Educating Girls in Mazar-i Sharif, Afghanistan
Collaborative project with Jaclyn Merlet
Working in part with Miller Hull architects in Seattle and Afghani architects in Kabul, this new school was a vision for what is possible. We were tasked with developing a school for girls at a time when educating women and girls was gaining traction in these traditional Muslim communities.
We used typical building techniques paired with passive lighting and energy strategies to create a school centered around activity, exploration, and nature. While the classrooms were designed to be comfortable and light in this sub-alpine desert, the exterior spaces became the focus: a place for young girls to play together, talk, gather, and just be middle-school girls.
Aerial view
Site Plan
Programming the courtyards
Courtyard
Under the walkways
Entrance to the school
Of course rock climbing!
