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World Architecture Awards Submissions / 53rd Cycle
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Conceptual Planning Scheme for Chongqing University's Wisdom Valley Campus
As the new campus for one of the best universities in Western China, designed to accommodate 10,000 faculty and students in the future, the primary design goal for the Chongqing University Wisdom Valley Campus is to create a future campus that integrates nature, ecology, education, technology, and innovation. Concurrently, the campus is intended to serve as a vital, organic component of the Chongqing Science City, a major new science and technology hub in Western China.
The project site reflects the natural geographical characteristics of Chongqing, the world-renowned mountain metropolis: the environment of coexisting mountains and water fostered the development of this site. Jinyun Mountain on the west side serves as the backdrop for the campus with its continuous mountain ranges. The confluence of the Huxi River and Yangjiagou Stream forms a natural peninsula known as Qinglongzui.
The master plan is dedicated to transforming the conventional closed university campus model. The university of the future belongs not only to its faculty and students but also to the city. The campus layout, characterized by a well-balanced mix of density and open, grand gestures, creates an open space facing the city in the pre-campus area on the east side, forming a massive C-shaped "Academic Loop." This loop connects the various campus zones while actively engaging the city, promoting interaction and co-existence.
Under the principle of "Design Following Nature," the naturally formed confluence of the two rivers within the campus is enlarged into an ecological peninsula. This peninsula is designated as the Campus Energetic Core（CEC）, housing landmark buildings such as key laboratories, the library, and the auditorium. Together with natural elements like the lake, sparse woods, and lawns, they form the ecological heart of the campus.
The design creates a campus spatial model that breaks down disciplinary barriers. The Academic Loop consists of a series of public classrooms and laboratories, offering high efficiency and intensive use. Faculty and students from colleges such as Optoelectronic Engineering, Microelectronics and Communication Engineering, and Intelligent Connected Vehicles will study here, promoting disciplinary integration and cross-disciplinary research.
Furthermore, the Academic Loop is also a Three-Dimensional Efficiency Ring. By scientifically utilizing the elevation differences through a three-dimensional integrated transportation strategy, it connects three distinct spatial layers: the underground vehicular flow, the ground-level pedestrian flow, and the overhead academic public platform.
The longitudinal campus public space running north-south through the campus forms two major campus composite axes, linking teaching and research, health and sports, and residential living. The Waterfront Public Vitality Belt on the south shapes both banks of the Huxi River into a water-friendly social interaction space. The research and office buildings on the east bank adopt a modular spatial model to meet flexible development needs. The Northern Campus Boulevard carries the campus's century-long history, incorporating cultural landscapes to organically integrate culture and history with the modern campus space.
Site Area: 5,900,000㎡ (39.3 hectares)
Construction Gross Area: 465,000㎡
Chu Donozhu, Yang Yang, Chu Longfei, Guan Shihan, Yang Yue, Yu Yan, Zheng wenchong, Deng Yuwen, Liu Xueyang, Zhou lingzhi, Shen Qingzhi, Li Baopeng, Zhang Songming, Wang Dagang
The project site reflects the natural geographical characteristics of Chongqing, the world-renowned mountain metropolis: the environment of coexisting mountains and water fostered the development of this site. Jinyun Mountain on the west side serves as the backdrop for the campus with its continuous mountain ranges. The confluence of the Huxi River and Yangjiagou Stream forms a natural peninsula known as Qinglongzui.
The master plan is dedicated to transforming the conventional closed university campus model. The university of the future belongs not only to its faculty and students but also to the city. The campus layout, characterized by a well-balanced mix of density and open, grand gestures, creates an open space facing the city in the pre-campus area on the east side, forming a massive C-shaped "Academic Loop." This loop connects the various campus zones while actively engaging the city, promoting interaction and co-existence.
Under the principle of "Design Following Nature," the naturally formed confluence of the two rivers within the campus is enlarged into an ecological peninsula. This peninsula is designated as the Campus Energetic Core（CEC）, housing landmark buildings such as key laboratories, the library, and the auditorium. Together with natural elements like the lake, sparse woods, and lawns, they form the ecological heart of the campus.
The design creates a campus spatial model that breaks down disciplinary barriers. The Academic Loop consists of a series of public classrooms and laboratories, offering high efficiency and intensive use. Faculty and students from colleges such as Optoelectronic Engineering, Microelectronics and Communication Engineering, and Intelligent Connected Vehicles will study here, promoting disciplinary integration and cross-disciplinary research.
Furthermore, the Academic Loop is also a Three-Dimensional Efficiency Ring. By scientifically utilizing the elevation differences through a three-dimensional integrated transportation strategy, it connects three distinct spatial layers: the underground vehicular flow, the ground-level pedestrian flow, and the overhead academic public platform.
