DUBAI HOUSE OF THE FUTURE
SUSTAINABLE HOME PROPOSAL
 A SUSTAINABLE AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT RESIDENTIAL DESIGN
PROJECT STATUS: INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION 2023
LOCATION: DUBAI, UAE

"What makes a house a home, and how do homes differ across countries, cultures and generations? As we look to the future. Buildner is asking architecture and design enthusiasts to create a vision of the House of the Future.
Working in partnership with Dubai Government, the House of the Future competition is asking architecture enthusiasts from all backgrounds and skill levels to submit their designs for a template for a new age home for Emirati citizens living in the Dubai."

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By going ‘Back to the Future’ the wisdom found in old traditions and methods can be re-interpreted in a modern context and re-applied to suit current needs, methods of construction and advancements in building technology.

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The Kandura Home is named after the traditional Emirati cloak - a symbol of sheltering, shielding, preservation and safeguarding. The Traditional cloak, layers of breathable natural cloth, shield the body against the desert sun’s merciless beating. External air is cooled down before reaching the interior and the body’s own heat can escape through pores in the natural fabric. Along with the Ghutra or headscarf, the concept of top-down shading along with breathability form the inspiration behind Kandura Homes’ incremental cooling approach. The result is a home that is both modest, yet comfortable in style and functionality. Topped with a shading device, the Kandura Home not only shades itself, but its surroundings as well against solar radiation while harvesting renewable energy for consumption, sharing or trade. In the manner of tying a headscarf down with Agal, the structure is not only secure but accessible through rooftop walkways for cleaning and maintenance.

Special attention has been given in the design to cultural needs, for example, the need for privacy and functionality requirements such as an outside kitchen or separate gathering space for women. Providing shared shade, communal space is created around each home and vegetation is sheltered against harsh climatic conditions. Wrapped in a breathable membrane, a punctured skin, the envelope of a Kandura Home is a passive cooling device made in part from local sand that can be manufactured and sun-dried on site. The residential proposal focus on off-site manufacturing of the home in parts, brought to and assembled on site. 

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The Kandura Home concept provides equal opportunity for all to own a comfortable home.
The proposed home allows for a starter home perhaps for new home owners, singles or young families. Extra bedrooms can be added (such as required by this project’s brief) and an option exist to developed the project to capacity such as when newlyweds are welcomed as part of the extended family and require an apartment of their own.

Each home interior consists of different units that are lightweight and waterproof. Extra units can be customised, ordered and brought in by crane. Existing units can be increased or decreased, sold, traded or removed and retrofitted off-site.

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Working in a tradition-rich culture provide an opportunity to redeem elements of ancient building techniques and rekindle its historical value that, in modern society, is often frowned upon. Kandura Homes is a step ‘back to the future’, celebrating how far we’ve come technologically while still relying on ancient wisdom of our forefathers which has stood the test of time and has proven to be sustainable in the long run.

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ARCHITECTURAL PORTFOLIO   |   DUBAI HOUSE OF THE FUTURE   |   DESERT ARCHITECTURE   |   ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

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