BARE ESSENTIALS

Set along the shore of Egypt’s Red Sea, Common Architecture-designed Casa Cook El Gouna reveals a design that goes back to basics

- Aidan Imanova

On the warm shores of the Red Sea, in the stylish Egyptian resort town of El Gouna, sits the latest addition to Casa Cook’s line of boutique beach-side resorts, all of which cater to a growing generation of independent travellers, offering simple, laid-back luxury.

Casa Cook El Gouna, designed by South African architectural studio Common Architecture, is tucked further away from the bolder structures that grace the landscape of the coastline town and its islands, some of which are designed by famed architects including American Michael Graves, resembling traditional rural Egyptian architecture that is found across its countryside and Nubian villages.

Inspired by the rugged terrain, the contextually driven architectural approach produced a series of “background buildings” that are subtle and subdued, creating a vessel for a memorable escape. Its strong tactile appeal is enhanced through the issue of rough-hewn timbers, textured plasterwork and a neutral colour scheme, which is offset by the soothing hues of its surrounding nature of sand and sea.