Himba House

Northern Namibia · Sol Collection · Regenerative Micro-Hospitality

Himba House is a proposal for a small collection of regenerative guest pods located in relationship with Himba villages in Northern Namibia. The project asks how hospitality can support cultural continuity and local livelihoods while allowing visitors to experience the landscape and daily life with greater care, context, and accountability.

The Village Pattern

The proposal begins by studying the organization of a traditional Himba village: a circular, enclosed compound arranged in a clockwise manner around a central kraal for animals. A single entrance aligns with the chief’s family hut, and the sacred fire holds an important place within the settlement. Huts are traditionally formed from saplings and finished with earth-based mixtures of mud and dung.

Regenerative Micro-Hospitality

Rather than creating a detached resort, the model places one Himba House within walking distance of approximately four to six villages. The pod is conceived as a small, self-sustaining structure with solar power, solar hot water, a composting toilet, an outdoor shower, and simple modern amenities.

A locally engaged guide would support each stay—helping guests understand the context, facilitating visits by agreement, translating where needed, and providing an ongoing point of connection between the house and surrounding villages. The proposal is designed around small scale, local stewardship, and an experience grounded in place.

Architectural Proposal

The compact house is organized around a single entrance and a circular plan approximately four metres wide. A full-size bed forms the centre of the interior, with integrated couch seating and a small table area for a coolbox and storage. A smaller adjoining volume contains a composting toilet and outdoor shower.

Above, a traditional wood roof structure creates shade and enclosure, with the option of a partially covered open-air area. The architecture draws from the spatial intelligence of Himba structures while introducing lightweight systems required for a comfortable, low-impact stay.

Materiality

The material study focuses on the tactile language already present in the villages: earthen walls, hand-applied clay surfaces, sapling and branch construction, bound timber screens, thatch, and graphic surface markings. These references are treated as a living construction system rather than applied decoration.

Site

The initial location study centres on the Zebra Mountains in Northern Namibia. The project is imagined as part of the wider landscape and village network—small in footprint, visually quiet, and positioned to work with existing paths and relationships rather than imposing a new compound.

Himba House is a Sol Collection proposal developed through Studio Lara’s research-led architectural practice.