Merit Shokry

Amal School’s goal is to fulfill the physical and emotional needs of the pupils. The school planning starts and ends with the child as a learner. In this specific case, the school also needs to heal their spirit in response to the trauma induced by their situation as refugee children. If the child is not in harmony with the environment they cannot learn with maximum efficiency. Amal School is divided into two type buildings. There are main larger buildings in which we find a clinic and a library, while the other type only contains a classroom, a small gathering space and an exterior space. The building is subdivided into units that adjust with different academic pods. For example, one unit serves as a classroom space where arts, music and science interact in the self-contained classroom.  In response to the environment, the school envelope will enhance the learning curriculum of a responsible and self-reliant school. The school’s envelope serves as a shelter to the refugee kids, a comfort provider. The main feature of the school is the brisk mural inspired by Turkish textile patterns. The mural will be built by the refugees and bricks will be provided by a local company called KUMAS.

The brick used to build exteiror walls and the mural will be delivered from KÜMAS in Turkey, which is 9h from Hatay. This encourages the use of local materials and because these materials require little processing or transporting, the environmental and economic costs are low. Also, refugees in the camps will be given the opportunity to be part in the construction of the mural. Local work and local materials will give the school a feeling of belonging.

At McGill University School of Architecture