Hayat Makkah consists of 1,014 villas spread over an area of 255,000 m². The real question at this scale is not how many houses fit, but how the houses face each other.
Clusters and Common Courtyard#
Instead of being lined up in a single grid, the villas are grouped in clusters. In the center of each cluster, there is a common open space; children can play without going out to the street, and neighbors can see each other.
Shade, the first rule of settlement#
In the climate of Mecca, shade is not a decoration but a matter of usability. Street widths and building heights are determined so that the pedestrian path remains shaded for most of the day.
Three villa types in a single texture#
381 Type A, 298 Type B, and 335 Type C are mixed within the same texture. Thus, the settlement does not turn into a uniform housing island.
When and What to See#
The entire masterplan can be viewed from a bird's eye perspective through a virtual tour; the neighborhood texture and the interiors of the villas can also be explored from the same location.
