Knowledge Grows Outward - UOB DEK CAMPUS EXTENSION -DEKWANEH – LEBANON
Category Name - Interiors, Hospitality/Offices/Public & Urban Projects, Landscape
Gallery
Project summary
As a team of ALBA teachers and former students, we are thrilled to share our innovative approach to the extension of the UOB Dekwaneh Campus in collaboration with @1prcntarchitecture.
At the intersection of city and learning, our design merges urban energy with academic tranquility, creating a seamless blend where the campus becomes the city, and the city becomes the campus.
Sustainability is at the core of this project, starting with the strategic north-south orientation of the building. This orientation is key to harnessing natural light and optimizing solar gain, drastically reducing energy consumption while creating bright, inspiring spaces for students and faculty.
The campus itself is thoughtfully divided into two blocks, connected by bridges and ramps, which not only facilitate movement but also encourage natural cross-ventilation. This design ensures a continuous flow of fresh air, reducing the reliance on mechanical cooling and creating a healthier, more comfortable environment.
Our design also includes two central cores that serve as outdoor classrooms and social hubs, surrounded by bleachers where students can sit, relax, and take in views of the city. Here, the boundaries between academia and urban life dissolve, fostering a dynamic, sustainable space where the community and campus thrive together.
The extension of the Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA-UOB) into an urban campus embraces a vision that transcends traditional architectural norms. Rejecting hierarchical structures in favor of a decentralized, rhizomatic network, the design reflects the natural interconnectedness and fluidity of life.
Architecture is treated as an equal participant in a larger web of interactions, integrating seamlessly into its surroundings and fostering inclusivity and openness.
The campus embodies third and liminal spaces,
existing between public and private realms.
At the intersection of city and learning, the design merges urban energy with academic tranquility, creating a seamless blend where the campus and city become intertwined.
These transitional zones foster a vibrant, inclusive community where every element contributes to a
dynamic tapestry of engagement and sensory experiences.
The central green core mirrors the region’s forestry, incorporating native flora and extending the natural greenery into the campus. This creates a fluid transition between the outside environment and built space, fostering a vibrant, inclusive community where every element contributes to a dynamic tapestry of
sensory experiences.
Sustainability is integral to the design. The north-south orientation harnesses natural light to cut energy use, creating bright, comfortable spaces.
The campus, divided into two blocks connected by bridges and ramps, enhances natural ventilation and reduces mechanical cooling needs. Outdoor hubs with bleachers serve as social and academic spaces, merging academia and urban life to foster a dynamic, sustainable
environment where community and campus thrive together.
Projects
Where the Forest Holds Its Breath - BLACK EMBER - RL VILLA – BAABDAT – LEBANON
Where the Sea Becomes Infinite - HAMATE RETREAT- LEBANON
The Coastal Retreat - S SUMMER HOUSE– TYRE – LEBANON
Unfolding the Mountain - THE WATCHER - A VILLA – ZAAROUR – LEBANON
A House That Listens to the Wind - S VILLA – ABDELLE – LEBANON
Lost in the Red Rock - DESERT HIDE-OUT – AL OLA – KSA
The Curated Home - A APARTMENT – ZALKA – LEBANON
Privacy as Architecture - AA HIDE OUT – RIYADH – KSA
Between the Ridges - THE GUARDIAN - S VILLA – BYAKOUT – LEBANON
The Quiet Gesture - AI VILLA - SSHOUR - LEBANON
The Courtyard as Climate - PATIO HOUSE – SENEGAL
A Home for Learning - CMF STUDENTS’ HOUSE – DBAYEH – LEBANON
The Levantine Residence - KH VILLA – AMMAN – JORDAN
Order and Oasis - SM VILLA – DOHA – QATAR