The longitudinal campus public space running north-south through the campus forms two major campus composite axes, linking teaching and research, health and sports, and residential living. The Waterfront Public Vitality Belt on the south shapes both banks of the Huxi River into a water-friendly social interaction space. The research and office buildings on the east bank adopt a modular spatial model to meet flexible development needs. The Northern Campus Boulevard carries the campus's century-long history, incorporating cultural landscapes to organically integrate culture and history with the modern campus space.
Site Area: 5,900,000㎡ (39.3 hectares)
Construction Gross Area: 465,000㎡
Chu Donozhu, Yang Yang, Chu Longfei, Guan Shihan, Yang Yue, Yu Yan, Zheng wenchong, Deng Yuwen, Liu Xueyang, Zhou lingzhi, Shen Qingzhi, Li Baopeng, Zhang Songming, Wang Dagang
Rural Learning House
The project is designed for students to study in rural areas, villages and mountains where there is no school. In these rural areas where there are very few households outside the city, there is often no school structure for education. Even the smallest school structures in existing cities remain very large compared to the population in these rural areas. For this reason, these learning houses & schools have been designed with a minimum budget so that children living in rural areas and growing up here have at least an educational structure.In the project, it is aimed to be built with local materials without using any external materials. In this frame, the single-storey building consists of a block wall and a reinforced concrete beam to be placed on it. The roof structure that will come on the reinforced concrete beam will protect the structure from the excessive heat of the sun.The structure, which consists of 2 blocks and 4 classrooms, connects it with the roof. For natural ventilation, gaps were created with bricks on the wall of the building. The sustainability of education will be ensured by the expansion of education venues in rural areas, which will be built with this minimum budget.2 water tanks in the building will be used to meet the water needs of the building. A water well is also considered on the side of the building to use the natural underground water.Small gaps repeated on both walls of each block of the building also contribute to clean ventilation and cooling by passing through the building without the wind hitting the building. In this respect, these small spaces not only provide natural light intake, but also create natural cooling. With this aspect, the building was designed with a completely sustainable architecture.
Block wall structure
Selim Senin
Block wall structure
Selim Senin
Loops of Life – Designing an Eco-Friendly Sweater Factory
Every thread has a story — and so does every building. This project began not from a sketch or a line on paper, but from a simple thought: how can a factory, a place of labor and production, breathe, feel, and connect like a living being?
In the heart of Bangladesh’s industrial landscape, factories often rise as cold, imposing structures — efficient, but distant. They hum with machinery yet lack the warmth of human touch. As an architecture student, I often wondered if sustainability could be more than a checklist of green systems — if it could feel human. That thought became the first loop in what I later called “Loops of Life.”
The idea was simple yet profound: just as a sweater is nothing without its loops, a factory is nothing without its people and the planet. I wanted to weave together nature, labor, and architecture — to knit them into one continuous loop where every element supports the other.
The Birth of the Concept – Loops of Life.
The “Loops of Life” concept was inspired by the process of knitting itself. A sweater comes alive through countless loops — each thread interlinked, each connection vital. In the same way, this factory was imagined as a series of interconnected systems: human, environmental, and architectural.
The circular planning mirrors this metaphor. The flow of production — from raw material intake to packaging — follows a seamless loop. No abrupt corners, no broken transitions. Movement happens naturally, minimizing energy loss and confusion. Every department connects logically, yet softly — like stitches held together by care.
Around these production loops, green zones spiral and interlace — courtyards, planters, and terraces designed to breathe life into the spaces where workers spend most of their day. Nature isn’t just decoration here; it’s a co-worker, a silent companion.
The Human Connection
Factories are often designed for machines — not for the people who keep them running. That realization struck me deeply. I wanted every worker to feel that they weren’t trapped inside a box of concrete and steel but were part of a living ecosystem.
So the design became human-centric. Skylit cafeterias, shaded breakout terraces, and green corridors break the monotony of industrial repetition. Each workstation was planned with visual connectivity to nature, ensuring that workers could see green, breathe fresh air, and feel sunlight filtered through soft foliage.
The facade became the project’s emotional canvas. Inspired by Le Corbusier’s “Brise-Soleil,” the façade was designed using the Venturi effect — a principle that accelerates airflow by narrowing its path. The windward side of the jali remains wide, while the inner side narrows, creating a cooling breeze inside the workspaces.
At the base, angled planters guide the wind, optimizing natural ventilation. The outer vegetation acts as a natural dust filter, reducing air pollutants from the industrial surroundings. Extended 7-foot slabs shield the interiors from direct sunlight, maintaining comfort without artificial cooling. It’s a façade that breathes, shades, and protects — a living skin of the building.
Inspiration from Nature
My truest inspiration came from nature itself. I wanted to bring back the essence of connection — between people, ground, and sky. The green facades were designed not just as sustainable features, but as emotional ones.
