--- slug: new-roots title: New Roots — Residences with bioclimatic design in the Persian Gulf hero_subtitle: A residential project that reinterprets the elements of traditional Gulf architecture — compact forms, shading surfaces, and the integration of water and greenery — through a contemporary bioclimatic design lens. year: "2024" location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates typology: Housing (’House of the Future’ competition) vertical_primary: Sustainable Design vertical_primary_slug: sustainable-design badge_raw: 2024 · Dubai, United Arab Emirates · Residential buildings (’House of the Future’ competition) · Sustainable Design scheda: Location: Dubai (UAE) Year: "2024" Client: "\"House of the Future\" architectural competition — Buildner (Bee Breeders) in partnership with the Government of Dubai, UAE (Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment + Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation)" Typology: Bioclimatic homes Status: Concept — competition entry Designers: Maurizio Barberio (project leader), Micaela Colella, Angelo Figliola Main materials: vegetation (longitudinal green lama), water misting and water basins, screens with customised patterns for ventilation and variable shading depending on orientation. Specific construction materials to be defined in later stages of the project. images: - filename: new-roots-bioclimatic-section.jpg alt: Exterior view of the New Roots residences in the desert landscape caption: "An overview of the New Roots residences: the fragmented volumes and the lama create a liveable microclimate within the context of the Persian Gulf." - filename: new-roots-building-modules.jpg alt: Bioclimatic section with ventilation and a green lama caption: A section on bioclimatic design illustrating how the green shading system, cross ventilation and stack ventilation on the roof work. - filename: new-roots-concept.jpg alt: Layout of the modular building modules for the New Roots residential development caption: The division into functional modules increases the surface area available for ventilation and allows for flexible layouts of the living space. - filename: new-roots-exterior-05.jpg alt: Interior of the kitchen at the New Roots residence, with filtered light caption: The interior of the kitchen, with natural light filtered through custom-designed screens, tailored to each facade orientation. - filename: new-roots-exterior-rendering-night-waterfront.jpg alt: Residential facade with bespoke solar shades caption: "The facade features variable-geometry solar shades: each pattern is tailored to the specific orientation to balance light, air and thermal protection." - filename: new-roots-module-details.jpg alt: Details of the New Roots modular housing module caption: "Construction detail of the standard module: the technical strip on the first floor integrates services and natural ventilation into a single system." - filename: new-roots-exterior-rendering-sunset-front.jpg alt: An open-plan interior with a lama and natural light caption: The open space inside, bisected by a green lama that brings vegetation and cross ventilation into the heart of the home. - filename: new-roots-plan.jpg alt: New Roots Lama residential complex caption: The floor plan shows the green lama running lengthwise through the volumes, defining the spatial and bioclimatic design of the entire project. - filename: new-roots-exterior1.jpg alt: Indoor dining room with views of the surrounding greenery caption: The dining room overlooks the internal green lama, where the vegetation helps with evaporative cooling and improves air quality. - filename: new-roots-interior-dining-room.jpg alt: New Roots dining room, lama view caption: The dining room overlooks the internal green lama, where the vegetation helps with evaporative cooling and improves air quality. - filename: new-roots-exterior2.jpg alt: Sections and elevations of New Roots bioclimatic design residences caption: "Sections and elevations of the residential complex: the variation in volumes responds to the different solar exposures and prevailing winds." - filename: new-roots-section-and-elevations-02.jpg alt: "New Roots brochures: customised shading solutions" caption: The elevations highlight the fragmentation of the building’s massing and the solar shading devices, which vary according to orientation. faq_count: 6 related_slugs: - urban-dunes - bamboo-office - casa-a-carovigno cta: title: Do you have a residential project in a challenging climate? body: If you are designing a home in a hot climate — in the Mediterranean, the Gulf or other regions where cooling is the real challenge — we can help you develop a bioclimatic design that starts with the architecture, not the systems. button: Let’s talk about your project microcopy: "[Let’s talk about your project]" gallery_renders: - filename: new-roots-exterior1.jpg alt: Indoor dining room with views of the surrounding greenery caption: The dining room overlooks the internal green lama, where the vegetation helps with evaporative cooling and improves air quality. - filename: new-roots-exterior-rendering-night-waterfront.jpg alt: Residential facade with bespoke solar shades caption: "The facade features variable-geometry solar shades: each pattern is tailored to the specific orientation to balance light, air and thermal protection." - filename: new-roots-exterior2.jpg alt: Sections and elevations of New Roots bioclimatic design residences caption: "Sections and elevations of the residential