Lina Al Hajj

Jordanian architect pioneering sustainable building practices in arid climates

Lina Al Hajj (b. 1978) is a Jordanian architect whose innovative use of desert-adapted materials has redefined sustainable construction in the Middle East. Founder of Sandstone Architects, she developed the Thermosponge building system using compressed earth blocks mixed with date palm fibers - a technique reducing energy consumption by 60% compared to conventional methods. Her 2017 project AQABA Eco-Village became the first net-zero community in Jordan, featured in Architectural Digest's 2020 Green Building issue. Al Hajj's research at the Arid Regions Climate Institute has led to building codes adopted by UAE and Saudi Arabia, while her nonprofit Build With Desert trains 500+ artisans annually in vernacular construction techniques. Recent collaborations with MIT's Sustainable Design Lab focus on 3D-printed sandstone structures for refugee housing. Her work is documented in the upcoming documentary Dust to Dwellings (2024).