Issam Fares Institute – American University of Beirut / Zaha Hadid Architects. Image © Luke Hayes

中东地区的教育空间作为文化与公共中心：7个重新定义公共参与的项目
Educational Spaces as Cultural and Civic Hubs in the Middle East: 7 Projects Redefining Public Engagement

由专筑网Yinglin，小R编译

教育在中东地区长期以来一直扮演的是推动力量，塑造知识、鼓励创新、强化文化认同的角色。近年来，地区内的教育建筑已超越了传统的学术功能，逐渐发展为公共集会空间和文化中心。这些教育机构不仅仅是为了学习而设计，还包括对话、研究和合作的功能，通常融入开放的庭院、多功能公共区域和反映当地文化遗产的建筑元素。无论是通过建筑的物理开放性、适应性，还是与城市环境的连接，这些空间都强化了大学和研究中心对于公共生活的重要性。

这种变化在该地区的建筑项目中得到了体现。在黎巴嫩，美国贝鲁特大学的Issam Fares研究所为研究和政策讨论提供了开放的空间，而谢赫·纳扬阿拉伯研究中心则作为一个智识和文化的汇聚点。在沙特阿拉伯，KAUST（沙特阿拉伯科技大学）和Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman大学将研究、教育与公共参与融为一体，打造了广阔的校园环境。在约旦，国际安曼学院创造了一个类似村庄的环境，将学习与户外公共空间结合。在埃及，开罗市中心的Jameel中心，原为开罗美国大学的一部分，现已重新激活，并成为GrEEK校园的一部分，成为技术与创业的中心。这些机构共同展示了中东地区的教育空间如何发展成社会、智识与文化交流的中心。

Education has long been a driving force in the Middle East, shaping knowledge, encouraging innovation, and strengthening cultural identity. In recent years, educational architecture in the region has expanded beyond its academic function, evolving into public gathering spaces and cultural hubs. These institutions are designed not only for learning but also for dialogue, research, and collaboration, often integrating open courtyards, multi-use public areas, and architectural elements that reflect local heritage. Whether through their physical openness, adaptability, or connection to the urban environment, these spaces reinforce the idea that universities and research centers are essential to civic life.
This shift is visible in built projects across the region. In Lebanon, the Issam Fares Institute at AUB provides accessible spaces for research and policy discussions, while the Sheikh Nahyan Centre for Arabic Studies serves as an intellectual and cultural meeting point. In Saudi Arabia, KAUST and Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University integrate research, education, and public engagement within expansive campuses. In Jordan, the International Amman Academy creates a village-like environment that blends learning with outdoor public space. In Egypt, the Jameel Center in Downtown Cairo, originally part of the American University in Cairo, has been reactivated as part of the GrEEK Campus, a hub for technology and entrepreneurship. Together, these institutions demonstrate how educational spaces in the Middle East are evolving into centers for social, intellectual, and cultural exchange.


Issam Fares Institute / Zaha Hadid Architects
黎巴嫩，Hamra


Image © Hufton+Crow

由扎哈·哈迪德建筑事务所设计的贝鲁特美国大学Issam Fares公共政策与国际事务研究所是一个研究和政策中心，融入了大学校园。建筑设计具有高度的可达性，多个入口与校园的主要流通路线相连，使其成为师生日常活动的一部分。其标志性特征是悬挑结构，这种设计不仅减少了建筑占地面积，还在下方创造了一个遮蔽的庭院，作为一个非正式的聚会空间。建筑布局开放且互联，研究休息区、研讨室和阅读区的布局促进了互动。双层高的入口庭院延伸周围的景观，构成有顶的公共空间，供人们进行休闲会议和讨论。内部的透明隔断和开放的流通路线促进了不同工作区域之间的可见性和互动。100座的礼堂设计合理，可容纳较大规模的公共活动和讲座，同时不干扰研究所的日常运作。通过其设计，这座建筑鼓励思想的流动交换，利用空间开放性和流通线路支持其作为研究、讨论和政策发展的中心的角色。

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at AUB, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, is a research and policy center that integrates into the university's campus. The building is designed to be accessible, with multiple entry points that connect it to key circulation routes, making it a natural part of the daily movement of students and faculty. One of its defining architectural features is the cantilevered structure, which reduces its footprint and creates a shaded courtyard beneath, functioning as an informal gathering space. The building's layout is open and interconnected, with research lounges, seminar rooms, and a reading area arranged to encourage interaction. The double-height entrance courtyard acts as an extension of the surrounding landscape, providing a covered public space for casual meetings and discussions. Inside, transparent partitions and open circulation routes promote visibility and engagement between different working areas. The 100-seat auditorium is positioned to allow for larger public events and lectures without disrupting the daily functions of the institute. Through its design, the building encourages a fluid exchange of ideas, using spatial openness and circulation to support its role as a hub for research, discussion, and policy development.


Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman大学 / Perkins & Will
沙特阿拉伯


Image © Bill Lyons

Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman大学（PNU）由Perkins+Will与Dar Al-Handasah联合设计，是全球最大的女性专属学术与文化中心。该大学专为沙特阿拉伯利雅得的女性教育和职业发展而建，服务于60,000名学生。校园内不仅包含学术、医疗和娱乐设施，还配有单轨系统，创造了自给自足的城市环境。从建筑角度来看，大学融入了区域性设计元素，如马什拉比亚（Mashrabiya）风格的格栅，这种设计既能提供隐私，又能保持外部空间的可见性。该项目是一个完全实现的总体规划，确保所有设施同时完工，而非随时间推移逐步发展。除了教室，校园还包括研究中心、体育设施和集会空间，既支持教育也促进社交互动。其设计体现了一个专门为女性高等教育打造的空间，在一个结构化且安全的环境中，既促进学术成长，也推动公共参与。

Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University / Perkins & Will
Saudi Arabia
Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU), designed by Perkins+Will in collaboration with Dar Al-Handasah, is the largest woman-only academic and cultural hub. It is designed exclusively for women's education and professional development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Serving 60,000 students, the campus integrates academic, medical, and recreational facilities along with a monorail system, creating a self-sufficient urban environment. Architecturally, the university incorporates regional design elements, such as mashrabiya-style latticework, which provides privacy while maintaining visibility in exterior spaces. The project was built as a fully realized master plan, ensuring all facilities were completed simultaneously rather than evolving over time. Beyond classrooms, the campus includes research centers, sports facilities, and gathering spaces, supporting both education and social interaction. Its design reflects a dedicated space for women's higher learning, creating both academic growth and public engagement within a structured and secure environment.


国际安曼学院 / Symbiosis Designs LTD
约旦 安曼


Image © Zooey Braun


Image © Zooey Braun

国际安曼学院（IAA）由Symbiosis Designs设计，校园采用“花园村落”式布局，将教育空间与鼓励互动的户外区域相结合。布局由多个建筑组成，通过开放的庭院和花园连接。花园设计融合了主题元素，从为年轻学生设计的富有趣味的区域，到为年长学生设计的更具沉思性质的空间，为集会、流动和课堂外的学习提供了多样的环境。在入口处，行政楼内设有一间艺术画廊，为校园提供了一个面向公众的文化空间。该校园的一个标志性特征是风塔，这些风塔集成于建筑中，提供自然通风、日光和降温功能。它们还充当视觉标志，创造了校园天际线的节奏感。通过开放的流通空间、公共区域和层次化的建筑设计，IAA不仅是一个教育场所，也是公共和文化中心，融入了超越课堂的元素，创造了集会、反思和文化表达的空间。

IAA / Symbiosis Designs LTD
Amman, Jordan
The International Amman Academy (IAA), designed by Symbiosis Designs, is organized as a "garden village" campus, integrating educational spaces with outdoor areas that encourage interaction. The layout consists of multiple buildings connected by open courtyards and gardens, rather than a single institutional block. The gardens are designed with thematic elements, ranging from playful areas for younger students to more reflective spaces for older students, creating different environments for gathering, movement, and learning outside the classroom. At the entrance, the administrative building includes an art gallery, providing a public-facing cultural space within the campus. A defining feature of the campus is the wind towers, which are integrated into the buildings to provide natural ventilation, daylight, and cooling. These towers also serve as visual markers, creating a rhythm across the school's skyline. Through its open circulation, public spaces, and layered architectural design, IAA acts as civic and cultural hubs, incorporating elements that extend beyond classrooms to create spaces for gathering, reflection, and cultural expression.


