Architecture—10 / 24

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna

Ain Sokhna, Egypt/Hotel & residences/2020 — 2024/Alchemy Design Studio (for Misr Italia Properties)

Hotel, residences and bungalows on a steep coastal site — many typologies, many designers, one master file.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — Narrow lanes and recessed thresholds bring the scale of a coastal village into the larger resort. — 01Narrow lanes and recessed thresholds bring the scale of a coastal village into the larger resort.

Location: Ain Sokhna, Egypt
Year: 2020 — 2024
Sector: Residential / Hospitality
Scope: Concept and masterplanning — RIBA Stages 1–2
Status: Currently On Site

My contribution

My role: Senior Design Architect
Responsibility: Concept and masterplanning — RIBA Stages 1–2

Key contributions

Led early concept and masterplanning (RIBA 1–2)
Owned the master file across building typologies
Directed zoning, circulation, view corridors and landscape integration
Reviewed and aligned individual building concepts
Curated concept presentations for stakeholders

The project

The site falls in terraces towards the sea, and the masterplan uses that: zoning, circulation and view corridors are set so that every level keeps its horizon and the public-to-private gradient stays legible.

With several designers each developing a building type, the risk was a collection of unrelated buildings; the master file was the instrument that prevented it, holding massing, proportion, façade treatment, pattern and shading to a common rule set from RIBA Stages 1–2 onward.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — Arches shelter the ground floor while staggered terraces open the upper rooms towards the sea. — 02Arches shelter the ground floor while staggered terraces open the upper rooms towards the sea.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — The pedestrian route keeps the horizon in sight between the buildings. — 03The pedestrian route keeps the horizon in sight between the buildings.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — After sunset, light within the lane draws attention to its shared water and seating edges. — 04After sunset, light within the lane draws attention to its shared water and seating edges.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — The pool club gathers collective activity in one place along the coastal landscape. — 05The pool club gathers collective activity in one place along the coastal landscape.

05The pool club gathers collective activity in one place along the coastal landscape.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — Timber screens separate neighbouring terraces without turning the beachfront into a line of solid walls. — 06Timber screens separate neighbouring terraces without turning the beachfront into a line of solid walls.

06Timber screens separate neighbouring terraces without turning the beachfront into a line of solid walls.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — A deep roof edge allows each compact chalet to extend into an outdoor room. — 07A deep roof edge allows each compact chalet to extend into an outdoor room.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — Pool, dining and shaded seating share one deck, making the club a centre for the wider scheme. — 08Pool, dining and shaded seating share one deck, making the club a centre for the wider scheme.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — The beach arrangement leaves clear routes between the buildings and the shoreline. — 09The beach arrangement leaves clear routes between the buildings and the shoreline.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — A freestanding screened seat offers a more enclosed place within the open beach. — 10A freestanding screened seat offers a more enclosed place within the open beach.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — Timber walkways link beach seating without imposing a continuous hard surface on the sand. — 11Timber walkways link beach seating without imposing a continuous hard surface on the sand.

11Timber walkways link beach seating without imposing a continuous hard surface on the sand.

“Many typologies, many designers, one master file.”

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — The route to the water is kept direct, with palms marking its approach. — 12The route to the water is kept direct, with palms marking its approach.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — The landscape alternates planted pockets with open ground so the sea remains the main orientation. — 13The landscape alternates planted pockets with open ground so the sea remains the main orientation.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — Buildings step back from the beach, leaving the public waterfront generous and continuous. — 14Buildings step back from the beach, leaving the public waterfront generous and continuous.

14Buildings step back from the beach, leaving the public waterfront generous and continuous.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — The compact clusters preserve lanes and courtyards between neighbouring homes. — 15The compact clusters preserve lanes and courtyards between neighbouring homes.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — Under construction, the stepped volumes retain the scale established in the early masterplan. — 16Under construction, the stepped volumes retain the scale established in the early masterplan.

Can Limon, Kai Sokhna — The built shells show how the rows keep their relationship to the sea across the sloping site. — 17The built shells show how the rows keep their relationship to the sea across the sloping site.

17The built shells show how the rows keep their relationship to the sea across the sloping site.

Process

Masterplanning across five terrain levels — zoning, circulation, view corridors and building levels — with a single master file keeping massing, proportion and language consistent across hotel, residences and bungalows.

DWG 01Site study — small building groups share pools and pedestrian spaces within a larger grid.
DWG 02Masterplan — a network of courts breaks the development into walkable clusters.
DWG 03Use diagram — the programme distinguishes shared destinations from the repeated residential groups.
DWG 04Level diagram — different building heights are coordinated across the clustered plan.
DWG 05Cluster plans — repeated units adapt to changing levels and shared outdoor space.
DWG 06Site sections — the development steps with the terrain rather than relying on a single platform.

Colophon

Location: Ain Sokhna, Egypt
Year: 2020 — 2024
Sector: Residential / Hospitality
Typology: Hotel & residences
Scope: Concept and masterplanning — RIBA Stages 1–2
Status: Currently On Site
Role: Senior Design Architect
Client: Misr Italia Properties
Storeys: G+2 / 5 Terrain Levels Masterplan
Software: AutoCAD, Revit, Adobe CC