Palm Breeze House

USE: Residential
LOCATION: Dubai, U.A.E
TOTAL AREA: 280 m2
PROGRAM: House
*Collaboration with Keita Watanabe

We first analyzed the region’s architectural history and traditional materials, translating them into a contemporary residential proposal. Our research revealed that historical houses in the region utilized boundary walls as exterior walls, allowing neighbors to share walls—a strategy that reduced material costs and enhanced spatial efficiency. Additionally, wind towers, a traditional architectural feature, were designed as cooling devices that capture and channel cool air indoors, creating natural ventilation. These climate-responsive techniques were once essential to local architecture, offering cost-effective and climate-adaptive solutions. However, with the era of mass-produced housing, these indigenous strategies were abandoned in favor of Western-style developments.

Moreover, local materials such as palm wood, earth, and sand, once integral to construction, have been largely forgotten. Instead, generic, white, featureless houses—indistinguishable from mass-produced homes elsewhere in the world—have come to dominate the landscape.

Our proposal challenges the conventional Western-style model, where the house is placed at the center of the plot. Instead, we reposition the building along the boundary walls, opening up the central space as a semi-outdoor living area. We also incorporate a modernized wind tower system with automated openings, reinterpreting traditional elements in a way that integrates both local identity and contemporary technology.

The result is Palm/Breeze House —a home that breathes, reconnecting with regional architectural heritage while embracing modern innovations.

Competition Panels