Contemporary Islamic Villa in Dammam

G.H. runs a trading business in Dammam. When he came to us in 2020, he knew the feeling he wanted before he knew the design: Islamic, luxurious, and simple. He had one firm condition. Everything we drew had to be buildable with materials he could buy in the Saudi market.

That condition shaped every decision. A render that can't be built is only a picture.

The villa is 1800 m². Its centre is one large hall that holds two majlis. Each has its own seating, rugs and coffee tables, so two groups of guests can sit at the same time without one gathering crowding the other. A geometric screen in a gold finish anchors each side. Coffered ceilings carry layered chandeliers, and tall arched windows open the room to the garden.

The entrance sets the tone before guests reach the hall. Wood-framed portals step inward toward a dark wood double door, and the marble floor border repeats in the lift lobby and on the upper landing. Mashrabiya panels sit in the walls without crowding them. The guest washroom follows the same palette of brown marble and brass.

We designed it remotely over four months. Several family members had a say, and the brief became clearer as the renders took shape. So we worked space by space, and each set of images settled the next round of decisions.

The project closed at the design and visualization stage, with renders and detailed drawings ready for the client's contractor.

See also: Related Bahrain villa project.

We designed this 1800 m² villa in Dammam remotely, over four months in 2020. The client never had to guess what the finished rooms would look like. Here is what we gave the contractor:

1. A full set of construction drawings with dimensions and wall, ceiling and floor details, drawn to sizes the Saudi market already works with.
2. Every finish named as a material stocked by Saudi suppliers, so nothing needed a substitute.
3. Our renders of each space, so the client, every decision maker and the contractor worked from the same picture.
4. A detailed call to go through every detail of the project.
5. Fast answers to construction questions, so the build stayed clear and easy.