In this tropical climate, I wanted workers to feel the rhythm of nature — to see leaves fall in autumn, to sense the soft shift of light as the seasons change. The falling leaves, the blooming greens, the shadows dancing across the floor — all remind them they’re not detached from the earth even while working inside a factory.
Architecture, I believe, should heal — not just perform. It should remind people of their place in the grand cycle of life.
Breathing Through Design
The courtyards act as lungs of the factory. They channel cross-ventilation through naturally designed wind tunnels and light wells. These spaces aren’t empty voids — they’re gatherings of life, places where air, light, and laughter coexist.
Every courtyard tells a different story — one holds a small tree where workers often rest in the shade, another opens toward a water body reflecting the changing sky. The rainwater harvesting system completes the cycle — collecting, filtering, and reusing water for landscaping and washrooms.
This closed-loop system mirrors the project’s philosophy — nothing wasted, everything reused, just like the loops of a sweater.
Visual Softness in Industrial Scale
Factories are usually hard-edged and intimidating. I wanted to challenge that language. So I softened the architecture — curving corners, layering greens, and blurring boundaries.
The vegetation on the outer layer acts as both camouflage and comfort. From outside, the massive industrial structure appears gentle, almost hidden behind layers of trees and vines. At eye level, the green buffer erases the factory’s dominance, creating an illusion of a garden rather than a production site.
From above, the roof garden acts as a cooling cap, absorbing heat and creating micro-habitats for birds and insects. The entire complex feels like a piece of land that breathes — not one that’s been conquered.
Philosophy – Weaving the Whole Together
Every element in this design is a stitch — from the planter-lined corridors to the rainwater channels, from the worker lounges to the green roof. And just like a sweater, each stitch matters.
The factory is not designed to impress with grandeur, but to express humility — to blend, to nurture, and to breathe.
The architecture doesn’t shout sustainability — it whispers it. Through textures, through air movement, through the feeling of soil beneath one’s feet.
I believe true sustainability lies not just in energy efficiency, but in emotional efficiency — in making people care for their surroundings. When a worker waters a plant, when they rest under a tree they saw growing, when they see sunlight painting the walls differently each season — that’s sustainability taking root.
The Journey
Designing this project was a personal reflection as much as it was an academic challenge. Growing up in Bangladesh, surrounded by factories and yet rarely seeing beauty within them, I wanted to prove that industrial architecture can be compassionate.
I spent days observing how workers moved, how they rested, how they found moments of relief during long shifts. I realized architecture could make those moments better — with shade, with air, with green.
Each decision in this design — the looped plan, the angled planter, the wide slabs — was not made to be radical, but to be kind.
Conclusion – A Stitch Toward the Future
This project stands as a small act of resistance — against harsh industrial realities, against soulless sustainability. It’s a proposal for an architecture that doesn’t separate production from peace, or progress from nature.
Just like knitting, architecture too is a meditative act. Loop by loop, space by space, we build something whole. And maybe, through designs like this, we can remind ourselves — that we are all loops in the same fabric of life.
“Loops of Life” is not just a factory. It’s a metaphor for connection — between man and machine, between nature and structure, between the ground and the soul.
1. Climate Response & Orientation
The factory is located in a tropical climate where heat and humidity dominate most of the year. The building is oriented along the north-south axis, minimizing east–west exposure. This reduces glare and direct solar gain during peak hours.
Supporting functions such as offices, storage, welfare rooms, and toilets are placed on the north-west side to buffer working areas from harsh western radiation.
2. Passive Design Strategies
The project applies passive ventilation and daylighting principles throughout:
Cross ventilation is achieved through courtyards, air shafts, and wind tunnels that pull cool air from shaded sides.
The Venturi (Siphon) Effect is applied on the façade to accelerate wind flow, improving indoor air quality and comfort.
Light wells and skylights ensure evenly diffused daylight, reducing the need for artificial lighting.
3. Facade System & Shading Design
The façade design was inspired by Le Corbusier’s Brise-Soleil and adapted to local climatic needs.
Shading jalis have wide openings on the windward side and narrower inner edges to channel airflow (Venturi effect).
Planters at the base are angled to direct wind movement while reducing dust particles from outside.
Extended 7-foot concrete slabs block direct sunlight and rain while allowing filtered light to enter.
Green façades cool the building surface, absorb noise, and improve indoor air quality.
4. Material & Construction Approach
Locally available brick and concrete were selected for thermal stability and durability.
The roof incorporates solar panels, reducing dependency on grid electricity.
Recycled materials are proposed for internal finishes and landscape elements.
Modular construction ensures flexibility for future expansion and easy maintenance.
5. Energy Efficiency & Sustainability
The factory follows a closed-loop sustainability approach:
Solar energy supplies a portion of the power needs.
Rainwater harvesting collects and filters roof runoff for reuse in landscaping and greywater systems.
Natural lighting and ventilation reduce operational energy costs by up to 35%.
