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Haitham Abdelrehim

Almaza Bay, North Coast, Egypt · Private villa · 2023 · Freelance commission

Almaza Villa

A pool court connects the living spaces, while a second terrace gives the bedrooms an outdoor setting of their own.

The upper floor shelters the entrance, allowing the house to meet the street through a deep recess.
Location
Almaza Bay, North Coast, Egypt
Year
2023
Sector
Residential
Scope
Architectural design concept

The project

The pool court is the organising space of this holiday house at Almaza Bay. Living, dining and kitchen areas follow its edges, opening through sliding glazing to a covered terrace. Vehicle access and staff accommodation remain towards the street, leaving the garden side for the main rooms and outdoor living.

Deep overhangs make the transition from room to terrace gradual. The upper floor shelters seating below, while bedroom suites open onto a separate terrace with a plunge pool and dining area. A perforated boundary screens the pool court, and an outdoor stair connects the two levels without requiring a route through the house.

A low street frontage keeps the scale domestic while the house extends towards the pool behind.
The projecting floor brings the car court and entrance beneath the same shelter.
A screened threshold separates the front door from the driveway without enclosing the approach.
The pool court gives the living spaces a shared outdoor centre.
The covered lounge occupies the transition between the enclosed rooms and the open pool deck.
Sliding glazing allows indoor and outdoor seating to work together when the house is open.
Furniture defines a gathering area while leaving a clear route along the terrace.
A perforated boundary provides enclosure without making the pool court a solid-walled room.
The upper terrace offers a second outdoor setting, separate from the main pool court.
The terrace balances places to sit beside the water with an open route between them.
A continuous overhang makes room for several seating groups along the bedroom frontage.
Lighting distinguishes the entrance and planted edges from the quieter upper façade.
The lit recess makes the front door legible beneath the wider canopy.

“The terrace is part of the plan of the house, with enough depth to live in.”

The pool court remains the point of connection between the two wings after dark.
Light is concentrated around seating and circulation, retaining a quieter edge to the garden.
Illuminated steps make the pool's changes in depth visible from the surrounding terrace.
An outdoor stair connects the pool court to the upper terrace without passing through the house.
Dining and lounge seating share the upper terrace, extending its use beyond the bedrooms.

Process

  • Ground floor — living spaces face the pool court, with vehicle access and staff accommodation kept towards the street.

  • First floor — bedroom suites share access to a terrace with its own pool and outdoor dining.

Colophon

Location
Almaza Bay, North Coast, Egypt
Year
2023
Sector
Residential
Typology
Private villa
Scope
Architectural design concept
Storeys
G + 1
Client
Private owner