DAR BEN MAHMOUD — Vision

Dar Ben Mahmoud is a residential project designed between 2001 and 2005 by atelier dada, in collaboration with architect Rached Chaabani.
The house is located on a steep, sloping plot within a high-end residential district that was once a natural valley covered with forest. Over time, this ecosystem was almost entirely erased by dense urban development.

Rather than flattening the terrain, the project deliberately embraces the natural slope. The architecture is organized over three levels, stepping with the land and allowing the house to anchor itself gently into the site. This approach made it possible to accommodate a dense residential program while preserving spatial continuity and visual openness.

Large terraces were carved into the volume, creating moments of pause and breathing within the compact footprint. These outdoor extensions offer framed views toward the gardens and the sky, reconnecting daily life with light, air and horizon. Circulation, levels and openings were carefully composed to allow light to penetrate deep into the house, while maintaining privacy within a tight urban context.

Despite the constraints of a small and valuable plot, the project seeks balance rather than saturation. Solids and voids are articulated to maintain a sense of rhythm, allowing the architecture to remain calm and legible. The relationship between interior and exterior is central, with terraces acting as intermediate spaces between the domestic realm and the landscape remnants that still survive.

Dar Ben Mahmoud reflects an early architectural stance of atelier dada: an attentive response to site conditions, a respect for topography, the local cliamte; and a search for generosity of space even within density. An architecture that does not dominate its ground, but negotiates with it, leaving room for light, air and the sky.