SCHOOL IN THE MARSHES....WITHIN NATURE Tamayouz Excellence award shortlisted entry. Location: Mesopotamia, Iraq
Learning center surrounded by nature blurring the thresholds and boundaries between what is inside and outside. The project investigates how human habitation and the ecological needs of the marshlands could be synchronized in correspondence with the environmental conditions and enhance the awareness of Ma’dān culture. The school is envisioned as an architectural and academic emblem within the marsh landscape. The aggregation is composed of a matrix of modular units that can be composed to expand and contract in relation to the schools need. This system consists of multi-scalar open spaces that provide intimacy and places of congregation. By analyzing vernacular construction methods that correspond to the ecology of the marshland and utilizing the locally sourced renewable materials such as reeds. We are able to achieve flexibility , a cost effective assembly and portability. The design is informed by the responsiveness of mudhif the vernacular typology to the environmental conditions in the marshes. The proposal ties together the water edge with the site by establishing a soft edge to accommodate for water transport and the restoration of the marshlands. The idea of sustainability is aimed at forging the social dimension as well. Rethinking the school as an exemplary community space. The materiality aims at minimizing the impact on the fragile ecosystem of the marshes and to emphasize the awareness of the children of their unique surroundings and the dynamics of habitation and adaptation in the context of the marshes.