Perimeter greenery act as natural insulation, lowering indoor temperature by 2–3°C.
6. Circulation & Safety
The production circulation follows a linear and uninterrupted flow — from raw material intake to dispatch — minimizing congestion and maximizing efficiency.
Emergency exits and fire escapes are strategically placed at a 70-foot radius for quick evacuation.
Clear visual axes throughout the plan support both orientation and safety.
7. Water & Waste Management
Rainwater harvesting tanks collect and filter water for reuse.
Greywater recycling is applied in toilets and irrigation.
Solid waste segregation zones are integrated near the service block for proper disposal and recycling.
8. Landscape & Microclimate
Green buffer zones surround the building, acting as natural filters for air and noise pollution.
Vegetation is chosen for seasonal variation — allowing workers to experience natural change and reconnect with the environment.
The soft landscape along edges stabilizes soil, absorbs heat, and enhances the visual harmony of the factory with its surroundings.
Designer: RAKIBUL AL FAHIM
Supervisor: Sudipti Biswas.Phd
In the heart of Bangladesh’s industrial landscape, factories often rise as cold, imposing structures — efficient, but distant. They hum with machinery yet lack the warmth of human touch. As an architecture student, I often wondered if sustainability could be more than a checklist of green systems — if it could feel human. That thought became the first loop in what I later called “Loops of Life.”
The idea was simple yet profound: just as a sweater is nothing without its loops, a factory is nothing without its people and the planet. I wanted to weave together nature, labor, and architecture — to knit them into one continuous loop where every element supports the other.
The Birth of the Concept – Loops of Life.
The “Loops of Life” concept was inspired by the process of knitting itself. A sweater comes alive through countless loops — each thread interlinked, each connection vital. In the same way, this factory was imagined as a series of interconnected systems: human, environmental, and architectural.
The circular planning mirrors this metaphor. The flow of production — from raw material intake to packaging — follows a seamless loop. No abrupt corners, no broken transitions. Movement happens naturally, minimizing energy loss and confusion. Every department connects logically, yet softly — like stitches held together by care.
Around these production loops, green zones spiral and interlace — courtyards, planters, and terraces designed to breathe life into the spaces where workers spend most of their day. Nature isn’t just decoration here; it’s a co-worker, a silent companion.
The Human Connection
Factories are often designed for machines — not for the people who keep them running. That realization struck me deeply. I wanted every worker to feel that they weren’t trapped inside a box of concrete and steel but were part of a living ecosystem.
So the design became human-centric. Skylit cafeterias, shaded breakout terraces, and green corridors break the monotony of industrial repetition. Each workstation was planned with visual connectivity to nature, ensuring that workers could see green, breathe fresh air, and feel sunlight filtered through soft foliage.
The facade became the project’s emotional canvas. Inspired by Le Corbusier’s “Brise-Soleil,” the façade was designed using the Venturi effect — a principle that accelerates airflow by narrowing its path. The windward side of the jali remains wide, while the inner side narrows, creating a cooling breeze inside the workspaces.
At the base, angled planters guide the wind, optimizing natural ventilation. The outer vegetation acts as a natural dust filter, reducing air pollutants from the industrial surroundings. Extended 7-foot slabs shield the interiors from direct sunlight, maintaining comfort without artificial cooling. It’s a façade that breathes, shades, and protects — a living skin of the building.
Inspiration from Nature
My truest inspiration came from nature itself. I wanted to bring back the essence of connection — between people, ground, and sky. The green facades were designed not just as sustainable features, but as emotional ones.
In this tropical climate, I wanted workers to feel the rhythm of nature — to see leaves fall in autumn, to sense the soft shift of light as the seasons change. The falling leaves, the blooming greens, the shadows dancing across the floor — all remind them they’re not detached from the earth even while working inside a factory.
Architecture, I believe, should heal — not just perform. It should remind people of their place in the grand cycle of life.
Breathing Through Design
The courtyards act as lungs of the factory. They channel cross-ventilation through naturally designed wind tunnels and light wells. These spaces aren’t empty voids — they’re gatherings of life, places where air, light, and laughter coexist.
Every courtyard tells a different story — one holds a small tree where workers often rest in the shade, another opens toward a water body reflecting the changing sky. The rainwater harvesting system completes the cycle — collecting, filtering, and reusing water for landscaping and washrooms.
This closed-loop system mirrors the project’s philosophy — nothing wasted, everything reused, just like the loops of a sweater.
Visual Softness in Industrial Scale
Factories are usually hard-edged and intimidating. I wanted to challenge that language. So I softened the architecture — curving corners, layering greens, and blurring boundaries.
The vegetation on the outer layer acts as both camouflage and comfort. From outside, the massive industrial structure appears gentle, almost hidden behind layers of trees and vines. At eye level, the green buffer erases the factory’s dominance, creating an illusion of a garden rather than a production site.
