Masayel B
Masayel, Kuwait
Multi-Residential Units (8 Units)
375 sq. m x 8 Plots = 3000 sq. m
890 sq. m x 8 Plots = 7120 sq.m
Location
Type
Plot Area
Built-up Area
Massayel B is a row of eight single-family houses that reimagine the traditional Kuwaiti home for contemporary living. While all units share the same floor plan, four distinct architectural types were developed to introduce visual variation and a sense of rhythm along the street.
Each type draws from multiple references across Kuwaiti and regional architecture, blending traditional elements with contemporary spatial and material strategies. Though unified in planning, each house expresses its own identity through material choices, façade composition, and custom-designed mashrabiyas that respond to local context, climate, and culture.
Type A
Type A references traditional Islamic architecture and historic Kuwaiti houses. It features pointed arches and ornamental detailing inspired by buildings such as Beit Al Sadu and Beit Al Bader. The composition balances historical motifs with modern proportions, resulting in a facade that feels familiar yet contemporary.
Type B
Type B draws from pre-oil Kuwaiti mud houses and the remaining historic gates of Kuwait City. Its defining features include segmented arches, rounded corners, and brick lintels that express structural rhythm. The overall massing and detailing give the type a grounded, earthbound quality while adapting these elements to modern construction.
Type C
Type C blends influences from Kuwaiti and broader Arabian Peninsula architecture. It stands as the most contemporary of the four, defined by a grid-like façade composition and deep vertical recesses that elongate the windows. Brickwork is used to reinterpret traditional mashrabiyas in a minimal, material-forward way that reflects current construction techniques and aesthetics.
Type D
Type D incorporates regional features found across the Arabian Peninsula, resulting in the most ornamented expression among the four. A trilobed arched niche sits above segmented arches, framed by detailed cornices, lattice parapets, and patterned GRC mashrabiyas. This type celebrates decoration and layering, while staying rooted in contextual relevance.