Alberto Morell Sixto, an architect based in Madrid, Spain, where he teaches at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, designed this stunning private residence in Kilifi, a town on the coast of Kenya, northeast by road of Mombasa. Lying on the Kilifi Creek and sitting on the estuary of the Goshi River, the town is known for its beach and the ruins of Mnarami, the remains of two mosques dating from the 15th century.
The home has absolutely stunning views of the Indian Ocean from its stark white terrace, and is surrounded by three acres of ridges covered by lush green vegetation. The open structure allows for the easy ventilation of the interior, thanks to the air currents that flow in from the Kenyan coast. The staircase leading to the roof terrace measures a striking 9.90 meters wide, granting the transition an almost statuesque quality.
The interior of the home is distributed across two floors, with the living and dining rooms, the kitchen, and the guest rooms on the ground floor. On the upper level sit three small apartments with a little kitchen and a bathroom in each of them.
All carpentry, doors, and windows are made of mahogany two inches thick, and are carved following a geometric pattern found in the mosaics in the Alhambra Palace of Granada, Spain, as this pattern has had an important influence in some Muslim buildings of this Swahili area in Kenya.
