A BEACH KIT (of parts)
In collaboration with Hadeel Ayed Mohammad
Project entry awarded 1st prize in the Cyprus School of Architecture’s Beach Hut Competition
The beach huts are a modular system of canopies nestled along the coast of Geroskipou. Derived from the vernacular domes and barrel vaults of St. Nicholas’ Chapel in Paphos, they are an extension of the island’s natural context. The roofs, made with fiberglass, are dyed blue to mimic the skies above, while the legs, cut from recycled metal tubes, are whitened to match the sands below. Benches and tables are integrated to provide a basic need for comfort. Together they a kit of parts that can be as easily assembled as they are taken apart. These components can form a series of flexible sheltered spaces that are based upon the scales of needs. Whether it is one’s desire for quiet day at the beach, or the communal summer festival, the huts can be aggregated as a means of place-making. Curtains, sewn locally, are hooked along the rims of the roof, and tied down to posts to establish privacy, and divisions of space. It is a whimsical field condition that challenges the users to reinterpret what a day at the beach can be.