Project: The Frame / Location: Amman, Jordan / Architect: Paradigm GmbH / Landscape Architect: Lara Zureikat / Photos: Mohammad Masri

Located in the exclusive Dabouq area of Amman, Jordan, the Frame Residence was designed by Paradigm GmbH as a sanctuary for its owners. The $2.8-million, two-story, unabashedly contemporary building is bathed in natural light, which plays a key role in providing illumination, lending architectural definition and boosting comfort and well-being for the inhabitants.

The clients chose the lot for its breathtaking views, which the architects exploited by equipping the house with an abundance of floor-to-ceiling windows, panoramic glass doors and recessed balconies with glass balustrades. All of the openings are articulated with sleek, custom metal frames that add visual interest to the building’s minimalist stone exterior. On the upper half of the house, a series of grooves carved into the stone cladding create a pleated appearance, which is further accentuated by the movement of the sun.

[ Read More: KUBE Architects Gave This Burnt Out House a New Life ]

Paradigm, a multidisciplinary firm with offices in Germany, Jordan and the United Kingdom, designed the light-filled interior with a centrally located double-volume atrium, which the firm dubs “the soul of the home.” Luminous, it is capped with a glazed roof and framed with glass railings and a glass-paneled staircase that allow natural light from above to seep into the adjacent circulation areas. On the first floor, the use of glass paneling in the atrium enhances the open-plan layout.

All of the main living spaces and bedrooms have windows and/or glass doors that ensure access to natural light. On the first floor, these include the dining room; a guest bedroom; a helper’s room with its own bathroom; the main kitchen, which opens onto a living room; and a second, smaller “dirty kitchen,” where food prep, cooking and fumes are kept behind closed doors. The ground floor also contains service areas, including a laundry room, mudroom, cloak room and a powder room.

[ Read More: A Utah Residence Uniquely Shaped by its Site ]

The home’s four bedrooms are located upstairs on either side of the atrium. Each is outfitted with an ensuite bathroom, a walk-in closet and a private balcony for occupants to enjoy views of the city and for access to daylight. Bookending the atrium, glass doors leading to an oversized balcony, along with a library and a second living room—both also equipped with balconies—flood the second-floor landing with sunlight.

Wood flooring throughout the home adds warmth to a material and color palette dominated by stone finishes and shades of gray. To preserve the clean, minimalist aesthetic, light fixtures are discreetly mounted in ceilings, coves or niches to ensure sufficient ambient and task illumination where needed, while also adding drama to architectural features, such as walls, the staircases and built-in casework.

Of course, this modern sanctuary would not be complete without a spate of amenities for the homeowners to relax in the great outdoors. a seating area, outdoor showers, a play area and an outdoor bathroom. Consequently, the yard features a pool, areas for lounging and playing, as well as showers and a bathroom.

Alice Liao is an editorial consultant and freelance writer covering architecture and design. The former editor of Kitchen + Bath Business magazine, she lives in Teaneck, N.J.