• • 10 April 2015
• Contemporary , Contemporary African Directory ,

Awards:

2009: Dubai Cityscape Awards, Special Award - Islamic Architecture Category
2009: New Jersey American Institute of Architects Honor Award, Unbuilt Category

The Zliten campus is a new branch of Al Asmariya University, located in the oasis town and fishing port of the same name, 120 kilometers southeast of Tripoli. One of 27 university projects commissioned by the Libyan government, this new campus is situated on a relatively flat 82-hectare site approximately five kilometers from the Mediterranean coast. The team is designing a campus Master Plan and the Phase I development.  

From the Project Architects:

Gordon Hood, RMJM said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this prestigious award for Islamic Architecture. It is a true testament to the success of our Global Education Studio and emphasizes the strength that RMJM maintains in its understanding of local culture and traditions. We are particularly grateful to Dr Mustafa Mezughi of ODAC in Libya, without whose advice this project would not have been possible”The success of the work on the Zliten Campus is largely down to the development of RMJM’s Global Education Studio. The studio allows for talents in educational architecture from across RMJM’s international network to pool together, providing architectural services which combine international and local expertise.

Unlike RMJM’s first planned Libyan university, designed for the harsh desert-like environment of Bani Walid, the Zliten site is in a developed area, receives more rainfall and has a substantial grove of palm trees that provide orientation and visual relief. The preliminary design brief established a two-stage program and total build-out of more than 200,000 gross square meters. The Master Plan concept will address site circulation and access, scale, program distribution, campus and architectural character and sustainability. 

The plan will identify academic and support buildings – a conference center, student center, administration, library, recreation, and residences –for a target student population of 4,600 students in seven Colleges. The initial construction phase will include facilities for 2,600 students in four Colleges that are focused on Arabic and Islamic Studies, Law and Islamic Canon Law, and Religious Studies. In addition to the academic facilities, the planning concepts also include a medina and an oasis. All reflect local design precedents, cultural or historic influences, and important site geography, biology and microclimatic characteristics.

Cite: RMJM / Bustler

• • • 

    © ZLITEN AL-ASMARIYA UNIVERSITY FOR ISLAMIC SCIEN...

  • • 

    © ZLITEN AL-ASMARIYA UNIVERSITY FOR ISLAMIC SCIEN...

  • • 

    © ZLITEN AL-ASMARIYA UNIVERSITY FOR ISLAMIC SCIEN...

• • • 

    © ZLITEN AL-ASMARIYA UNIVERSITY FOR ISLAMIC SCIEN...

  • • 

    © ZLITEN AL-ASMARIYA UNIVERSITY FOR ISLAMIC SCIEN...