Mudbrick House

Siwa Oasis, Egypt

Siwa has a rich legacy of mudbrick architecture. A remote yet historically significant place in the Western Egyptian Desert the oasis is where man-made and nature tend to blend naturally. The client’s brief for a guest house and studio at the entrance of the site, bridging the public with the private, offered an exciting opportunity. The design embodies sustainable principles steeped in the local vernacular: thick mudbrick walls doubling up as ventilation shafts, articulated wind-catchers on the roof, solar panels serving basic energy needs. The materials are mostly locally sourced and manufactured with the rest pre-fabricated and assembled on site: rammed mudbrick, salt panels, palm trusses, pine structure. The house resonates to traditional customs whilst playing true to its time.