The Furnished Urban Modules - FURNISHED APARTMENTS - BACHOURA - BEIRUT - LEBANON
The Quiet Addition - AA ADDITION CHALET - ZAAROUR - LEBANON
Tomorrow's Dwelling, Today's Question - HOUSE OF THE FUTURE – COMPETITION – DUBAI
Alpine Clarity - AC CHALET - MROUJ - LEBANON
Above the City, Below the Sky - JL PENTHOUSE – WATA EL JOZ – LEBANON
Snow and Stone - A2 RESIDENCE - ZAAROUR - LEBANON
Authority in White and Wood - LAW FIRM RIYADH – KSA
Rooted in the Riverbank - ZECOLODGE – ZABBOUGHA – LEBANON
A Canopy Retreat - ABOVE THE TREES – ZABBOUGHA – LEBANON
Less Space, More Life - MICROHOME COMPETITION – TINY HOUSES
Work and Residence, Unified - H… HQ + VILLAS – JEDDAH – KSA
The Measured Villa - B VILLA – KHOBAR – KSA
The Raw Interior - S.H. LOFT – BEIRUT – LEBANON
Industrial Light - S LOFT – UPARK – BEIRUT – LEBANON
House in the Open Plain - H VILLA – MACHGHARA – LEBANON
The Ashrafiyeh Interior - NT APART - ASHRAFIYE - BEIRUT – LEBANON
A Human Scale Medical Hub - DRL POLYCLINIC BEIRUT – LEBANON
By the Sea Shore - FA APARTMENT- SAHEL ALMA - LEBANON
The Kitchen as Architecture - MEKER DESIGN KITCHEN COMPETITION – BEIRUT – LEBANON
The Suburban Living - CA APARTMENT- AIN SAADE – LEBANON
Gathering at Scale - ARAMCO DINING HALL – KSA
The Room Where Decisions Land - ARAMCO MEETING ROOM – KSA
The High Refuge - AC MOUNTAIN CHALET – MROUJ – LEBANON
Compressed Elegance - GI APARTMENT- BEIRUT – LEBANON
Urban Refinement - JG APARTMENT- BEIRUT – LEBANON
The Body in Space - POSIFIT HEALTH CLUB – JCC- JEITA – LEBANON
The Art of Rest - BEDROOMS’ SELECTION
A Room of One's Own - DRESSINGS’ SELECTION
Where Homes Begin - RECEPTIONS’ SELECTION
The Ritual Space - BATHROOMS’ SELECTION
Gathering Around the Table - DININGS’ SELECTION
The Corporate Diagonal - A CO OFFICE BUILDING - ZALKA - LEBANON
Atlantic Gateway - RM HOTEL – AGADIR – MOROCCO – COMPETITION
The Forest That Gives Back - K ECOLODGE – KFARHOUNEH – LEBANON
Facing Byblos Bay - HORIZON BUILDING - BYBLOS – LEBANON
Entertainment at the Center - B1 MALL & CINEMAS – KHOBAR – KSA
Program Stacked, City Served - MULTIUSE BUILDING -JUBAIL – KSA
Hospitality at the Threshold of the Sacred - MEKKA HOTEL
North African Business Landmark - AL ANDALUSIA BUSINESS CENTER – TRIPOLI – LYBIA
An Oasis in the City Fabric - OASIS RESIDENTIAL COMPOUND - JEDDAH - KSA
Dignity in Collective Housing - WORKERS CAMP – KSA
Reclaiming the Public Realm - SIMA - SUSTAINABLE INTEGRATED MUNICIPAL ACTIONS
The Gateway Expanded - DAMASCUS AIRPORT EXTENSION COMPETITION – DAMASCUS – SYRIA
Civic Space for a Small Town - FIDAR MUNICIPALITY COMPETITION- FIDAR – LEBANON
The Retail Promenade - B STREET MALL – KHOBAR – KSA
Industrial Logic - HOLDAL WAREHOUSE – LEBANON
Power and Presence - H HEADQUARTERS - JEDDAH - KSA
Into the Natural Playground - ADVENTURE PARK - JIITA - LEBANON
Healing and the City - MOUNT LEBANON HOSPITAL COMPETITION – BEIRUT – LEBANON
The Factory Refined - J FACTORY – MANSOURIEH – LEBANON
A Landscape for Play - WAOUH PLAYGROUND – ZALKA – LEBANON
Architecture of Spectacle - SAUDI CUP – KSA
A Mixed-Use Neighborhood Anchor - JDEIDEH MULTI-USE PROJECT – JEDEIDEH – LEBANON
Vertical Identity - SORAYA TOWER – BEIRUT – LEBANON
Mediterranean on the Rocks - KFARABIDA RESORT – BATROUN – LEBANON
The Mountain Escapes - BASKINTA RESORT - TM PROJECT - BASKINTA - LEBANON
A Firm's Quiet Statement - O LAW FIRM – BAABDA – LEBANON
Resort for a New City - KAEC RESORT-KSA
Commerce on the Waterfront - ANGOLA CORNICE MALL AND BUSINESS CENTER- ANGOLA
Blue vs White - RADISSON BLUE HOTEL – KHOBAR – KSA
Anchored in the Valley - OB RESIDENCE - REIFOUN - LEBANON
Rooted in the Grove - F VILLA – WARDANIYE – LEBANON
The Metal Rock - WA CHALET – ZAAROUR – LEBANON
Carved into the Hill - HN VILLA – AMMAN – JORDAN
A Gentle Expansion - M VILLA ADDITION – REIFOUN – LEBANON
Seaside, Unhurried - LAZY B – JIYEH – LEBANON
Nestled in the Snowfield - A CHALET – ZAAROUR – LEBANON
The upper Terrace - HE MS – BEIRUT – LEBANON
Dialogue with the Cityscape - HW VILLA – AMMAN – JORDAN
Terraced Living on the Mountain - MONTEVERDE RESIDENTAL COMPLEX – BEIT MERRI – LEBANON