From above, the roof garden acts as a cooling cap, absorbing heat and creating micro-habitats for birds and insects. The entire complex feels like a piece of land that breathes — not one that’s been conquered.
Philosophy – Weaving the Whole Together
Every element in this design is a stitch — from the planter-lined corridors to the rainwater channels, from the worker lounges to the green roof. And just like a sweater, each stitch matters.
The factory is not designed to impress with grandeur, but to express humility — to blend, to nurture, and to breathe.
The architecture doesn’t shout sustainability — it whispers it. Through textures, through air movement, through the feeling of soil beneath one’s feet.
I believe true sustainability lies not just in energy efficiency, but in emotional efficiency — in making people care for their surroundings. When a worker waters a plant, when they rest under a tree they saw growing, when they see sunlight painting the walls differently each season — that’s sustainability taking root.
The Journey
Designing this project was a personal reflection as much as it was an academic challenge. Growing up in Bangladesh, surrounded by factories and yet rarely seeing beauty within them, I wanted to prove that industrial architecture can be compassionate.
I spent days observing how workers moved, how they rested, how they found moments of relief during long shifts. I realized architecture could make those moments better — with shade, with air, with green.
Each decision in this design — the looped plan, the angled planter, the wide slabs — was not made to be radical, but to be kind.
Conclusion – A Stitch Toward the Future
This project stands as a small act of resistance — against harsh industrial realities, against soulless sustainability. It’s a proposal for an architecture that doesn’t separate production from peace, or progress from nature.
Just like knitting, architecture too is a meditative act. Loop by loop, space by space, we build something whole. And maybe, through designs like this, we can remind ourselves — that we are all loops in the same fabric of life.
“Loops of Life” is not just a factory. It’s a metaphor for connection — between man and machine, between nature and structure, between the ground and the soul.
1. Climate Response & Orientation
The factory is located in a tropical climate where heat and humidity dominate most of the year. The building is oriented along the north-south axis, minimizing east–west exposure. This reduces glare and direct solar gain during peak hours.
Supporting functions such as offices, storage, welfare rooms, and toilets are placed on the north-west side to buffer working areas from harsh western radiation.
2. Passive Design Strategies
The project applies passive ventilation and daylighting principles throughout:
Cross ventilation is achieved through courtyards, air shafts, and wind tunnels that pull cool air from shaded sides.
The Venturi (Siphon) Effect is applied on the façade to accelerate wind flow, improving indoor air quality and comfort.
Light wells and skylights ensure evenly diffused daylight, reducing the need for artificial lighting.
3. Facade System & Shading Design
The façade design was inspired by Le Corbusier’s Brise-Soleil and adapted to local climatic needs.
Shading jalis have wide openings on the windward side and narrower inner edges to channel airflow (Venturi effect).
Planters at the base are angled to direct wind movement while reducing dust particles from outside.
Extended 7-foot concrete slabs block direct sunlight and rain while allowing filtered light to enter.
Green façades cool the building surface, absorb noise, and improve indoor air quality.
4. Material & Construction Approach
Locally available brick and concrete were selected for thermal stability and durability.
The roof incorporates solar panels, reducing dependency on grid electricity.
Recycled materials are proposed for internal finishes and landscape elements.
Modular construction ensures flexibility for future expansion and easy maintenance.
5. Energy Efficiency & Sustainability
The factory follows a closed-loop sustainability approach:
Solar energy supplies a portion of the power needs.
Rainwater harvesting collects and filters roof runoff for reuse in landscaping and greywater systems.
Natural lighting and ventilation reduce operational energy costs by up to 35%.
Perimeter greenery act as natural insulation, lowering indoor temperature by 2–3°C.
6. Circulation & Safety
The production circulation follows a linear and uninterrupted flow — from raw material intake to dispatch — minimizing congestion and maximizing efficiency.
Emergency exits and fire escapes are strategically placed at a 70-foot radius for quick evacuation.
Clear visual axes throughout the plan support both orientation and safety.
7. Water & Waste Management
Rainwater harvesting tanks collect and filter water for reuse.
Greywater recycling is applied in toilets and irrigation.
Solid waste segregation zones are integrated near the service block for proper disposal and recycling.
8. Landscape & Microclimate
Green buffer zones surround the building, acting as natural filters for air and noise pollution.
Vegetation is chosen for seasonal variation — allowing workers to experience natural change and reconnect with the environment.
The soft landscape along edges stabilizes soil, absorbs heat, and enhances the visual harmony of the factory with its surroundings.
Designer: RAKIBUL AL FAHIM
Supervisor: Sudipti Biswas.Phd
Maggies center
VISION AND PURPOSE
The Maggie’s Centre is envisioned as far more than a medical support facility—it is a sanctuary that nurtures warmth, hope, and emotional resilience for individuals living with cancer. The design aspires to create an environment that uplifts the human spirit, providing spaces where visitors can find comfort, strength, and a renewed sense of belonging.
