Bronze A' Design Award Winner 2025
Earthen masonry manifests architectural identity through chromatic warmth and tactile authenticity, the clay-fired brick carrying cultural memory of vernacular building traditions while serving contemporary residential needs, the material choice encoding values of durability, thermal performance, and connection to geological substrate from which building matter originates. Horizontal coursing establishes rhythmic cadence across the façade, each linear band of mortared brick creating a measuring system that humanizes scale, the repetitive stacking pattern suggesting incremental construction and the labor of hands placing unit upon unit, this visible process reading as honesty of making in contrast to smooth monolithic surfaces that conceal their assembly. The perforated brick screens function as architectural mediators between opposing forces, solid and void, opacity and transparency, enclosure and exposure, their geometric lattice creating filtered transition zones where light passes through partially rather than completely, where vision penetrates partially rather than fully, establishing a middle condition between the absolute states of wall and window, this liminal quality traditionally associated with vernacular screening devices like mashrabiya or jali that moderate harsh sunlight while permitting air circulation and maintaining domestic privacy. Asymmetrical massing encodes spatial hierarchy and programmatic differentiation, the vertical tower suggesting collective spaces or primary living areas while the lower horizontal wing might house ancillary or support functions, the compositional arrangement creating visual interest through dimensional variety while suggesting internal organizational logic made legible through external form. Recessed balconies carved as voids within the building mass rather than projecting appendages suggest protection and shelter, these shadow-filled thresholds reading as caves or alcoves that offer refuge from exposure, the deep recession providing thermal buffer zones that reduce direct solar gain while creating sheltered outdoor rooms where inhabitants can experience exterior atmosphere without full exposure, this spatial configuration traditionally associated with courtyard housing typologies adapted to hot climates. Warm earth tones position the building within chromatic traditions linking architecture to landscape, the ochres, siennas, and buff tones suggesting fired earth, sedimentary stone, and desert geology, colors that speak of sun-baked terrain and material extraction from site, creating visual continuity between built form and natural ground that reduces architectural alienation from environmental context. The building's relationship to the street, mediated by mature trees that partially veil its base, suggests dialogic engagement with urban fabric rather than isolated object presence, the vegetation providing scale transition, seasonal change, and biophilic connection that softens the geometric precision of architectural form while maintaining clear boundary between public thoroughfare and private dwelling realm. Modular repetition of screens and balconies establishes democratic seriality suggesting equality among dwelling units, each resident allocated similar spatial provision and environmental amenity, this repeated pattern reading as egalitarian gesture in contrast to hierarchical architectures that differentiate units through varying quality or dimension, the formal strategy potentially encoding values of collective housing and social equity. Corner articulation where two façades meet at right angles creates moments of tectonic clarity, revealing the building as assembled volumes rather than seamless continuous surface, these three-dimensional readings suggesting architectural honesty about geometric construction and spatial organization, making visible the underlying logic of how rectangular spaces stack and combine to create inhabitable volume.
Salamat Apartment is a meticulously crafted architectural design that strikes a harmonious balance between functionality and aesthetic appeal. The project faced key challenges, such as limited natural light and the irregular geometry of the site. These issues were addressed with thoughtful planning to maximize natural light and air circulation while ensuring privacy and comfort for the residents. The apartment consists of multiple levels, including duplex units, strategically positioned to offer scenic urban views while optimizing space usage.