Al Zorah Coastal Institute of Ajman

American University of Sharjah, College of Architecture, art and Design, Sharjah

Project idea

This project responds to a mixed-use brief with an organically clustered typology. As an institute that supports research and public education of the marine wildlife, the project aims to mimic the atmospheric qualities of 'barnacles' and utilise them as a source of natural light, creating an integrated feel with the coastal wetland. The orientation of the separate buildings allows visitors to enjoy multiple views of the site (mangroves, creek, and landscape). The nature of the forms is partially cantilevered creating shaded exterior spaces, that allow for an interior-exterior use.

Project description

As the project is situated on an intersection of three landscape entities (water, land and mangroves), the clustered typology allows for multiple views and accessibility to the project. As the project aims to educate and raise awareness of the critical role and danger of coastal eco-systems, the nature of the project groups different programs; lecture halls, conference rooms, offices, wet-labs, cafe, meeting rooms, and gathering spaces. The variety of functions allows for a wide-range of users to enjoy the project. As the city of Ajman experiences high temperatures during specific periods of the year, the large exterior spaces, for instance the gathering space, is ventilated through hydraulic fans embedded within the falling sky-light openings, to facilitate air movement and circulate cool air. The location of 'barnacles' (lightwells) on the roofs was influenced by the function of the program needing natural light access, and environmentally corresponding to the sun path to allow for maximum light. The use of glass as a dominant building material is to potentially allow for a panoramic view of the side, hence create an integrated feel.

Technical information

The primary structural system comprises of a series of pile construction system to support the structure in the water, and accompany for the suspected sea-level rise. The primary volumes compose of hard-bent steel structure, forming the shape of curved volume. The glass panels are curved using the double-curvature glass bending method, and held together using structural stainless-steel spider clamps. The enclosing shell consists of precast concrete panels, supported by interior hidden columns to give the feel of floating. To introduce natural light into the multiple buildings, precast (barnacle shaped) light wells were embedded within the roof structure according to the sun direction and program.

Co-authors

Instructed by Professor Cristiano Luchetti