Through an emphasis on playfulness, simplicity, and light, the Centre introduces moments of joy and calm that gently contrast the emotional weight of illness. It acknowledges that cancer affects every aspect of the human experience—mind, body, and spirit—and therefore aims to support holistic well-being. The design encourages personal reflection, social connection, and therapeutic engagement, creating a place that restores balance and dignity. Ultimately, the Centre’s purpose is to serve as a healing environment where architecture itself becomes a form of care—supporting both emotional and physical recovery.
DESIGN INTENT
The architectural intent focuses on crafting a welcoming, human-centered space that feels closer to a home than a healthcare facility. The design prioritizes warmth, openness, and gentle transitions between indoor and outdoor areas, creating a seamless dialogue with nature. The spatial organization promotes privacy while maintaining a sense of community—spaces for solitude coexist harmoniously with areas for interaction and support. Natural light, tactile materials, and organic forms are carefully composed to evoke serenity and familiarity, fostering an atmosphere where users feel safe, valued, and at peace.
CONCEPT
The conceptual foundation of the project draws inspiration from origami—an art form defined by transformation, lightness, and resilience. Just as a single sheet of paper can be folded into complex and beautiful forms, the architecture symbolizes the strength and adaptability of those navigating life with cancer.
The folded geometry informs both form and structure, resulting in dynamic rooflines, fluid surfaces, and soft transitions that express movement and growth. These gestures create spaces that breathe and open toward the landscape, framing views of nature as sources of contemplation and healing.
By integrating lightweight materials and natural elements, the Centre embodies transparency, adaptability, and harmony with its surroundings. The interplay between light, shadow, and texture evokes a sense of hope and renewal—reflecting the transformative journey that Maggie’s Centres are known to support.
Rhino 7
D5 render
v-ray
photoshop
illustrator
autocad
Aamna Jassem, Ruqait AlAli
Hend Ali Alshehhi
Faculty Professor: Igor Peraza
The Maggie’s Centre is envisioned as far more than a medical support facility—it is a sanctuary that nurtures warmth, hope, and emotional resilience for individuals living with cancer. The design aspires to create an environment that uplifts the human spirit, providing spaces where visitors can find comfort, strength, and a renewed sense of belonging.
Through an emphasis on playfulness, simplicity, and light, the Centre introduces moments of joy and calm that gently contrast the emotional weight of illness. It acknowledges that cancer affects every aspect of the human experience—mind, body, and spirit—and therefore aims to support holistic well-being. The design encourages personal reflection, social connection, and therapeutic engagement, creating a place that restores balance and dignity. Ultimately, the Centre’s purpose is to serve as a healing environment where architecture itself becomes a form of care—supporting both emotional and physical recovery.
DESIGN INTENT
The architectural intent focuses on crafting a welcoming, human-centered space that feels closer to a home than a healthcare facility. The design prioritizes warmth, openness, and gentle transitions between indoor and outdoor areas, creating a seamless dialogue with nature. The spatial organization promotes privacy while maintaining a sense of community—spaces for solitude coexist harmoniously with areas for interaction and support. Natural light, tactile materials, and organic forms are carefully composed to evoke serenity and familiarity, fostering an atmosphere where users feel safe, valued, and at peace.
CONCEPT
The conceptual foundation of the project draws inspiration from origami—an art form defined by transformation, lightness, and resilience. Just as a single sheet of paper can be folded into complex and beautiful forms, the architecture symbolizes the strength and adaptability of those navigating life with cancer.
The folded geometry informs both form and structure, resulting in dynamic rooflines, fluid surfaces, and soft transitions that express movement and growth. These gestures create spaces that breathe and open toward the landscape, framing views of nature as sources of contemplation and healing.
By integrating lightweight materials and natural elements, the Centre embodies transparency, adaptability, and harmony with its surroundings. The interplay between light, shadow, and texture evokes a sense of hope and renewal—reflecting the transformative journey that Maggie’s Centres are known to support.
Rhino 7
D5 render
v-ray
photoshop
illustrator
autocad
Aamna Jassem, Ruqait AlAli
Hend Ali Alshehhi
Faculty Professor: Igor Peraza
The Uncharted Pulse; The Rhythms of Ajlouni Vibrant Spirit
Reviving the Heart of Ajloun:
The story of Ajloun starts with its city center and its people. Ajloun city center, like those of many other Jordanian cities, is shaped by invisible social rhythms and cultural layers that most planners and architects often miss. It has vibrant yet underutilized spaces that has deep cultural, social, and environmental narratives. Thus, this project aims to bring those hidden qualities to light by rethinking the city center as a lively and welcoming public space for both locals and visitors. The project includes three areas of intervention: The Great Mosque of Ajloun, The Hesbet Ajloun, and a central square that has been left to fall into disrepair and is now used as a parking lot for public buses.
