SElL BIOMIMICRY

JENAN AZMI
Seil is a design hotel. It is located on a 120 Feddan plot of land [half a million
sqm]. The land contains an existing hotel on the southern edge of   the site.
Our task was to design 68 units and a main building adjacent to 32 existing
units on the north side of the site to create a hotel of 100 rooms.[ SEIL] means
flash flood in Arabic. It’s design was inspired by the drainage patterns
created by the flash floods that form the topography of the land. The
directionality of the flash flood and the horizontality of the nature around
the site inspired a design that is very rigid in its directionality and strives to
keep very visible   A strong prevalent north-east wind present 8 months of the
year, paired with noise from the generators and chillers of the neighboring
hotel led us to take shelter in the hill and build into it as opposed to above
it. The architectural character of our units are inspired by the rock
formation in the site. Many vertical lines emphasize an overall horizontality.
These narrow vertical openings in 50 cm thick stone walls allow light to enter
without direct sunlight.5olar water heaters will be placed in the gap between
each unit and the hill, unseen by users.