Marissa Duplex Apartments is an open call for architects to design a unique and modern duplex apartment complex in the city of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

The Marissa apartments seek to create a new type of housing in the middle of an area whose surroundings are dominated by close-type buildings. It seeks to reflect the freshness and mystique of the Arabian people. The 4-story midrise building is compose of 25 apartment units, gardens, and common facilities.

It´s inspired by two important elements of Middle Eastern architecture: the wind towers and the mashrabiya, both elements are an integral part of the architecture of the building. The aim is not only to create a landmark, but also to make owners and visitors feel welcomed by the building. 

In order to achieve an adequate ventilation of the apartments and integration with the context, the building is divided into 6 small towers, taking into account that all the surrounding buildings are made of solid blocks with small windows. This allows not only to ventilate each apartment more efficiently, but also to let the wind pass through from the northwest.