The project is an application of two original design philosophies that when combined make  the proposed Kuwaiti neighborhood:

  • Potentialism is a design approach for services/communal buildings in the neighborhood, aims to create communities for the diverse lifestyles of the neighborhood’s residents.

  • Mansionesque Housing is a housing solution that solves socio-economical issues by taking inspiration from the experiences Kuwaitis went through.

The project is meant to open a dialogue that engages the public in a discussion rather than giving a pure architectural answer; a practice that has been neglected in the industry.

  • During the 1950s and 1960s, Kuwait City went through its modernization era, the result was the birth of the masterplan, this completely emptied the city from its population to the modern (suburban housing model), with its single-family houses that allowed for freedom of expression, supermarkets, and modern schools.

    With the time, the suburban model became a liability on the government, hence, in1977, Arthur Erickson was invited to design Al-Sawaber Complex, Kuwait’s first (vertical housing model) that aimed to repopulating the city with Kuwaitis. Erickson’s design considered the climate and the local culture yet unfortunately the complex was not executed as designed; with the time issues started to surface, residents started abandoning their residences, and finally the complex was demolished by 2020.

    Interestingly, Al-Sawaber was an area in the traditional Kuwait City made of the (traditional housing model) known as the courtyard house, an intersection of the modesty culture and the harsh climate; sadly, the area was fully demolished during the modernization process.

    These two layers of design languages in Al-Sawaber and the three types of housing models that Kuwaitis went through are rich in architectural experiments that are calling for a uniting model to build for today and tomorrow.

  • by recognizing that public spaces can offer more to the user and can create social bonds, Potentialism is the practice of designing a space to host secondary functions to its primary function; in this project the school doesn’t only serve children in the morning, it also serves the community after the school time of the day and throughout the year, classes can be a place for remote work, general interests classes or for watching a game together.

The Spine:

It’s what connects all of the neighborhood’s parts, it aligns with the two direct entrances to the site and is made of 16 buildings united by a scaffolding system that allows access to the higher floors and can be closed to accommodates the residents’ needs; the buildings are in three groups:

a) four four-stories buildings; the ground floor is an administration, first floor is teachers’ offices, second and third are high school classes -grade 9 to 12-.

b) four three-stories buildings; the ground is for communal facilities, first floor is middle school classes -grades 5 to 8-.

c) eight two-stories buildings; the ground is for communal facilities, first floor is primary school classes -grades 1 to 4-.

buildings type(a)

buildings type(b)

buildings type(c)

  • Studying

    in the morning

  • Working remotely

    at night

  • Attending a game

    all year long

The stepped form The Spine takes is inspired by Al-Sawaber Complex by Erickson; it is to remember the past rather than compete with it without insisting on make it residential again.

Architecturally, the buildings on the poles are monumental yet as the spine goes deeper it lightens to blend with the neighborhood.

Urban wise, the ends are oriented and make a pathway while in the middle they make up a plaza.

typologically, the classes on the poles are high schools that are disciplined and separated for both genders, while the classes in the middle are primary schools that are playful and joined.

The DEPARTments:

The school has four departments:

  • The Museum.

  • The Masjid.

  • The Complex.

  • The Studio.

The Museum:

as it is the part of the school where children study scientific subjects, it also can be used as the science club after school or a museum in the summer vacation. 

the campus has multiple laboratories and a large multi-purposes room.

it is placed in the northern corner of the site where it is in a short distance from Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science (KFAS), this decision is to offer an extension to this national institution.

Ground floor

Lower ground floor

The Studio:

it is where school children are exposed to various arts, it is also where the artist of the community gather after the school time, learn from each other and creating together regardless of their ages.

the campus is made of music rooms, art studios, theatre and an exhibition.

it is placed in the western corner of the site where it is across the street from the National Council for Culture, Arts & Literature (NCCAL).

Ground floor

Lower ground floor

The Masjid:

it is where Islamic studies and Arabic language were traditionally taught, mosques are usually empty all morning until Al-Dhuhur prayer -afternoon prayer- so it fits nicely with the schools typical working hours.

it is made of a women’s praying hall in the ground floor, men’s prayer hall in the lower ground floor, six classes -Halaqas- surrounding it, and restrooms.

the large columns host the book shelves, HVAC and illumination systems, this is to free the walls and allow visibility to invite worshipers in.

Ground floor

Lower ground floor

The Complex:

it is where school children spend their time improving their physical capabilities, it is located in the way to the mosque to encourage older residents to pickup a sport and to encourage younger residents to be more active religiously after school time.

the campus is made of a swimming pool, four indoor multisport fields, five outdoor fields, men gym, women gym and sport classes

Ground floor

Lower ground floor

  • a cohousing solution that takes inspiration from all housing experiences Kuwaitis went through, it focuses on creating a community like the traditional courtyard house, it allows the expression of ones personal taste and affiliation like the modern single-family house, and it has more density on a land to keep up with the demand like Al Sawaber Complex.

The code:

  • 4 -8 dwelling units (family).

  • Unified architectural style.

  • Diverse dwelling units in size, typology and layouts.

  • Required functions: Diwaniya, multi-uses room, elderly dwelling unit, and maids’ court (accommodation + central kitchen + laundry room).

  • Unifying architectural feature that achieves the mansion aesthetic (e.g. Podium, Envelope, Roof).

various samples of mansions based on number of dwelling units and architectural styles

Detailed sample:

  • area: 676 meter square.

  • number of dwelling units: 5.

The Cul-de-sac:

all Mansions in the neighborhood are crystalized around five cul-de-sacs, this is to enhance walkability and privacy.

each cul-de-sac is designed with the Arabian city terminology of compressed entrance (pathway) and expansive public courtyard.

the street is made of the same level and material of the pavement and highlighted for the vehicle user with landscaping design and the use of urban furniture to make the residents feel safe using the space.

the cul-de-sac ends with ramps to access the underground parking, this is to shelter vehicles from the extreme heat and declare the ground level “pedestrians only” space.

Compressed - path

Expanded - public courtyard

“I picked this project to be my “Senior Design Project” graduating from the University of Sharjah - Architecture engineering Department; I was blessed to do the research under the supervision of Dr. Reyhan Sabri and the design under the supervision of Dr. Vittorino Belpoliti, to whom I will always be thankful”