▣ TYPE: Residential
▨ CLIENT: Private
▤ KEY MATERIALS: Compressed Earth Blocks / Raffia Straw / Badi Timber / Clay
▦ METHODOLOGY: System Design 
▥ TEAM: Simple Works

Assinie sits between the mangroves and the Atlantic, an hour east of Abidjan, reachable only by boat. The building Material Cultures designed is made from what the surrounding landscape offers: clay from the lagoon’s shore, and local bilinga – a dense, golden-toned hardwood, known as ‘badi’ in Côte d’Ivoire.

The three-bedroom beach house responds directly to its climate. A raised timber floor lifts the building clear of the ground, while breathable clay walls let moisture move through the structure rather than against it - keeping the interior cool through Assinie's heat and humidity.