Native materials, innovative methods

Utilizing the available local resources: mud, reeds, and people. The main building elements are rammed earth walls which are cast on-site using local soil. The walls are stabilized through adding a small amount of cement, creating a hybrid local material that is very affordable, environmentally sustainable and durable. The walls are covered with reed roofs, made from reed columns and woven reed screens, to protect from rain, provide privacy while allowing natural daylight into the classrooms.

Passive design plays a major role in environmental sustainability; the modular units interlock to provide shaded spaces in between. They also employ a split roof and an integrated air-cooling wind-catcher to take advantage of the prevailing northwestern winds, providing cross-ventilation and cooling.

People as a resource

The locals’ knowledge and building skills are the most valuable resource available; through embracing the existing building techniques and enhancing them as modern-day methods, the project ensures the continuation of such architectural heritage to later generations. As a collaborative community effort, the school would be built entirely by locals, therefore it is important to make the construction process simple, streamlined and easily understood. The school is not only for students; it is a gathering place for all community members who are willing to share a learning experience. As a human-centered design approach, public areas, squares, and open venues provide the perfect outlet for self-expression and a basis for a tightly knit community to thrive, building and learning together.

Celebrating architectural heritage

The school employs local building techniques while also modernizing them, which will help the locals refine their building trade and create a more sustainable economy while showcasing the existing heritage through the simplicity of architectural language. Being extracted from the same materials used in the area, the project is extremely context-sensitive and respectful of the surrounding environment. It allows the locals to fully grow into the school and be integrated within the community while also providing room for expansion for future generations. It is an upgrade from the local "mud schools" which are in sub-par condition, and responds to environmental, economic, and social needs of Iraqi locals, contributing to the aesthetic quality of the marshes through architectural space and form.