The hosting house

Project idea

A hosting house design inspired by African craft traditions, textures, and warm earth-tone materials.

Project description

The project presents a hosting house with a distinctive curved terracotta roof, courtyard spaces, and arched architectural elements. The design draws heavily from African vernacular architecture and craft traditions, as evidenced by the mood board featuring woven baskets, geometric patterns, bamboo elements, and natural material textures. The building features indoor and outdoor living spaces organized around a green courtyard.

Technical information

"The Host Housing" achieves structural and thermal efficiency through local material intelligence. The ceiling utilizes a filler slab technique, embedding lightweight clay vessels to reduce concrete volume and dead load while optimizing acoustic and thermal insulation. For the structural envelope, the design incorporates a vaulted earth brick roof alongside earth-based masonry, such as the Rat Trap Bond. These compressed stabilized earth blocks provide high thermal mass, absorbing daytime heat and releasing it during cooler nights. By combining these breathable, sustainable techniques, the architecture eliminates the need for energy-intensive cooling, delivering a low-cost, bioclimatic solution tailored perfectly to the Senegalese climate.