Abdul Latif Jameel中心 / Dar Al-Handasah
埃及 开罗


Image © Ebrahim Bahaa - Eldin | Jameel Center


Image © Ebrahim Bahaa - Eldin | Jameel Center


Image © Ebrahim Bahaa - Eldin | Jameel Center

Abdul Latif Jameel中东管理研究中心由Dar Al-Handasah设计，并于1989年完工，是开罗市中心的一个教育与文化中心。该中心最初是开罗美国大学（AUC）的一部分，融合了现代主义设计与马穆鲁克（Mamluk）建筑风格，外立面采用了裸露混凝土、木质马什拉比亚窗格和大理石拱门等元素。这些元素不仅向开罗历史建筑的语言致敬，同时也具有实际功能，如被动降温和光线控制。

除在商业教育和管理培训方面的作用外，该中心已经发展成为开罗创新和创业生态系统的核心组成部分。如今，它被纳入GrEEK Campus，一个重要的科技和初创企业中心，扩大了其学术之外的使用功能。该建筑位于开罗市中心，依然是一个活跃的学习、合作和文化交流空间，体现了中东地区教育建筑如何继续适应并服务于更广泛的社会需求。

The Abdul Latif Jameel Center / Dar Al-Handasah
Cairo, Egypt
The Abdul Latif Jameel Center for Middle East Management Studies, designed by Dar Al-Handasah and completed in 1989, is an educational and cultural hub in Downtown Cairo. Originally built as part of the American University in Cairo (AUC), the center integrates modernist design with Mamluk architectural influences, featuring fair-faced concrete façades, wooden mashrabiyyas, and marble arches. These elements reference Cairo's historic architectural vocabulary while serving functional purposes, such as passive cooling and light control.
Beyond its role in business education and management training, the Jameel Center has evolved into a key part of Cairo's innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Today, it is incorporated into the GrEEK Campus, a major technology and startup hub, extending its use beyond academia. Situated in the heart of Downtown Cairo, the center remains an active space for learning, collaboration, and cultural exchange, reflecting how educational buildings in the Middle East continue to adapt and serve broader societal needs.


Gooyesh学院 / SATRAP建筑工作室
伊朗 伊斯法罕


Image © Ramin Dehdashti

Gooyesh学院由SATRAP建筑工作室设计，是一个多功能的教育和文化中心，结合了语言培训设施与公共聚会空间。该建筑共有四层，建筑面积为918平方米，内设有教室、图书馆、行政办公室、互联网区、书店和咖啡厅，既是学习的空间，也是社交互动的场所。外立面设计融入了波斯建筑元素，采用了“金属阿穆德”（Metal Amood）结构包裹建筑，创造了独特的视觉标识，同时在日间有效过滤光线与阴影。外立面还刻有教育性文字，包括名言警句，突出建筑的知识交流特征。

内部布局灵活，设计考虑到气候控制的混合机械系统和智能能量管理。教育功能、公共空间与富有表现力的建筑身份的结合，使Gooyesh学院不仅仅是一个语言学校的场所，它与周围城市环境和社区产生了互动，成为一个超越传统教育用途的集会空间。

Gooyesh Institute / SATRAP Architectural Studio
Isfahan, Iran
The Gooyesh Institute, designed by SATRAP Architectural Studio, is a multi-purpose educational and cultural hub that combines language training facilities with public gathering spaces. The four-story building, covering 918 square meters, houses classrooms, a library, administrative offices, an internet area, a bookstore, and a cafeteria, making it a space for both learning and social interaction. The façade design integrates Persian architectural references, featuring a 'Metal Amood' structure that wraps the building, creating a visual identity while filtering light and shadow throughout the day. The façade also incorporates engraved text, including educational quotes, reinforcing the institute's role as a space for knowledge exchange.
Inside, the layout is designed for flexibility, with hybrid mechanical systems for climate control and intelligent energy management. The combination of educational functions, communal spaces, and an expressive architectural identity establishes the Gooyesh Institute as a gathering space that extends beyond its role as a language school, engaging with the urban environment and broader community.


