Residential · Eldoret · 2026

Cinco de` Maiyo

Overview

A new interpretation of the traditional 'Simba', designed as a shared retreat for two brothers rather than two separate houses. Cinco de Maiyo brings two private bedrooms, a shared bathroom and a compact kitchenette together under one carefully considered roof, creating a home that is modest in scale but generous in character. Warm timber cladding, textured plaster, stone planting walls and expansive black-framed glazing give the house a distinct architectural identity, while the pitched roof and high-volume living space create a sense of openness beyond its footprint. A small terrace extends the living space outdoors, making the house equally suited to quiet evenings, family visits and moments of retreat.

The Story

The simba has traditionally provided sons with a separate place to live away from the main family house. For this project, the clients—two brothers—chose to reinterpret that tradition through a shared home. Rather than constructing two separate buildings, with their duplicated costs, maintenance and infrastructure, they decided that one well-designed house with two private rooms would better reflect how they actually live. The result is a simple idea with a deeper meaning: two rooms, one house, and a shared sense of belonging. The house deliberately avoids the familiar image of the traditional simba. The house has a strong roof form, generous glazing, warm natural materials and carefully framed outdoor space. Each brother has his own private room, while the shared spaces provide just enough room for the occasional stay, conversation or quiet retreat. Cinco de Maiyo ultimately became more than an exercise in reducing the footprint of two buildings into one. It became an opportunity to question whether tradition always has to be followed literally. The brothers chose unity over duplication and practicality over excess. The result is a compact home that respects the idea of the 'simba' while giving it a different identity.