Academic
Tel Aviv
Winter 2015/2016
An intercultural elementary school, focused on culture, history, art and philosophy.
The project aims to bring about inclusivity for people from different backgrounds living in Tel Aviv and Jaffa, providing a safe space for minorities in the heart of Tel Aviv.
The building is situated between the high-rise luxury apartment towers and offices on the east and older lower buildings on the west, a neighborhood that is undergoing a process of urban densification.
As a result of a research on different educational methods for young children and the location of the school, I chose to design an elementary school that focuses on humanism. The education is carried out in three languages; English, Arabic and Hebrew.
The concept behind the learning method is that every subject is backed by a background story.
For example, science lessons are taught in a way that exposes the children to the scientist’s backgrounds and cultures in addition to their scientifical achievements.
Likewise, they are exposed to a variety of literature from different cultures, languages and historical eras.
The main common space consists of a giant playground that connects the levels of the school and extends to the outside playground on one side, in addition its connected to a big balcony that connects the school to its front façade that serves as a public space, resulting in a unique circulation system.
Inspired by the motif of “the tree of life”; a concept present in many religions and cultures with different interpretations. I chose the one that suggests an element that creates bonding between the different creatures of the world.
