eco lodges made of sand win first prize in ‘mega dunes’ competition for abu dhabi desert

a group of italian designers has won first place in bee breeders’ latest competition to develop 25 sustainable eco lodges in the desert landscape of abu dhabi. designed by egidio cutillo, giuseppe ricupero, stefania schirò and enrico capanni, the winning project has been selected by the jury for its ‘unique conceptual approach of ephemeral placemaking that dissolves back into nature as ruins over time.’

post-use view: the sand ruins return to become part of the desert

the scheme is composed of three parts: sand ruins, living pods, and a common hub. reflecting the natural geographies of the landscape, the sand ruins are a series of 3D printed configurations that define the habitable environments. made from sand, these interventions will deteriorate over time, returning to become part of the desert. the sand ruins are defined by very thick walls and great thermal inertia, ensuring protection from the hot desert sun, and are available to accommodate human and non-human life.

interior view: the use of a sand ruin with its living pods

the living pods are inserted inside the sand ruins. designed as more controlled, mobile and technically sophisticated environments, these pods provide guests with a comfortable stay even in the extreme climatic conditions. the pods comprise a series of autonomous cells equipped with a roof covering. when not in use, they can be disassembled and moved to a new site, leaving the abandoned sand ruins to gradually erode away.

threshold view: between the milky way and the desert

the common hub is conceived as an artificial oasis to provide guests with essential refreshment. to complement the vastness of the desert, the hub is topped with a monumental cover that defines a large collective shaded area under which to prototype new sand archaeology. here are concentrated common services, reversible and regenerable, which could cyclically disappear leaving only a new trace in the context.

aerial view of the common hub: a sheet on the desert

the bee breeders jury said of the project: ‘heritage machine stands out with its unique conceptual approach of ephemeral placemaking that dissolves back into nature as ruins over time. the ideas of physical memory, and an original approach to sustainability and building life cycle is remarkable. physically, the gradual transition from the exterior to the interior world through a series of thresholds, and the grand roof canopy of the common hub large enough to form its own microclimate, are low-tech but powerful architectural gestures that respond to local environmental constraints. the quality and nuances of the overall representation are commended.’

under the roof of the common hub: an artificial oasis

ecolodges main plan. 50 sqm – 80 sqm

exploded axonometric (80sqm unit)

section through a living pod

thermal comfort diagram

sand to sand: lifecycle of the lodges

common hub plan

transformations: lifecycle of the common hub

project info:

project name: heritage machine

competition: bee breeders mega dunes eco lodges – abu dhabi

competition status: first prize winner

design team: egidio cutillo, giuseppe ricupero, stefania schirò, enrico capanni

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.