The Folly / Tarek Shamma

The Folly is an extraordinary architectural project born from a client's desire for a space dedicated to contemplation and meditation, free from any predetermined program. Inspired by conversations around iconic structures like the Jantar Mantar, the step-wells of India, and the Parthenon, the design of The Folly aims to evoke a sense of connection with ancient architectural marvels while celebrating light and the four elements: earth, fire, wind, and water.

Location
- Nestled in a secluded valley in southwest Iceland, the holiday home is situated on a site defined by untouched natural vegetation, including mountain birch, heather, and grass. The terrain slopes gently southward and borders a large lake, offering dramatic views across the water toward distant mountains.

What happens when a city’s industrial past becomes the raw material for its future? In Copenhagen, Nordhavn transforms the old harbor into a living laboratory of sustainable urbanism, where warehouses and docks give way to independent districts, small islands, and canals that redefine what it means to inhabit the city.

A courtyard house in Lomé's Adakpame district built with compressed earth blocks. Initially designed as the home for two brothers on a piece of land in Lomé inherited from their mother, the project transformed into the Adakpame Guesthouse in the course of the design process. This dual purpose of second home and short-term rental property befits the usage of many homes built by the Togolese diaspora, who often build a house in their home country and start splitting their time between two places.