Press Release
Aziz House Residential Building by Sara Harhash Receives the Silver A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
The international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Sara Harhash for architecture, building and structure design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 19, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ Aziz House Residential Building by Sara Harhash, designed for SHI Architecture, has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The recognition forms part of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Silver A' Design Award
The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
Regarding Aziz House Residential Building
Aziz House is a family rest house in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia. The residence is designed to suit its desert setting, using passive cooling, natural ventilation and shading for comfort. The form draws on Cycladic massing, Najdi geometric patterns and Moroccan clay tones. Facades are finished with Tadelakt, a natural lime plaster that is hand applied, compressed and polished to a waterproof sheen, then sealed with olive oil soap. Breeze blocks provide privacy and filtered light. The site area is 3740 square meters and the total floor area is 1180 square meters.
About Sara Harhash
Sarah Harhash is an innovative architectural Designer with a passion for creating impactful designs that blend functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability. Founder of SHI Studio, where she leads a dynamic team in delivering cutting-edge architectural solutions for residential, mixed-use, and commercial projects. Driven by a commitment to excellence, Sarah aims to shape environments that inspire and endure. Open to collaborations and opportunities to elevate architecture to new horizons.
Award Record
With this recognition, Sara Harhash is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award
The A' Architecture Design Award is an international architectural design competition recognizing good architectural designs by best architects worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to architectural design studios, building contractors, structural engineering firms and architecture and design consultants from all countries. Typical entries include skyscrapers, museums, residential buildings, commercial complexes, educational institutions and religious structures. The awarded architectural projects are published at https://designers.org/design-category/architecture
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/170382
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/170382
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!170382
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/365163
- Further Information from the Laureate: http://shiarchitecture.com/
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Aziz House Residential Building
- Function
- Residential Building
- Category
- Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture
- Colors
- Steel Blue, Dark Olive Green, Dim Gray and Dark Slate Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- SHI Architecture
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Sara Harhash
- Country
- Egypt
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #170382
Credits
- Team
- Sarah Harhash, Ahmed Nader, Mustafa Hussain and Abdulrahman Ahmed
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Aziz Rest House, a family retreat in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia, seamlessly integrates with its desert surroundings while addressing environmental, social, and cultural needs. The design employs passive cooling, natural ventilation, and strategic shading to enhance comfort. Drawing inspiration from traditional architecture, it reinterprets construction methods and elements to ensure sustainability and privacy. This approach creates a harmonious connection to the local context, fostering a lifestyle
- Inspiration
- This design is inspired by three key influences: Cycladic architecture, with its massed forms and shaded facades for climate adaptation; Najdi cultural patterns, reflecting Saudi heritage through geometric motifs and vibrant hues; and Moroccan clay, providing an earthy, tranquil aesthetic. Together, these elements create a harmonious retreat that balances tradition with sustainability, respecting the local environment while ensuring a serene and comfortable living experience.
- Research
- We visited the site in Buraydah to study its desert environment and Saudi culture, the client’s needs were balanced between privacy and luxury. The research focused on eco-friendly materials available locally and innovative breeze block manufacturing. The 3D modeling phase was challenging, as it required multiple iterations using Max, Rhino, and Revit. The landscape incorporated a desert theme with cacti and a duck pond to enhance cooling.
- Challenge
- Merging three distinct architectural styles Cycladic, Najdi, and Moroccan. While maintaining design harmony. Ensuring that the fusion of these styles respects cultural traditions and remains aesthetically cohesive.
- Realization and Technology
- The facades are treated with eco-friendly material Tadelakt, a Moroccan lime plaster finish. Crafted from natural lime, it’s hand-applied, compressed, and polished to a lustrous, waterproof sheen, sealed with olive oil soap for durability. Used across the exterior, it cloaks the walls in a seamless, organic texture that withstands weather while exuding tranquility. Its subtle elegance enhances the retreat’s aesthetic, harmonizing with the environment and offering a tactile connection to nature.
- Operation and Interaction
- The Aziz Rest House is designed as a tranquil retreat, evoking warmth and inner peace. Its primary goal is to create a serene environment where visitors can relax and reconnect with themselves. Thoughtful spatial composition enhances comfort and fosters a sense of personal sanctuary. Every element is carefully integrated to promote relaxation, offering a harmonious haven that provides calm and respite from the demands of daily life
- Project Duration and Location
- The project is located in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia. The design was finished in April 2024 and The construction is still in process
- Specifications
- Site area : 3740 m2 Total Floor Area: 1180 m2
- Keywords
- Saudi Arabia, Rest house, Residential, Clay, Local,
