- Year: 2011
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Photographs:Yona Schley
Text description provided by the architects. The Georgetown University Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service in Qatar, is integrated into the North side of the UHBK (Hamad Bin Khalifa University). The building is adjacent to the Central Library to the west, and the Student Center to the southwest, which was also designed by Legorreta + Legorreta. To the South is located the "ruin of inheritance" and a park with a strong visual and conceptual connection achieved through landscape design and building orientation.
The design principle is to break the monumental construction to move towards a more human scale, achieving a more homelike atmosphere in which students feel comfortable.
The building is a composition of several small departments to give the idea being at home. All parts of the building are connected to the common areas, which are the foundation of the School of Foreign Service. The access is connected with the "Green Spine" to the south through a pleasant pedestrian area with sculptures along the way.
The courtyards and atrium spaces interspersed throughout the building complex create a relaxed atmosphere, thus promoting a sense of intimacy and offering reassurance to the hectic college life.
We placed special attention to the outdoor environment. Water features restore and ventilate the spaces around them. A cactus garden is located along the north facade and marks the transition between the desert and the formally designed areas, and the courtyards facilitate adjacent functions and become pleasant transition zones.
