ENG |
This project addresses the problem of distributing a small amount of program on a large site. Rather than scattering the disparate elements of the institute throughout the site, the project places the program (workshops, laboratories, and classrooms) into a single figure. The result is a compact, introverted building which is closed architectonically (serving as a wind and sand break on this desert site) but permeable urbanistically. The educational spaces are located within the perimeter wall of the building, and all the social spaces of the school (amphitheater, restaurant, etc) are situated on the ground at the heart of the block, accessible to public passersby. The remainder of the site is given back to the public realm through the creation of a densely planted and shaded garden which is accessible to both the students of the institute and the general public.
