Nurturing Tomorrow's Memories

Beirut Arab University, Faculty of Architecture, Debbieh

Project idea

A nursery school project rooted in the profound ideas of remembrance, hope, and new beginnings. The design aims to create a dynamic and nurturing space that engages children through playful patterns and sensory elements while actively planting emotional and visual memories that will grow with them.

Project description

Central to the concept is the thoughtful integration of culturally meaningful details and interactive architecture. The child's environment is designed as a canvas for discovery and personal growth, offering elements children can engage with and even influence. The design incorporates fabrics adorned with traditional African cultural patterns to enhance sensory experience and cultural connection. These vibrant colors and rich textures stimulate children's senses and introduce them to their heritage. Interactive design is exemplified through innovative door-opening mechanisms featuring pedagogic wall panels, scaled to be easily engaged by children. Wooden louvers are seamlessly integrated into the space between the inclined roof and the wall, reducing perceived interior scale and creating a more intimate, child-friendly environment while enhancing natural cross-ventilation and improving indoor air quality.

Technical information

The building follows a massing strategy starting from a 500m² total built-up mass, with program division into classrooms, corridors with seating areas, indoor playground, office, storage, and dining areas. The form is generated through rotating the mass 45 degrees, play area transition, staggered placing, and sloped roof. Construction integrates rammed earth walls and core volumes with vertical and angled timber columns. The design features a corrugated sheet roof with integrated water harvesting, wood openings and partitions for access and light, and stick-louvered elements below the roof. The corridor partition system includes folding opening/seating and swinging partitions using local sheet fabric, metal studs, water collection ducts, corrugated sheets, wood beams, wooden louvre windows, and concrete cement slabs.