Introduction

COMPETITION ORGANISERS
Mega Dunes Eco 
Lodges - Abu Dhabi
Official partner
Mega Dunes Eco 
Lodges - Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, located on the southeastern Arabian Peninsula along the Persian Gulf, has a hot climate and desert landscapes that are home to rich biodiversity. The native fauna includes a number of desert-dwelling species that can be found nowhere else on earth.

One such species is the Arabian Oryx, a medium-sized antelope with long, straight horns, a tufted tail and a distinct shoulder bump - the smallest member of the genus Oryx. The Arabian Oryx was considered extinct in the wild in the 1970s. Breeding programs in zoos and private reserves helped to increase the population of the species, and they were reintroduced into the wild from 1980. As of 2009, there are a number of Arabian Oryx living in Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan.

Despite a turnaround in the decline of the Arabian Oryx, the species is still listed as vulnerable. The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), an organization committed to maintaining a number of environmentally protected areas in the Emirates, has expressed interest in constructing approximately 25 sustainable “eco-lodges”, to garner stronger public interest in these amazing creatures by allowing visitors to view the animals up close.

This is the third Bee Breeders competition run in partnership with the EAD, following the Flamingo Observation Tower competition and the Abu Dhabi Flamingo Visitor Center challenge. The EAD will consider winning proposals for construction.

The jury sought creative, sustainable, and constructable proposals designed with sensitivity to this delicate natural environment. It is important that the visitor lodges be constructed with minimum impact to the protected site, while also providing an exciting and comfortable experience for visitors.

Bee Breeders would like to thank each of the participants for submitting their proposals.

We sincerely thank our jury panel
for their time and expertise

Kerim Miskavi

Miskavi Architecture Studio - MAS

Turkey

1st Prize Winner

Project name

Heritage Machine

Because they allow us put theoretical visions into practice and push the boundaries of architecture. Moreover, a competition is always a way to learn more and more about yourself and your way to design.

Read full interview
Authors
Giuseppe Ricupero
Egidio Cutillo
Stefania Schirò
Enrico Capanni
Country
Italy

2nd Prize Winner

Project name

The Rub' al Khali OCULUS

We treat competitions as a means of testing lines of research currently being developed within the studio. We target specific subjects that help us expand our portfolios and where we can implement our research in complex geometries and sustainable design. The subject of the Mega Dunes Ecolodges was perfect for combining these two.

Read full interview
Company
Authors
Natalia Wrzask
Rolando Rodriguez - Leal
Country
Mexico

3rd Prize Winner

Project name

Desert Lens

Competitions are an integral part of the studio’s focus on research and development (R&D); they provide an opportunity to test, combine and iterate contemporary ideas and technologies that become part of our growing tool kit.

Read full interview
Company
Authors
Ahmad Nouraldeen
Luca Fraccalvieri
Jana Semaan
Lama Barhoumi
Country
Lebanon

BB STUDENT AWARD +
BB GREEN AWARD

Project name

Local.Smart.Simple. - Abu Dhabi Megadunes Ecolodges

Competitions offer a fantastic way to hone your skills and to test them in a competitive environment. From CAD- and rendering- to design skills, everything can be practiced. The same counts for group working; competing as a team is a great way to practice working together with other people and learn something about yourself.

Read full interview
Authors
Thomas Berger
Lukas Vermeulen
Country
Germany
+124 points Buildner University Rankings

Client Favorite

Project name

DESERT CROWN

It’s freeing! You don’t get that limiting diction of “it has to be done this one way”. It’s out-of-the-box thinking and in line with the AL-L vision of exploration, innovation, and discovery, resulting in pleasant surprises that solve complex human and design challenges. While learning, I enjoy dreaming and envisioning beautiful things, and gaining positive exposure for thought-provoking and creative work. Regardless of the results, I always look forward to the next beautiful dream that we can actually build and inhabit.

Read full interview
Author
Lily-Love Toppar
Country
United States

Honorable mentions

Show honorable mentions (6 of 6) Hide honorable mentions projects
Project name

Lodges by the Dunes

Authors
Thomas Harrington
Irwin Ho
Country
Australia
Project name

Dessert Flower Eco-Lodges

Authors
Uri Lewis
Yasha Lewis
Country
Mexico
Project name

Sand|Form Array

Authors
Jose Lopez
Alejandro de Jesus Mendoza Repetto
Country
United States
Project name

Nomadic Lodge

Authors
Brandon Haarer
Fiorela Lesaj
Adam Dean
Solomon Reynolds
Country
United States
+72 points Buildner University Rankings
Project name

