Add To Collection
Add to Collection
The Cube: Desert House
The Cube: Desert House
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
Other Projects by Khaled M. Abou Taam - KMA Atelier
The Cube: Desert House
Type
STATUS
Concept
SIZE
1000 sqft - 3000 sqft
Project Name: The Cube: Desert House
Award Status: 3rd Prize Winner – House Challenge 2019
Firm: Khaled M. Abou Taam - KMA Atelier
Lead Architect: Dr. Khaled M. Abou Taam
Design Team:
Catherine Zalzali - Architect
Ekaterina Abou Taam - Architect
Ibrahim Abou taam - Architect
Competition: World Architecture – Desert House
Location: Abu Dhabi Desert, UAE
Project Type: Residential / Temporary Housing
Built-up Area: 128 sqm
Floors: 2
Year: 2019
Materials: Steel Framework, Modular Wood Paneling, Glazing, Textile (Tensile Fabric)
Software: AutoCAD, SketchUp, Lumion, Photoshop, Hand Sketching
Context & Challenge
In the harsh, shifting landscapes of the Abu Dhabi desert, the concept of "shelter" requires a radical rethinking of permanence and adaptation. "The Cube" was born from the World Architecture House Challenge 2019, a competition seeking innovative solutions for temporary housing in extreme climates. The brief called for a sustainable, portable dwelling capable of housing 4 to 6 people comfortably, with the potential to be replicated into a community cluster. The core challenge was to resolve the tension between the hostile desert environment and the human need for comfort, all while addressing off-grid necessities like water, electricity, and ventilation.
Concept: The Dynamic Puzzle
Our winning proposal reinterprets the vernacular wisdom of the Bedouin tent through a modern, structural lens. We envisioned a settlement not as a static grid, but as a flexible village centered around a main tensile structure for social gathering, surrounded by individual dwelling units: The Cubes.
The Cube is not a fixed house, but a skeleton, a primary steel framework, that acts as a host for smaller, movable modular rooms. This "box-within-a-box" concept offers unparalleled flexibility. It is a spatial puzzle that residents can configure themselves. By shifting the inner modules, inhabitants can manipulate their environment: creating large communal halls or intimate private rooms, expanding onto balconies or sealing off spaces for thermal protection. The architecture follows the philosophy: "Build as you need, in the composition you desire."
Self-Assembly and Materiality
Designed for the transient nature of desert exploration, The Cube is engineered for manual assembly. The construction logic eliminates the need for heavy machinery, allowing the inhabitants to erect and modify the structure using simple tools.
The facade system utilizes modular strips of wood and glass. These panels can be arranged to control light filtration and privacy based on the sun's orientation and the user's preference. This manual interactivity empowers the user to become the architect of their immediate surroundings.
Sustainability & The Water Spine
Surviving the desert requires a symbiotic relationship with the elements. The entire structure is crowned by a tensile fabric tent, which stretches down to anchor at the building’s core. This serves a dual purpose: providing a secondary shading skin to reduce solar heat gain and acting as a funnel for the central column.
This central column, or "tube," is the lifeline of the house. It functions as a structural anchor and a water harvesting system (conceptually acting as a dew condenser and storage unit), integrating vital infrastructure seamlessly into the architectural form.
Award Status: 3rd Prize Winner – House Challenge 2019
Firm: Khaled M. Abou Taam - KMA Atelier
Lead Architect: Dr. Khaled M. Abou Taam
Design Team:
Catherine Zalzali - Architect
Ekaterina Abou Taam - Architect
Ibrahim Abou taam - Architect
Competition: World Architecture – Desert House
Location: Abu Dhabi Desert, UAE
Project Type: Residential / Temporary Housing
Built-up Area: 128 sqm
Floors: 2
Year: 2019
Materials: Steel Framework, Modular Wood Paneling, Glazing, Textile (Tensile Fabric)
Software: AutoCAD, SketchUp, Lumion, Photoshop, Hand Sketching
Context & Challenge
In the harsh, shifting landscapes of the Abu Dhabi desert, the concept of "shelter" requires a radical rethinking of permanence and adaptation. "The Cube" was born from the World Architecture House Challenge 2019, a competition seeking innovative solutions for temporary housing in extreme climates. The brief called for a sustainable, portable dwelling capable of housing 4 to 6 people comfortably, with the potential to be replicated into a community cluster. The core challenge was to resolve the tension between the hostile desert environment and the human need for comfort, all while addressing off-grid necessities like water, electricity, and ventilation.
Concept: The Dynamic Puzzle
Our winning proposal reinterprets the vernacular wisdom of the Bedouin tent through a modern, structural lens. We envisioned a settlement not as a static grid, but as a flexible village centered around a main tensile structure for social gathering, surrounded by individual dwelling units: The Cubes.
The Cube is not a fixed house, but a skeleton, a primary steel framework, that acts as a host for smaller, movable modular rooms. This "box-within-a-box" concept offers unparalleled flexibility. It is a spatial puzzle that residents can configure themselves. By shifting the inner modules, inhabitants can manipulate their environment: creating large communal halls or intimate private rooms, expanding onto balconies or sealing off spaces for thermal protection. The architecture follows the philosophy: "Build as you need, in the composition you desire."
Self-Assembly and Materiality
Designed for the transient nature of desert exploration, The Cube is engineered for manual assembly. The construction logic eliminates the need for heavy machinery, allowing the inhabitants to erect and modify the structure using simple tools.
The facade system utilizes modular strips of wood and glass. These panels can be arranged to control light filtration and privacy based on the sun's orientation and the user's preference. This manual interactivity empowers the user to become the architect of their immediate surroundings.
Sustainability & The Water Spine
Surviving the desert requires a symbiotic relationship with the elements. The entire structure is crowned by a tensile fabric tent, which stretches down to anchor at the building’s core. This serves a dual purpose: providing a secondary shading skin to reduce solar heat gain and acting as a funnel for the central column.
This central column, or "tube," is the lifeline of the house. It functions as a structural anchor and a water harvesting system (conceptually acting as a dew condenser and storage unit), integrating vital infrastructure seamlessly into the architectural form.
Product Spec Sheet
Were your products used?
Join as a manufacturer to add your products.