complex: the variation in volumes responds to the different solar exposures and prevailing winds." - filename: new-roots-exterior-05.jpg alt: Interior of the kitchen at the New Roots residence, with filtered light caption: The interior of the kitchen, with natural light filtered through custom-designed screens, tailored to each facade orientation. - filename: new-roots-interior-open-space.jpg alt: New Roots double-height living with 3D-printed ceramic screens caption: "The double-height living space beneath the pointed arch: the 3D-printed ceramic screens cast plays of light and shadow that shift throughout the day, reinterpreting the traditional mashrabiya." - filename: new-roots-interior-kitchen.jpg alt: New Roots kitchen with courtyard view and ceramic screens caption: The kitchen, with its dark-marble island, opens onto the inner courtyard through a large glazed wall screened by ceramic panels that filter direct sunlight while preserving the visual connection with the garden. - filename: new-roots-interior-dining-room.jpg alt: New Roots dining room, lama view caption: The dining room overlooks the internal green lama, where the vegetation helps with evaporative cooling and improves air quality. - filename: new-roots-exterior-rendering-sunset-front.jpg alt: An open-plan interior with a lama and natural light caption: The open space inside, bisected by a green lama that brings vegetation and cross ventilation into the heart of the home. gallery_drawings: - filename: new-roots-concept.jpg alt: Layout of the modular building modules for the New Roots residential development caption: The division into functional modules increases the surface area available for ventilation and allows for flexible layouts of the living space. - filename: new-roots-bioclimatic-section.jpg alt: Exterior view of the New Roots residences in the desert landscape caption: "An overview of the New Roots residences: the fragmented volumes and the lama create a liveable microclimate within the context of the Persian Gulf." - filename: new-roots-building-modules.jpg alt: Bioclimatic section with ventilation and a green lama caption: A section on bioclimatic design illustrating how the green shading system, cross ventilation and stack ventilation on the roof work. - filename: new-roots-plan.jpg alt: New Roots Lama residential complex caption: The floor plan shows the green lama running lengthwise through the volumes, defining the spatial and bioclimatic design of the entire project. - filename: new-roots-section-and-elevations-01.jpg alt: New Roots east and west elevations and sections A-A and B-B caption: "The east and west elevations with sections A-A' and B-B': the variation of volumes responds to the different solar exposures, with a maximum height of 7.50 m and a green strip visible in the cross-section." - filename: new-roots-section-and-elevations-02.jpg alt: "New Roots brochures: customised shading solutions" caption: The elevations highlight the fragmentation of the building’s massing and the solar shading devices, which vary according to orientation. - filename: new-roots-module-details.jpg alt: Details of the New Roots modular housing module caption: "Construction detail of the standard module: the technical strip on the first floor integrates services and natural ventilation into a single system." - filename: new-roots-section-details.jpg alt: New Roots vertical construction detail – stratigraphies caption: "The vertical construction detail with the 5 stratigraphies: floor (U=0.108), prefabricated opaque wall (U=0.29), glazed facade with ceramic shading (U=0.9), roof (U=0.24) and intermediate slab — all with materials from local UAE suppliers." - filename: new-roots-roof-detail.jpg alt: New Roots top view of the photovoltaic roof caption: "Top view of the roof: the photovoltaic panels cover the inclined faces of the arch volumes, ensuring the home's energy autonomy with annual production exceeding consumption." --- # New Roots — Bioclimatic Residences in the Persian Gulf _A residential project that reinterprets the elements of traditional Gulf architecture — compact forms, shading surfaces, and the integration of water and greenery — through a contemporary bioclimatic design lens._ **2024 · Dubai, United Arab Emirates · Residences (’House of the Future’ competition) · Sustainable Design** --- ## New roots in an extreme climate New Roots was conceived as a design response to a radical climatic challenge: building comfortable homes in a desert environment, where extreme temperatures demand a fundamental rethinking of how we live. The project, developed by a team comprising Maurizio Barberio, Micaela Colella and Angelo Figliola, is based on a clear principle: the most effective cooling solutions do not come from mechanical engineering, but from local building traditions. Over the centuries, architecture in the Persian Gulf has developed sophisticated spatial devices (compact forms, courtyards, shading surfaces, the integration of water and shade) which the project reinterprets using contemporary tools. The defining element of the project is the ‘lama’: a strip of vegetation running lengthways through the residential volumes, creating a spatial separation that facilitates cross ventilation. Air flows through this blade and, in combination with water misting systems, contributes to the passive cooling of the spaces. On the first floor, the green blade transforms into a technological strip that channels the mechanical cooling and ventilation systems, also functioning