The Memory of the wind

Project name

SAND DROPS

Authors
Natalia Lajusticia
Beatriz Matínez
Laura Aguilar
Sergio Perdiguer
Country
Spain
+72 points Buildner University Rankings

Shortlisted projects

Show Shortlisted projects Hide Shortlisted projects

The Memory of the wind

Jingyeong Park
Yejin Kim

Kaywon University of Art and Design

+72 points Buildner University Rankings!
South Korea

Flower of the desert

Erpinio Labrozzi
Lucia Croci Candiani
Martina Ciceri
Italy

DESERT CROWN

Lily-Love Toppar
United States

ECO - RAW

Abdullah Ibrahim

five-nine design & innovation

United Arab Emirates

6 SAND POCHE

Lord Ceniza
United States

Dunes On Dunes

Jiries Alali
Jomana Baddad
Jordan

Traces

Tera Ponce
Weng ian Ng
Valeska karissa Tirtaguna
United States

Blue Pansy Butterfly Lodge

Paul Schlachter
Matej Dlabal
Christelle Coetzee

Apollo Design Studio

United States

Constellation

Balthazar Pothier
France

Local.Smart.Simple. - Abu Dhabi Megadunes Ecolodges

Thomas Berger
Lukas Vermeulen
Germany

The Rub' al Khali OCULUS

Natalia Wrzask
Rolando Rodriguez - Leal

AIDIA STUDIO

Mexico

Oryx Caravanserai

Farbod Yamani
Saman Macvand

deeb STUDIO

Germany

woven habitats

Sandro Siefert
Patrick Heine

Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
Germany

ECO LODGES - THE DUNES

Fanny Ciufo
Sami Yakhlef
Italy

Heritage Machine

Giuseppe Ricupero
Egidio Cutillo
Stefania Schirò
Enrico Capanni
Italy

desert waves

Isabelle Grahlke
Jil Schneider
Seher Ulusoy
Germany

SAND DROPS

Natalia Lajusticia
Beatriz Matínez
Laura Aguilar
Sergio Perdiguer
Spain

EQUILIBRIUM

Kiril Georgiev
DETELINA BAKALOVA

SOBA STUDIO

Bulgaria

Desert Lens

Ahmad Nouraldeen
Luca Fraccalvieri
Jana Semaan
Lama Barhoumi

Snono Studio

Lebanon

Lodges by the Dunes

Thomas Harrington
Irwin Ho
Australia

Mega Dunes Ecolodges Abu Dhabi

Marta Mojsik
Klaudia Niedziałek
Beata Murdzia

Politechnika Krakowska im. Tadeusza Kościuszki

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
Poland

O LODGE

Su yeon Yu
Subin Yang
Sang seok Lee
Yeonginn Moon
South Korea

Adaptable Oases

Sarah Hejazin
Bisher Tabbaa
Jordan

HOT OFF THE [3D] PRESS

Jakub Kulisa
Piotr Pańczyk
Magda Palczowska
Poland

The Zenith and Nadir

Melissa Di giovanni
Marco d’Oltremare
Gabriele d’Oltremare
Paola Ardizzola
Italy

Dessert Flower Eco-Lodges

Uri Lewis
Yasha Lewis
Mexico

Oryx Eco- Lodge

David (dragi) Stefanovic

Townsville

Australia

The Wing

Santiago Gilardi
Leon Zorraquin
Argentina

Nomadic Lodge

Brandon Haarer
Fiorela Lesaj
Adam Dean
Solomon Reynolds

Lawrence Technological University

+72 points Buildner University Rankings!
United States

Tent-d(h)ome

Federico Giacomarra
Alessandro Angelelli
Lubomir Iliev
Germany

THE DUNES

Josh Clarke
Lisa Ulfvengren
Australia

MicroDunes

Fatemeh Bahari
Tara Fartash-naini
Sweden

Desert Oddity

Petr Preininger
Kristýna Smržová
Michael Gabriel
Czech Republic

Sparkling Dunes

Ayman Emaira
Alia Amer
Basel Aboubakr
Rana Khaled

Character Design Architects

Egypt

Sand|Form Array

Jose Lopez
Alejandro de Jesus Mendoza Repetto
United States

NOMADIC DUNE

Jean Awkar
Lebanon

EMPTY QUARTER

Patricia Fondello
Camila Carvajal
Isidro Roch
Argentina

Mega Dunes Eco Lodges

Notash Dadjoo
Navid Ahmadi
Anahita Barari
Samira Karimi
Iran

TAKE ME BACK TO THE MOON

Rebal Knayzeh
United States

Black fabric

Dániel Kulinyi
Andor Jasper
Hungary

Mega dunes eco lodge

Mette Claerman

KASK School of Arts HoGent

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
Belgium