Hayyan, which means to be alive in Arabic, is a housing development in Sharjah that aims to connect residents to their natural environment. The masterplan combines aspects of a vegetation and water driven scheme to naturally improve comfort and provide spaces for community and leisure. The project is conceptualized as an urban landscape with climate and culture as its driving force. 

The development seeks to use as much renewable energy as possible by harnessing solar power, state of the art technology as well as employing traditional wisdom of the Middle East to produce an environment that is at home in its context. At Hayyan, natural ventilation, adaptive environments, and multifaceted spaces will have the ability to function differently at various times of day or of the year. Cultural sustainability is promoted through contemporary interpretations of traditional building systems and community re-inforcing public spaces. The public spaces of varying scales can accomodate everything from large community events to small intimate story-telling sessions for the children down the street.