Casa Batroun

The existing sand stone walls were preserved for their beauty, character and thermal mass qualities; however they proved to be inadequate to support another floor. To double the area, a new independent wooden structure, composed of four vertical boxes, was inserted vertically into the original house envelop, creating a play of levels from ground floor to mezzanine to first floor, while doubling the floor area.

The design was further enhanced by carefully adopting bio-climatic features to facilitate cross-ventilation, reduce summer overheating, and limit the need for winter heating. One important aspect of the house is its compactness and extremely smart usage of space, especially in the one-bedroom upper level.

Casa Batroun is one of the few houses in Lebanon to be renovated and extended by combining old sandstone and new timber, while adopting almost exclusively natural, low-toxicity, and breathable materials. It features bio-climatic design enhancing cross-ventilation eliminating the need for air-conditioning; energy-efficiency through carefully studied windows positioning, shading devices, natural insulation, LED & lighting zoning, solar water heating and space heating via wood pellet stoves. Water savings are realized via rainwater harvesting used for irrigation, cleaning and toilet-flushing, and low water consumption equipment. A vegetated green roof with native plants was implemented. Construction favored collaboration with local artisans and workers, using traditional techniques.