Bayt Al-Qamar Palace is conceived as a contemporary interpretation of the desert majlis, where the architecture becomes a lunar halo resting on the sand. The overarching circular ring and petal-like shells reference the full moon and its phases, a symbol deeply rooted in Arabian poetry and navigation. I worked with pure geometries—circle, arch and ellipse—to translate traditional Islamic motifs into a fluid, sculptural language. Rather than copying historical forms, the project abstracts them, creating an iconic silhouette that feels simultaneously ancestral and futuristic, and clearly legible against the vast Saudi night sky.
The palace sits low and wide, aligning itself with the horizontal character of the desert and the rhythm of palm trees. The central water axis reflects the main ring volume, visually doubling the form and anchoring the complex within its landscape. Perimeter walls and flanking barrel-vaulted wings create a sense of enclosure, echoing the introverted typology of traditional courtyard houses, while carefully framed openings preserve long views to the horizon. Vehicular access is kept discreet, allowing the arrival sequence to emphasize the ceremonial approach on foot along the reflecting pool.
The main hall is housed within the crescent-like shell, whose layered petals overlap to form deep portals. These portals articulate a gradation from public to intimate, guiding guests from open terrace to semi-public lounge and finally to more private reception areas. The circular ring overhead acts as a unifying canopy that organizes the plan around a central axis of water and light. Secondary functions—guest suites, spa, and service zones—occupy linear wings that embrace the central court, creating a protected micro-climate and ensuring that all principal spaces maintain a direct relationship with the pool and gardens.
The external skin employs a finely perforated, metallic-mineral finish inspired by traditional mashrabiya screens. By day, this shell reads as a monolithic, sand-tinted volume; by night, integrated linear LEDs emphasize the petals’ edges and reveal the intricate perforation as a glowing veil. Large, frameless glass panes behind the shell provide visual permeability while keeping the technical envelope clean. Interiors continue the soft, dune-like palette: warm stone flooring, light plaster, and timber accents that absorb and reflect the golden lighting strategy. The result is a gradation from bright exterior glow to warm, cocooned interiors.
From the outset, the design pursued passive environmental performance. The thick shell and ring elements act as thermal mass, buffering internal spaces from desert temperature swings, while their overhangs provide deep shade that minimizes direct solar gain on glass. The central water body assists evaporative cooling, working in tandem with cross-ventilation encouraged by carefully oriented openings. Primary materials are specified as locally sourced stone and high-recycled-content metal cladding to reduce embodied carbon. Roof surfaces are prepared to receive photovoltaic panels, and a grey-water system is integrated to reuse pool backwash and landscape runoff for irrigation of drought-tolerant planting.
Inside Bayt Al-Qamar, the spatial narrative is deliberately serene and ceremonial. Guests enter through a shaded, compressed threshold and emerge into a generous lounge that opens directly to the mirror-like pool, reinforcing the connection between architecture, sky, and water. Furnishings are kept low and minimal, allowing the eye to travel uninterrupted along the curved shells and up to the luminous ring above. Acoustic treatment is concealed within the sculpted ceilings to maintain intimacy even in large gatherings. Ultimately, the palace offers a sequence of spaces that support both grand receptions and quiet contemplation, always framed by the presence of the desert night and the metaphorical light of the moon.
Bayt Al-Qamar Palace is conceived as a contemporary interpretation of the desert majlis, where the architecture becomes a lunar halo resting on the sand. The overarching circular ring and petal-like shells reference the full moon and its phases, a symbol deeply rooted in Arabian poetry and navigation. I worked with pure geometries—circle, arch and ellipse—to translate traditional Islamic motifs into a fluid, sculptural language. Rather than copying historical forms, the project abstracts them, creating an iconic silhouette that feels simultaneously ancestral and futuristic, and clearly legible against the vast Saudi night sky.
The palace sits low and wide, aligning itself with the horizontal character of the desert and the rhythm of palm trees. The central water axis reflects the main ring volume, visually doubling the form and anchoring the complex within its landscape. Perimeter walls and flanking barrel-vaulted wings create a sense of enclosure, echoing the introverted typology of traditional courtyard houses, while carefully framed openings preserve long views to the horizon. Vehicular access is kept discreet, allowing the arrival sequence to emphasize the ceremonial approach on foot along the reflecting pool.
The main hall is housed within the crescent-like shell, whose layered petals overlap to form deep portals. These portals articulate a gradation from public to intimate, guiding guests from open terrace to semi-public lounge and finally to more private reception areas. The circular ring overhead acts as a unifying canopy that organizes the plan around a central axis of water and light. Secondary functions—guest suites, spa, and service zones—occupy linear wings that embrace the central court, creating a protected micro-climate and ensuring that all principal spaces maintain a direct relationship with the pool and gardens.
The external skin employs a finely perforated, metallic-mineral finish inspired by traditional mashrabiya screens. By day, this shell reads as a monolithic, sand-tinted volume; by night, integrated linear LEDs emphasize the petals’ edges and reveal the intricate perforation as a glowing veil. Large, frameless glass panes behind the shell provide visual permeability while keeping the technical envelope clean. Interiors continue the soft, dune-like palette: warm stone flooring, light plaster, and timber accents that absorb and reflect the golden lighting strategy. The result is a gradation from bright exterior glow to warm, cocooned interiors.
From the outset, the design pursued passive environmental performance. The thick shell and ring elements act as thermal mass, buffering internal spaces from desert temperature swings, while their overhangs provide deep shade that minimizes direct solar gain on glass. The central water body assists evaporative cooling, working in tandem with cross-ventilation encouraged by carefully oriented openings. Primary materials are specified as locally sourced stone and high-recycled-content metal cladding to reduce embodied carbon. Roof surfaces are prepared to receive photovoltaic panels, and a grey-water system is integrated to reuse pool backwash and landscape runoff for irrigation of drought-tolerant planting.
Inside Bayt Al-Qamar, the spatial narrative is deliberately serene and ceremonial. Guests enter through a shaded, compressed threshold and emerge into a generous lounge that opens directly to the mirror-like pool, reinforcing the connection between architecture, sky, and water. Furnishings are kept low and minimal, allowing the eye to travel uninterrupted along the curved shells and up to the luminous ring above. Acoustic treatment is concealed within the sculpted ceilings to maintain intimacy even in large gatherings. Ultimately, the palace offers a sequence of spaces that support both grand receptions and quiet contemplation, always framed by the presence of the desert night and the metaphorical light of the moon.
Our offices are located in Barcelona, Cancún, Chicago and Santo Domingo, but thanks to technology we can do projects on all over the world.
Barcelona
Bac de Roda 136
08020, Barcelona
Spain
Madrid
Av. de Buendía 11
19005 Guadalajara (Madrid)
Spain
Chicago
373 Hazel Ave, Apt A1
60022, Glencoe, Illinois
United States