阿卜杜拉国王科技大学（KAUST） / HOK
沙特阿拉伯 图瓦尔


Image Courtesy of HOK

阿卜杜拉国王科技大学（KAUST）由HOK设计，是沙特阿拉伯一个大规模的学术与研究中心，集教育、居住和文化功能于一体。校园和大学城共同规划，提供为学生、教师和研究人员服务的综合设施，形成一个紧密连接的环境。主校园由十座面朝红海的建筑组成，包括行政办公室、学生服务、图书馆、清真寺、实验室和研究中心。沿海研究中心也是大学扩建的一部分。

建筑设计采用了被动降温策略，配有宽敞的遮蔽走道、镂空屋顶和喷泉，帮助调节温度。建筑间的开放庭院和流通路线构成了集会空间，进一步强化了KAUST作为一个研究与社交互动的场所。图书馆和研究建筑包含开放的桥梁和三层高的空间，不同区域在视觉上得以连接，促进合作。KAUST结合了学术、公共和住宅空间，作为一个教育和文化中心，支持科学研究的同时，也在现代环境中融入了传统中东建筑元素。

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) / HOK
Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), designed by HOK, is a large-scale academic and research hub in Saudi Arabia that integrates educational, residential, and cultural functions. The campus and university town were planned together, providing facilities for students, faculty, and researchers in a connected environment. The main campus consists of ten buildings facing the Red Sea, housing administrative offices, student services, a library, a mosque, labs, and research centers. A coastal studies center is also part of the university's expansion.
The architectural design incorporates passive cooling strategies, with large shaded walkways, perforated roofs, and fountains to regulate temperature. Open courtyards and circulation routes between buildings create gathering spaces, reinforcing KAUST as a place for both research and social interaction. The library and research buildings include open bridges and triple-height spaces, visually connecting different areas and encouraging collaboration. With its combination of academic, public, and residential spaces, KAUST is designed as an educational and cultural hub, supporting scientific research while integrating elements of traditional Middle Eastern architecture in a contemporary setting.


Sheikh Nahyan阿拉伯研究中心 / Fouad Samara建筑师事务所
黎巴嫩 库拉


Image © Ieva Saudargaite


Image © Ieva Saudargaite

贝拉曼大学的Sheikh Nahyan阿拉伯研究与跨文化对话中心（CASID）由Fouad Samara建筑师事务所设计，是一个文化和学术中心，致力于阿拉伯遗产的学术交流与研究。建筑位于一个倾斜的场地上，享有校园、胡桃树林和地中海的美丽景观，建筑十分开敞，强化其作为对话和学习平台的角色。CASID遵循传统黎凡特庭院建筑的空间逻辑，但与其将建筑围合起来不同，它与周围的自然景观融为一体。东侧嵌入地形，反映了传统的山坡建筑方式，而西侧则悬挑向校园，形成显著的入口。屋顶被设计为公共空间，提供绿地和全景视野。

建筑使用了当地材料，如粗糙的混凝土和打磨过的玄武岩地面，强调了该建筑与区域建筑传统的关系；而西立面的铝制遮阳百叶则以现代形式重新演绎了阿拉伯风格图案。通过将教育空间与公共集会区域结合，CASID既是一个研究机构，也是一个文化交流的交汇点，支持大学内部及更广泛社区的跨学科交流。

Sheikh Nahyan Centre for Arabic Studies / Fouad Samara Architects
Koura, Lebanon
The Sheikh Nahyan Centre for Arabic Studies and Intercultural Dialogue (CASID) at the University of Balamand, designed by Fouad Samara Architects, is a cultural and academic hub dedicated to intellectual exchange and research on Arabic heritage. Positioned on a sloping site with views of the campus, a walnut grove, and the Mediterranean Sea, the building is designed to be open and accessible from all sides, reinforcing its role as a platform for dialogue and learning. CASID follows the spatial logic of traditional Levantine courtyard buildings, but instead of enclosing itself, it integrates with the surrounding landscape. The eastern section is embedded into the terrain, reflecting traditional hillside construction, while the western section cantilevers out toward the campus, creating a prominent entrance. The rooftop serves as a public space, offering green areas and panoramic views.
The use of local materials, such as rough shuttered concrete and honed basalt floors, connects the building to regional construction traditions, while aluminum sun baffles on the western façade reinterpret Arabesque patterns in a modern form. By combining educational spaces with public gathering areas, CASID functions as both a research institute and a cultural meeting point, supporting interdisciplinary exchange within the university and the broader community.