as a stack ventilation element thanks to movable openings and screens on the roof. The transition from a natural element to a technical one is seamless: the same bioclimatic design governs both levels. The facades are treated as active bioclimatic devices. The transparent surfaces, where not shaded by other elements of the design, are fitted with screens featuring customised patterns, designed to allow air to pass through whilst simultaneously filtering solar radiation according to the orientation of each facade. The fragmentation of the volumes into multiple functional units is not merely a compositional gesture: it increases the number of heat-dissipating surfaces and allows the living space to be expanded or contracted as required. Each module is a small bioclimatic machine that interacts with the adjacent units. New Roots is an international competition entry developed by Barberio Colella Architetti in collaboration with Angelo Figliola. The practice, founded by three PhD-qualified architects based in Bari, operates on the conviction that the homogenisation of architectural production is one of the causes of the climate-related problems in contemporary construction, as it undermines the site-specific and climate-based practices developed by local building cultures. New Roots is a manifesto of this approach: it does not impose a Western model on the Gulf, but instead grows new roots from the local tradition. --- ## Image gallery ![Exterior view of New Roots residences in the desert landscape](images/new-roots/new-roots-bioclimatic-section.jpg) *Overview of the New Roots residences: the fragmented volumes and the green lama create a liveable microclimate within the context of the Persian Gulf.* ![Bioclimatic design section with ventilation and green blade](images/new-roots/new-roots-building-modules.jpg) *Bioclimatic design section illustrating the functioning of the green blade, cross ventilation and stack ventilation on the roof.* ![Diagram of the New Roots residences’ construction modules](images/new-roots/new-roots-concept.jpg) *The fragmentation into functional modules increases the surface area for heat dissipation and allows for flexible configurations of the living space.* *The design concept: a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional Gulf architectural elements — shade, water, ventilation and compactness.* *The roofs, integrated with movable and screened openings, allow for stack ventilation and natural ventilation.* ![New Roots residence kitchen interior with filtered light](images/new-roots/new-roots-exterior-05.jpg) *The kitchen interior with natural light filtered by custom-patterned screens, designed for every façade orientation.* ![Residence facade with custom solar screens](images/new-roots/new-roots-exterior-rendering-night-waterfront.jpg) *The facade with variable-geometry solar screens: each pattern is calibrated to the specific exposure to balance light, air and thermal protection.* *The space between the blocks functions as a climate courtyard: shade, cross ventilation and water misting create a comfortable microclimate.* ![Detail of the New Roots housing module](images/new-roots/new-roots-module-details.jpg) *Construction detail of the standard module: the technical strip on the first floor integrates services and natural ventilation into a single system.* ![Internal open space with green corridor and natural light](images/new-roots/new-roots-exterior-rendering-sunset-front.jpg) *The internal open space traversed by the green corridor, which brings vegetation and cross ventilation to the heart of the home.* ![New Roots residences floor plan with green corridor](images/new-roots/new-roots-plan.jpg) *The floor plan shows the green corridor running longitudinally through the volumes, generating the spatial and bioclimatic design of the entire project.* ![Internal dining room with a view of the integrated greenery](images/new-roots/new-roots-exterior1.jpg) *The dining room overlooks the internal green corridor, where the vegetation contributes to evaporative cooling and air quality.* ![New Roots dining room with a view of the green corridor](images/new-roots/new-roots-interior-dining-room.jpg) *The dining room overlooks the internal green corridor, where the vegetation contributes to evaporative cooling and air quality.* ![Sections and elevations of New Roots bioclimatic residences](images/new-roots/new-roots-exterior2.jpg) *Sections and elevations of the residential complex: the variation in volumes responds to different solar exposures and prevailing winds.* ![New Roots elevations with differentiated solar shading devices](images/new-roots/new-roots-section-and-elevations-02.jpg) *The elevations highlight the volumetric fragmentation and the solar shading devices differentiated by orientation.