Bahrain, Kuwait architects reimagine Gulf homes with modern courtyard design
Wallpaper Architects' Directory 2026 recognizes founders Ali Ismail Karimi and Hamed Bukhamseen for blending Gulf heritage with contemporary architecture
MANAMA, Bahrain (MNTV) — Architects Ali Ismail Karimi and Hamed Bukhamseen, founders of Bahrain- and Kuwait-based Civil Architecture, have gained international recognition after being featured in Wallpaper Architects’ Directory 2026 for their efforts to reinterpret traditional Gulf housing through contemporary architectural design.
Founded in 2017, Civil Architecture was selected among 30 emerging architecture studios worldwide recognized for innovative residential projects.
The practice combines design, research, exhibitions and publications to explore how architecture can respond to the Gulf region’s climate, cultural heritage and rapidly evolving urban environment.
The studio’s featured project, House With Seven Gardens, reimagines the traditional inward-facing courtyard house common across the Gulf.
Located in Diyar Al Muharraq, Bahrain, the residence adapts the historic courtyard concept to modern planning regulations by creating a series of small gardens around the building instead of a single central courtyard.
The design uses the mandatory setback between the building and boundary walls to form seven individual landscaped courts, allowing each room to open onto its own private garden with distinct lighting, vegetation and environmental conditions.
Openings along the street-facing walls also create stronger visual connections between the home and its surrounding neighborhood.
Karimi and Bukhamseen said their work seeks to develop new ways of living in the Gulf while remaining rooted in the region’s architectural traditions.
They describe the Gulf as a place shaped by rapid economic and urban transformation, arguing that architecture should respond to these broader social and environmental changes rather than simply replicate conventional building models.
The founders said Civil Architecture organizes its work around long-term research themes lasting one to two years, allowing each project to deepen the firm’s understanding of regional history, pre-oil architectural traditions and new design possibilities.
Wallpaper said its annual Architects’ Directory highlights emerging practices redefining residential architecture through innovative ideas, local knowledge and original design approaches.
The 2026 edition marks the publication’s 25th annual survey and features studios from 30 countries across six continents.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
