This project is aimed to provide deep understanding of Iraqi riverine environment issues and its relationships with surrounding nature. This goal can be achieved by constructing “Riverine Environment Research Centre” which will ensure achievement of three main tasks: definition, studying, and improving of these issues.
Two types of people are targeted in this project:
1) Researcher and scientists who are interested in environment research works; and 2) public people who anticipated having significant effects on natural environments.
This project consists of four zones:
1) Research zone
2) Educational and enjoyment zone
3) Management zone
4) Services zone
Importance of the project:
1) The project will contribute to the development and investment of natural river environment through attracting visitors to attend and access to him.
2) The project will give added value by increasing the awareness of the population and their dealings with the local natural environment.
3) Financial resource derived from this visits can be a cornerstone for the sustainability of the Centre’s work and could provide needed fund to conduct research works.
4) Create positive interactive building with the river and create adverse environment of man and nature.
5) Promotion of tourism and the movement of river and make the project a distinctive architectural icon for Iraq.
Sustainability: Achieving sustainability through self-management and the ability to provide the resources needed to sustain the research work and also to achieve social objectives.
Project location: The project is located in Qurna region in the north of Basra city specifically on Qurna Island, where the place of the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates and the formation of Shatt al-Arab River, The site is located at the end of the island planned to be a nature reserve.
Reasons for choosing the location:
1) the location is the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates Shatt al-Arab point where diverse and rich natural environment
2) There is open land, planned to invest nature reserves of various neighbourhoods in that area, a species of palm, local and migratory birds, fish, and many neighbourhoods and wild rivers.
3) The location relatively close to the University of Basra which could provide further resources.
The Concept:
The idea was inspired by the targeted Location which depending on the project’s privacy. The project of privacy is arises by the research concept “Drilling into the unknown. In this context, two ideas are created:
1)The way in which the river carved out the Earth’s natural is simulated in this project in the design process. This step reflect the concept of “Drilling”.
2)The presence of reeds in the proposed site constitutes a link between under and over water levels. It also represents a building material locally used since thousand years. This idea has been reflected in this project by arranging the masses in a harmoniously integrated with the site environment. This step reflect the relationship between tow living word above and below water surface. Its represent the searching in the “Unknown”. Source by Aws Maan Salman.
- Location: Shatt al-Arab, Iraq
- Student: Aws Maan Salman
- University: Architecture Engineering Department of University of Technology Baghdad
- Images: Courtesy of Aws Maan Salman