Californian studio Malek Alqadi has created a series of monumental works concrete Hotel suites in the Mojave Desert, USAreported from archaeological sites in the Middle East.
Mojave Madness is a series of free-standing structures in the middle of the California desert. It is comprised of five structures, a single-story service space, and four different two-story suites, designed by Malek Alqadi.
The structures were built primarily from poured-in-place concrete and panel-framed formwork, and are monumental, with unadorned concrete facades dotted with voids.
For the suites, a cubic structure was placed on a pedestal in the middle of the arid landscape. The structures only occupy part of the pedestal, and the rest is filled with elevated pools.
Inside the concrete exterior is a smaller cube, clad in parts with charred wood. These details are meant to “contrast” the brutalism of the envelopes, Malek Alqadi founder Malek Alqadi told Dezeen.
The lower floors house a bedroom with unfinished walls and built-in blackened steel appliances, reflected in the frames of the sliding glass doors that lead from the sleeping area to the pool terraces.
The voids between the interior and exterior envelopes are filled with amenities and lead to a staircase, built directly into the structure, which allows access to a terrace on the upper floor.
These terraces feature movable roofs and an open wall for viewing the sky and landscape. On the wall side, a tiled bar with stools features a heating element.
Similar materials and designs were used for the property’s single-story gathering and amenities space.
Here, the enclosed space moves to the back of the plinth, while two wide columns support a roof with a retractable cover that shades a seating area with beds and a concrete bar with stackable stools. It features a pool similar to those found in the suites.
The enclosed space contains a sauna and cold water baths, and showers have been installed on the side of the structure.
Small nooks with additional seating were placed around the perimeter.
According to Alqadi, the shape of the structures was intended to reference Middle Eastern archaeological sites such as Petra, near where he was born.
“Rooted in the ancient architectural principles of archaeological wonder – as a child I explored near my birthplace, Petra, Jordan, and the enigmatic allure of Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia – my current vision is to seek to create spaces that are at once reverent, resilient and rooted in my origins,” said Alqadi.
“Rooted in the agrarian heritage of my upbringing and informed by rigorous academic research, my approach seeks to bridge the gap between ancient architectural principles and modern technological advances.”
Alqad added that he sought to synthesize “ancestral wisdom and contemporary innovation” for vacation ownership and allow people to immerse themselves in the environment.
This gave rise to an off-grid approach aimed at “pushing the boundaries of sustainable design.”
The property gets its water from an on-site well and is equipped with a greywater system that takes water used in amenities and facilities and reuses it to irrigate the landscape.
A series of independent solar panel systems power the entire property.
Other properties that use ancient architectural forms with contemporary technology and construction techniques include a Holiday home in Puerto Escondido by Carlos H Matos.
The photograph is from Johnny Prehn.