Project Summary
This entry from Saudi Arabia deserves
special merit for demonstrating how
environmentally responsive design can
incorporate traditional Islamic architectural
principles. The team is successful
in maintaining cultural continuity while
at the same time delivering a contemporary
tectonic expression to the work.
Equally noteworthy in this respect is
the effort to transform inherited typologies
and still remain sensitive to
local cultural values. Consequently, the
project provides valuable lessons on
sustainable construction that can be
adapted to a variety of sites and contexts
within the Islamic world.
The scale as well as the selection of
materials is commended. The strategies
for climatic control are derived from
traditional methods, yet serve to further
enhance the performance of the
new technologies deployed. The proposal
is skillful in creating fluid transitions
between indoor and outdoor
spaces, taking full advantage of the
small site.