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"The Wall of Knowledge" - Middle School
Tarik Zoubdi & Mounir Benchekroun Architects - Morocco
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“The Wall of knowledge” is a middle School in El Jadida, located at 103km in the south of Casablanca, Built for the children of the OCP's employees . The irregular shape of the site and its orientation relative to the sun suggested a spatial distribution of the project in three main areas. The central area reserved for the Teaching Building occupies the middle of the plot, this strategic position allows it to serve as a landmark for the neighborhood. While the North Zone includes all the sports facilities required. To keep the southern part vacant in order to receive the future extension of the College. The compactness of the set allows us to shorten the maximum distances walked by the students. The building is set back and unfolds its facade on the ground to create a public plaza serving as a socializing space as well as a security perimeter, avoiding the pupils to find themselves directly on the roadway. The facade, with a hermetic and protective character, is intended as a monumental building; Covered with local stones, it pays tribute to the architecture of the Portuguese city of El Jadida. A metallic “Moucharabieh” skin adorned with a “universal alphabet” as a symbol of tolerance. Protects the interior of the sun and prying eyes. The lobby, which is the heart of the college, allows quick access to all major functions of the main building, through the passageways and walkways that form an architectural promenade around the Central Court, like the patios of “Medersas” (Moroccan Traditional Schools).This concentrated organization also allows the Pedagogical Team to take care of Collegians. Inspired by the alleys of the medina, two covered passageways connect the central courtyard to two esplanades on either side of the main building: a large mineral carpet runs from the multisport room to the existing football field providing fluid traffic of people. Alongside the northern esplanade, the collective playground extends into Bleachers, which climb to the front of the multisport room. The latter gives pride of place to Renewable Energies and to the savings of water and electricity, when it is at the same time support of photovoltaic-solar panels, and collector of rainwater and natural light.
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