Al Medina Youth House

This project highlights an entry for a design competition.  The prompt focused on designing a plaza and youth house located in Baghdad's Sadr City on Thawra Street.  Over the decades Sadr City's problems have compounded as a result of overpopulation and crumbling infrastructure. While its people continue to push forward with high spirits, they need something to give them hope for tomorrow.  And no one suffers more than the youth who are the future of Iraq and it is vital to harness their potential to propel Iraq in a brighter direction.

The vision for this Youth House is to serve as an incubator for the community and to position itself as a hub for all families within Al Medina.  It is a playground for creativity, curiosity, and passion to run free in an array of fields where they can explore and experiment.  Architecturally, the Youth House is a fresh breath for the city of Al Medina while it intertwines itself with traditional Iraqi architecture to bring about a sense of familiarity with its occupants.  The Youth House itself includes a variety of workshop studios, galleries, theaters, a library, and an auditorium.

The plaza is designed to be a space for everyone within Al Medina to gather and enjoy. Although the plaza is complemented by the Youth House, it deserves to be an event on its own merit. The design for the plaza is generated from heritage buildings within Baghdad as a foundation to initiate a cultural correlation and purpose.  There is an abundance of greenery, sculpture gardens, water elements, and space for further programming/event use.  It is meant to spark change and shift the fabric and landscape of Sadr City.