The project starts with the threshold of the city center which is the Great Mosque of Ajloun, one of the oldest historical Jordanian mosques, built during the Mamluk and Ayyubid periods. the mosque is considered a landmark characterized by its semi-pointed arches, modest minaret, and yellow limestone. with its sunk square and minaret, and despite its heritage importance, the mosque is accessible from the main street and no accesses from the surrounding commercial and residential buildings which remains the mosque disconnected from its surrounding urban life. Adjacent to it lies the Hesbet Ajloun, a local souq that runs through a narrow, unpaved pedestrian passage. It is full of informal trade, but it doesn't have much space or comfort. The market trail leads to a central square that hasn't been taken care of and is now being used as a parking lot, with stalls taking up space on its edges. There are many undefined urban staircases that run through this city network. Some of these connect the souq to the main city street, which is lined with important government and commercial buildings (Ajloun Municipality, Land Department, Industry Directorate, etc.). Others connect the square to the neighborhoods nearby. There are also some stairs that connect the Souq and the Square to the nearby historical shrines, such as the Sayyid Badr Shrine and the Al-Baaj Shrine.
The main purpose of the project is to highlight Ajloun’s city center as a cohesive, place-sensitive urban adaptor to both locals and visitors that celebrates local identity while fostering sustainable tourism. Through a place-making lens, the intervention seeks to reintegrate the cultural heritage city's traditional triad—the mosque, market, and square—as socially inclusive, environmentally conscious, and economically vibrant public spaces.
Key urban and architectural strategies include:
•Create multi-social urban layers to connect the mosque's surroundings with the urban fabric.
•Connect the square of the mosque with the Hesbet Ajloun and reorganize its uses with the surrounding commercial buildings by upgrading the Souq structures using local materials and vernacular typologies, offering dignified livelihoods to vendors and boosting the local economy. The new urban design of the Souq is trying to reframe the cultural storytelling of the city’s elements (murals, signage, activities) to narrate Ajloun’s heritage and deepen visitor-local connection. A shaded structure was introduced to the Souq to provide comfort and protect people from the sun, inspired by the simple yet thoughtful textiles that local shopkeepers and street vendors have long used to shield their spaces.
•The pedestrian Souq trail was thoughtfully connected to the city's staircases, both visually and physically, through subtle yet meaningful changes—wider steps, improved materials, and added handrails—all designed to enrich the human experience of walking the city and to make access to the Souq and the square more welcoming and inclusive.
•The city square was revitalized and reimagined as a multifunctional social terrace, featuring micro-landscapes that offer shade, foster social interaction, and help reduce urban heat. These layered terraces were designed as a vibrant hub for Ajlouni life to be as a social incubator for local small businesses, community training, performances, and seasonal markets. What was once used for parking is now reclaimed as a people-centered space that reflects the spirit and needs of the community.
Ultimately, this project envisions Ajloun’s city center as a sustainable, inclusive, and story-rich place—a living heart that celebrates its heritage while nurturing its future through vibrant community life and local economic opportunity.
Project Site Location: Jordan, Ajloun(city center)
Project Coordinates on Google Maps: Great Ajloun Mosque(32.33227254243221, 35.75123164775313)-Hesbeh Ajloun(32.33138983546473, 35.75111344721958)-Central Square(32.330657478388545, 35.75032760523462)
Site Area: 14,700sqm
Project Function: An urban design project for the Ajloun city center, which includes improving the spatial and urban environment of the Grand Ajloun Mosque, the Ajloun Hisbah, and the central square:
(Intervention 1 - Great Ajloun Mosque): Redesigning the mosque courtyard and creating multi-faceted urban layers to connect the mosque's surroundings to the urban fabric(Landscape design).
(Intervention 2 – Hesbeh Ajloun, Local Souq):
1. Rehabilitate the souq: updating the market with local materials that provide comfort, sun protection, floor tiling, and redesigning facades and signs.
2. Organizing the souq land uses: arrange the shops to create an enjoyable space experience and separate daily needs from monthly and annual needs.
3. Connecting the souq with the surroundings: connecting the souq with the mosque and the central square, connecting it with the surrounding stairs, connecting it with the buildings' roofs
(Intervention 3 – Central Square):
Multi-level terraces to be a vital hub for Ajloun life, a social incubator for local small businesses, community training, art performances, seasonal bazars, and associations to solve problems and serve locals.Also, the Ajloun underground bus station, and the Re-Use building motel.
Student: Rand Ahmed Al-Shaer
Supervisor: Arch. Roaa Zidan
University: Applied Science Private University
The story of Ajloun starts with its city center and its people. Ajloun city center, like those of many other Jordanian cities, is shaped by invisible social rhythms and cultural layers that most planners and architects often miss. It has vibrant yet underutilized spaces that has deep cultural, social, and environmental narratives. Thus, this project aims to bring those hidden qualities to light by rethinking the city center as a lively and welcoming public space for both locals and visitors. The project includes three areas of intervention: The Great Mosque of Ajloun, The Hesbet Ajloun, and a central square that has been left to fall into disrepair and is now used as a parking lot for public buses.
