Bronze Winner of the International Architecture & Design Awards 2026
Beach house
Residential Interior Design (Housing & Apartment)
Concept / Professional Category
Architect / Designer:
Ola Abid
Studio:
Ola Abid design
Design Team:
Danya Basweir, senior designer
Bushra Heige, Interior designer
Country:
Saudi Arabia
This project is an architectural and interior design proposal for a beachfront residence in Jeddah, conceived for a large family with a strong culture of hosting, gathering, and outdoor living. More than a private home, the house is designed as an event-oriented environment—a place for celebrations, social encounters, water activities, and shared experiences that extend seamlessly between interior and landscape.
The design prioritizes the human experience as its central driver. Rather than a rigid formal composition, the house is organized as a sequence of experiential moments, each intended to evoke a distinct emotional response. Public areas are animated, expansive, and outward-facing, encouraging movement, interaction, and collective energy, while private zones are calmer and more introspective, offering retreat and privacy for family members.
The conceptual inspiration draws from the coral ecosystems of the Red Sea, not as a literal form, but as a spatial logic. Like coral formations, the house is composed of interconnected volumes that grow around human activity, creating varied densities, scales, and atmospheres. This organic organization allows spaces to feel intuitive and experiential rather than prescriptive.
A clear separation between public and private functions is established to support both large gatherings and everyday family life. These zones are connected by a glass bridge tunnel, which acts as both a physical and emotional threshold—offering moments of pause, visual connection, and transition. The bridge also enables a direct circulation path from the car drop-off to the beach, allowing guests to access the shoreline without passing through the private areas of the house.
Generous glazing and expansive openings frame uninterrupted views of the Red Sea, with particular emphasis on sunset orientation. Evening light becomes an active design element, shaping mood, atmosphere, and daily rituals. As the sun sets, the house transforms—shifting from vibrant social energy to a more contemplative and intimate state.
The result is a house shaped by movement, emotion, and connection an architecture rooted in human experience, where space, light, and landscape come together to create memorable moments rather than static form.
Ola Abid design
Ola Abid Design established in 2015 after many years of experience in the UA and Saudi arabia, now based in jeddah saudi arabia, focuses mainly on residential projects. Our design philosophy all revolves around human psychology and experience. Our main goal is to create stories that leave the end user with a memorable experience.
