Branching Lungs

Project idea

Branching Lungs proposes a regenerative architectural system rooted in the revival of Qusayr’s woodcraft heritage and environmental resilience. Set in the arid context of Al-Qusayr, Egypt — a coastal city historically shaped by its shipbuilding, trade, and timber crafts — the project responds to the urgent need for ecological restoration, identity reclamation, and sustainable material cycles.

Project description

The core concept of Branching Lungs integrates a closed-loop wood system, where afforestation and tree farming are structured on a modular grid. Trees are grown, cut, and reused within a defined timeline, with clay walls storing timber and creating microclimates suitable for growth and human activity. This regenerative system is not only a response to environmental degradation but also an architectural typology that transforms walls into living infrastructure — acting as climate moderators, material stores, and cultural carriers.

The objective is to create a self-sustaining desert park that functions as a productive landscape, a cultural revival hub, and a public gathering space. Through passive cooling strategies, water-harvesting surfaces, and modular construction, the design envisions a future where architecture and ecology co-evolve, and where identity is restored not through nostalgia, but through material innovation and community engagement.

Technical information

The project employs a sustainable material palette primarily composed of compressed earth blocks (CEBs) for the clay walls, offering thermal mass and passive cooling properties. Locally grown timber from eucalyptus, casuarina, and acacia trees is used in modular construction, stored vertically within clay walls to allow drying and treatment. Recycled steel is selectively used for structural reinforcement in workshop units.