Multi-purpose Pods: Za'beel School

A city that lacks old buildings resembles a person who has no memory. As an architect, I feel a great obligation towards preserving the old, the traditional, and the vernacular.  These characteristics would be lost without a city’s genius-loci or spirit of place.  

 The Za’beel highschool for girls in Dubai, established in the mid 1970s, was being used until earlier this year when students were moved to another campus. This move was due to the recent planned redevelopment of the land. According to a report conducted by the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau in 2010, the school was satisfying it’s educational, safety, and recreational responsibilities towards the students, parents and faculty. Therefore, it is unfortunate that such a building is being abandoned instead of being maintained, especially since it is structurally sound and historically relevant.

Reviving the architecture is not a simple task, nor does it rely on repeating its function but on preserving its structural identity. A building does not necessarily become a landmark because of its architecture alone; it becomes a landmark by shaping a city’s urban fabric. Didron, a known archaeologist, states: “It is better to preserve than to repair, better to repair than to restore, better to restore than to reconstruct." This is highly applicable to the Za’beel School. At the very least, it should be sustained for its architectural contributions to the city’s history.

Although the school is surrounded by high-rises, it is not suffocated by their modernity. On the contrary, cool breezes are brought in to ventilate its walkways. The vast open corridors and courtyards combined with the existing structure will allow for a new type of public space to exist.

The surface of the spaces reeks of nostalgia, the building is adorned with traces left by its previous students. These traces include, handprints on water fountains, initials on doorframes, math equations on blackboards, paintings on walls and motivational quotes in every walkway. This layer is a memory of what once was and should remain as is, regardless of the program introduced.

One way of injecting new life into the existing architecture of the school could be by having the compound of buildings restructured into a multi-purpose series of activity hubs.  The functions introduced within these spaces could vary in accordance to climatic and seasonal changes. For instance, performances and events would take place outdoors during the cooler months. And the large expanses of indoor space can be dedicated to private functions. Essentially, the multiple-purpose aspect of this project does depend on a rigid program however one that is flexible to accommodate community needs.

Design offices, shops, and art galleries could be established within the two-story buildings. Where as the open areas can be used for markets, public performances, art installations and exhibitions. A former student mentioned that it once provided the best, uninterrupted view of Dubai. We can confirm that it still boasts that spectacular vista.Therefore, we also recommend that roof be utilized to contain a terrace garden and observation deck.

Why couldn’t this place be treated like the “Bastikyah”? The building may not contain a Barjeel or typical measured historical elements, but it is a part of the evolving building typologies of the country. Removing the link will obstruct the understanding of the architectural evolution in the region.

Text and Vignettes by Maryam Ahli

Images by Meitha Al Mazrooei

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