Villas PK & PS

Located on a 3,500 sqm site in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Villas PK & PS comprise two independent residences designed for members of the same family. Surrounded by roads on all four sides, the site presented particular challenges of access, security and privacy.

Rather than creating separate entrances for family members, guests and services directly from the surrounding streets, the master plan introduces a private internal road serving both villas. Conceived as more than a circulation route, this shared spine becomes a landscaped environment where residents can walk, cycle, exercise and gather beneath shaded areas. It creates a protected communal space between the two homes while allowing each villa to maintain its independence and privacy.

Each residence is approximately 1,750 sqm and incorporates a private garden and swimming pool, gym, traditional majlis and generous living spaces that establish a strong relationship between interior and landscape.

Villa PK is composed of three distinct volumes connected by circulation spaces that reflect the organization of the program. At ground level, the family living areas open directly onto the private garden and swimming pool. The central volume contains the main entrance and formal reception spaces, while a separate volume accommodates the office and majlis. On the first floor, the composition distinguishes the parents’ suite, children’s areas and shared family spaces, with service functions positioned on the upper level.

Villa PS follows a less formal composition, with its functions distributed across a series of interconnected volumes. Circulation becomes the element that brings these different parts together, creating a more fragmented relationship between built form, courtyards and landscape.

The façades combine stone, wood and glass to express the different degrees of openness and privacy within the houses. Generous glazing at ground level connects the principal living spaces to the gardens, while the majlis is articulated as a distinct volume through timber cladding. On the upper floors, more controlled openings and timber screens protect the bedrooms from direct views and solar exposure.

Together, the two villas form a private family compound in which architecture, circulation and landscape balance independence with connection, and openness with privacy.