The judges said it "stands out with its unique conceptual approach of ephemeral placemaking that dissolves back into nature as ruins over time. The ideas of physical memory, and an original approach to sustainability and building life cycle is remarkable.
"Physically, the gradual transition from the exterior to the interior world through a series of thresholds, and the grand roof canopy of the common hub large enough to form its own microclimate, are low-tech but powerful architectural gestures that respond to local environmental constraints."
Second place went to Oculus by British/Mexican firm Aidia Studio's designers Natalia Wrzask and Rolando Rodriguez-Leal.
The judges said: "The range of possibilities offered by the reconfigurable shading structure is well-considered. The circular form offers a 360-degree panoramic mini-universe for users with the ability to reconfigure privacy, views, and shading to changing needs.
"The aggregation of units to form a common hub is consistent with the project's overall "constellation" concept. The desert cactus-like form feels appropriate to the context without becoming overly mimetic. The glazing extents and the double-curved glazing panel geometry appears excessive, adding solid thermal mass, optimising the amount of glass in the inner shell should be considered, to increase thermal performance and decrease costs."
In third place is Desert Lens by designers Ahmad Nouraldeen, Luca Fraccalvieri, Jana Semaan, and Lama Barhoumi from Lebanese studio Snono.