maria grazia cutuli school aga khan award for architecture 2013 shortlist

maria grazia cutuli primary school by 2A+P/A, IaN+, ma0 and mario cutuli architects, herat, afghanistan

image © nazes afroz all images courtesy aga khan award for architecture

named for the italian journalist murdered in 2001 while on assignment in afghanistan, maria grazia cutuli primary school provides the province of herat with a model for emergency school design for war-ravaged areas. after the milan-based journalist was killed, mario cutuli, her brother and rome-based architect commissioned the school to commemorate the country his sister loved, worked in, and died. while the maria grazia cutuli foundation was established to support educational and social programs for women and children in war-torn areas, the school is a materialization of the organization’s goals in offsetting violece with the power of knowledge. the school, sited in a sparse, flat area in kush rod village was planned according to the staggered, informal layout of the village. the buildings look inward and create an educational landscape and safe haven for the students. the project is a collaborative effort between mr.cutuli, 2A + P/A, IaN+ and ma0.

the fortified building in context

image © maria grazia cutuli foundation all images courtesy aga khan award for architecture

both interiors and exteriors were important in the shaping of the space image © nazes afroz all images courtesy aga khan award for architecture

three different shades of blue characterize the school while paying homage to local traditions of lapis lazuli pottery image © nazes afroz all images courtesy aga khan award for architecture

although the school uses local materials and technologies, the linked boxes supersede their articulated program with three brilliant shades of blue– a reference to the rich culture of lapis lazuli pottery in the western afghani area. red iron frames the windows of a two storey library that additionally bolsters a program of eight classrooms, secretarial office, staffrooms and a caretaker’s house. the complex is enclosed by an equally bright protective wall, so as to create a space free of distraction. exterior spaces also shape the learning environment; children can rest under the shade of 50 trees and enjoy the lush landscape of the hindu kush mountains so exquisitely described by maria grazia.

milan-based corriere della sera, the newspaper for which maria grazia worked, donated supplies and technology to the school image © nazes afroz all images courtesy aga khan award for architecture