* --- ## Technical details - **Location:** Dubai (UAE) - **Year:** 2024 - **Client:** “House of the Future” architectural competition — Buildner (Bee Breeders) in partnership with the Government of Dubai, UAE (Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment + Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation) - **Typology:** Bioclimatic residences - **Status:** Concept — competition entry - **Designers:** Maurizio Barberio (project leader), Micaela Colella, Angelo Figliola - **Main BCA vertical:** Bioclimatic Design - **Main materials:** vegetation (longitudinal green lama), water misting and water basins, screens with customised patterns for ventilation and orientation-specific shading. Specific building materials to be defined in subsequent phases of the project. --- ## How does one design for residential comfort in a desert climate without relying entirely on active climate control? In the extreme climates of the Persian Gulf, the standard response is intensive mechanical air conditioning: sealed buildings, oversized systems, and extremely high energy consumption. This approach ignores centuries of local building knowledge — shaded courtyards, wind towers, and the use of water and vegetation as cooling tools. New Roots demonstrates that a site-specific bioclimatic design can drastically reduce dependence on mechanical systems, using volumetric fragmentation, cross ventilation, calibrated shading, and the integration of greenery and water misting as primary bioclimatic devices. The result is a residence that breathes with its climate, rather than fighting it. --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the ‘lama’ and how does it work for cooling the spaces? The green lama is a continuous strip of vegetation running lengthways through the residential volumes, dividing them into two wings. It functions as a bioclimatic corridor: outside air passes through the vegetation, becomes saturated with moisture due to the evapotranspiration of the plants and water misting, and enters the interior spaces via cross ventilation, lowering the perceived temperature. On the first floor, the green blade transforms into a technological strip that channels the cooling systems and functions as a thermal chimney for stack ventilation. ### What are the custom-patterned screens on the facades? They are solar shading devices designed with specific geometries for each façade orientation. The patterns are calibrated to filter sunlight according to the prevailing angle of incidence on each side (more closed to the south-west, more open to the north), whilst simultaneously allowing air to pass through for natural ventilation. The principle is the same as that of the traditional mashrabiyya in Arab architecture — shielding from the sun without blocking the wind — translated using contemporary parametric design tools. ### Why are the volumes fragmented into separate modules? The fragmentation of the volumes addresses three bioclimatic design requirements: it increases the number of heat-dissipating surfaces, facilitating the dissipation of heat accumulated during the day; it creates shaded interstitial spaces between the modules, which function as climate-controlled courtyards with cross ventilation and water misting; it allows for flexible configurations of the living space, which can be extended or reduced as needed. It is not a formal gesture: it is a thermal strategy. ### Is it possible to build a nearly zero-energy house in a desert climate? It is possible to significantly reduce energy consumption compared to conventional construction, but talking about NZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Building) in a climate with summer temperatures exceeding 45°C requires caution. Passive strategies — natural ventilation, solar shading, thermal mass, evaporative cooling — can cover a substantial part of the cooling demand, but a degree of active climate control remains necessary during the hottest hours. The realistic goal is a building that works with the climate rather than against it, drastically reducing dependence on mechanical systems without eliminating it. ### How can we reinterpret traditional Gulf architecture without falling into folklorism? The key is to distinguish between form and principle. Copying the pointed arch or the wind tower is folklorism; understanding the bioclimatic design principle behind those elements and translating it using contemporary tools is reinterpretation. In New Roots, the mashrabiyya becomes a parametric screen calibrated to the aspect; the inner courtyard becomes the interstitial space between modules with water misting; the compactness of the traditional volume becomes a controlled fragmentation to maximise thermal dissipation. The language is contemporary, the logic is rooted in the place. ### What is Barberio Colella Architetti’s approach to bioclimatic design? The practice starts from the conviction that every project must arise from an analysis of the climate, the site and the local building culture. There is no universal model of sustainable architecture: a bioclimatic house in Puglia is radically different from one in the Persian Gulf. BCA’s design process integrates academic research (both founders hold PhDs with publications on sustainability and Mediterranean architecture), technical expertise in building envelopes and passive strategies, and sensitivity to the cultural and landscape context. The aim is architecture that works with its climate, not in spite of it. --- ## Do you have a residential project in a challenging climate? If you are designing a home in a hot climate — in the Mediterranean, the Gulf or other contexts where cooling is the real challenge — we can help you develop a bioclimatic design that starts with the architecture, not the systems. **[Let’s talk about your project]** _[Let’s talk about your project]_ --- ## Related projects - **Urban Dunes** — 3D-printed urban vault in Abu Dhabi: the same passive cooling logic applied to a public space in a desert climate - **Bamboo Office** — Bioclimatic office building in Changzhou - **House in Carovigno** — Bioclimatic residence on a podium amongst the olive trees in Puglia _Discover our approach to Sustainable Design →_