterior was imagined as a minimalist frame containing the intricately carved panels. 180 individual panels incorporating traditional pattern motifs carved in Indo white marble modulate and soften the façade and create privacy for the interior spaces while mitigating the effect of the desert sun for the user. The panels vary in size from 30cm square up to over 1.50 in width, the

maximum sustainable dimension and are mechanically pinned with hidden fasteners  designed to allow access for maintenance.

But more importantly, consideration is merited to highlight this project’s support of the traditional carving economies of rural villages in the Rajasthan region of Northern India.

For over 400 years these artisans in these communities have balanced seasonal agricultural work with carving in the fallow season. The local economies depend upon this balance to support local services and families.

Our world is a richer place for the monuments over the centuries that have achieved a sublime harmony owning in great part to the incorporation of the intricate and delicate patterns of the Mashrabiya or Jali panels into their architecture. The play of light and shadow in these works is unmatched in past or present  building.

The threats to this heritage lie in the marginalization of the craft limiting its application to historical renovation, mosques and decorative garden elements for residential use. Prefabricated cast renditions are often specified to address budget and logistical restraints but neglect to address issues of longevity and increasing quality with age.

The beauty revealed in the merging of contemporary design with the tradition of the carved Mashrabiya, the results found are breathtaking.