Umma House, Lamu, Kenya

The feeling of living within an ancient, traditional society.

The challenge here was incorporating ancient walls into a modernized, Swahili-style residence so that it possessed both charm and comfort. We wanted to give the feeling of what it’s really like to live within an ancient, traditional society. Integrating the house into its surroundings, we created a courtyard and plunge pool. Umma House faces west, so it was very important to protect it from the intensity of island heat, hence the openness of its construction.

Location
Lamu Island, Kenya

Year
2006

Client
Private

Area
415m²

Collaborators
–

Renders
–

Photos
Alberto Heras, Frédéric Courbet

Status
Completed