The project starts with the threshold of the city center which is the Great Mosque of Ajloun, one of the oldest historical Jordanian mosques, built during the Mamluk and Ayyubid periods. the mosque is considered a landmark characterized by its semi-pointed arches, modest minaret, and yellow limestone. with its sunk square and minaret, and despite its heritage importance, the mosque is accessible from the main street and no accesses from the surrounding commercial and residential buildings which remains the mosque disconnected from its surrounding urban life. Adjacent to it lies the Hesbet Ajloun, a local souq that runs through a narrow, unpaved pedestrian passage. It is full of informal trade, but it doesn't have much space or comfort. The market trail leads to a central square that hasn't been taken care of and is now being used as a parking lot, with stalls taking up space on its edges. There are many undefined urban staircases that run through this city network. Some of these connect the souq to the main city street, which is lined with important government and commercial buildings (Ajloun Municipality, Land Department, Industry Directorate, etc.). Others connect the square to the neighborhoods nearby. There are also some stairs that connect the Souq and the Square to the nearby historical shrines, such as the Sayyid Badr Shrine and the Al-Baaj Shrine.
The main purpose of the project is to highlight Ajloun’s city center as a cohesive, place-sensitive urban adaptor to both locals and visitors that celebrates local identity while fostering sustainable tourism. Through a place-making lens, the intervention seeks to reintegrate the cultural heritage city's traditional triad—the mosque, market, and square—as socially inclusive, environmentally conscious, and economically vibrant public spaces.
Key urban and architectural strategies include:
•Create multi-social urban layers to connect the mosque's surroundings with the urban fabric.
•Connect the square of the mosque with the Hesbet Ajloun and reorganize its uses with the surrounding commercial buildings by upgrading the Souq structures using local materials and vernacular typologies, offering dignified livelihoods to vendors and boosting the local economy. The new urban design of the Souq is trying to reframe the cultural storytelling of the city’s elements (murals, signage, activities) to narrate Ajloun’s heritage and deepen visitor-local connection. A shaded structure was introduced to the Souq to provide comfort and protect people from the sun, inspired by the simple yet thoughtful textiles that local shopkeepers and street vendors have long used to shield their spaces.
•The pedestrian Souq trail was thoughtfully connected to the city's staircases, both visually and physically, through subtle yet meaningful changes—wider steps, improved materials, and added handrails—all designed to enrich the human experience of walking the city and to make access to the Souq and the square more welcoming and inclusive.
•The city square was revitalized and reimagined as a multifunctional social terrace, featuring micro-landscapes that offer shade, foster social interaction, and help reduce urban heat. These layered terraces were designed as a vibrant hub for Ajlouni life to be as a social incubator for local small businesses, community training, performances, and seasonal markets. What was once used for parking is now reclaimed as a people-centered space that reflects the spirit and needs of the community.
Ultimately, this project envisions Ajloun’s city center as a sustainable, inclusive, and story-rich place—a living heart that celebrates its heritage while nurturing its future through vibrant community life and local economic opportunity.
Project Site Location: Jordan, Ajloun(city center)
Project Coordinates on Google Maps: Great Ajloun Mosque(32.33227254243221, 35.75123164775313)-Hesbeh Ajloun(32.33138983546473, 35.75111344721958)-Central Square(32.330657478388545, 35.75032760523462)
Site Area: 14,700sqm
Project Function: An urban design project for the Ajloun city center, which includes improving the spatial and urban environment of the Grand Ajloun Mosque, the Ajloun Hisbah, and the central square:
(Intervention 1 - Great Ajloun Mosque): Redesigning the mosque courtyard and creating multi-faceted urban layers to connect the mosque's surroundings to the urban fabric(Landscape design).
(Intervention 2 – Hesbeh Ajloun, Local Souq):
1. Rehabilitate the souq: updating the market with local materials that provide comfort, sun protection, floor tiling, and redesigning facades and signs.
2. Organizing the souq land uses: arrange the shops to create an enjoyable space experience and separate daily needs from monthly and annual needs.
3. Connecting the souq with the surroundings: connecting the souq with the mosque and the central square, connecting it with the surrounding stairs, connecting it with the buildings' roofs
(Intervention 3 – Central Square):
Multi-level terraces to be a vital hub for Ajloun life, a social incubator for local small businesses, community training, art performances, seasonal bazars, and associations to solve problems and serve locals.Also, the Ajloun underground bus station, and the Re-Use building motel.
Student: Rand Ahmed Al-Shaer
Supervisor: Arch. Roaa Zidan
University: Applied Science Private University
