• Steel
  • Concrete
  • Timber
  • Composite
  • 2015-2020
  • Unique Structures
  • Low & Midrise Structures
  • Long Span Structures
  • Education

The project comprises the construction of a state-of-the-art academic institution serving 1500 children from kindergarten until university in Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The school complex will include girls' and boys' education clusters, a kindergarten, a community center with common areas, a library, a mosque, and exhibition areas. In addition, there is a separate building for the teachers' academy.

The scheme broadly comprises a 40,000 m2 gross finished area arranged over 2,3, and 4 stories above ground level with large and continuous timber or steel roofs above different educational clusters. They will have 1 level of basement accommodation. The basements are used for parking, mechanical functions, swimming pool purposes and have approximately 4-5m floor heights below-ground levels.

ATTEC is the structural engineer of record while TT is the peer reviewer of the owner. Şanal Architects designed this complicated and great complex to be an exemplary institution of education in the Middle East offering equal and highest quality education to both girls and boys.

Structural efficiency, large spans, load-bearing wall lines, and partial ornamental aspects of the structural design were some of the key elements for the design. Approximately 5000tons of structural steel will be used in the complex. There will also be very elegant and efficient, doubly-curved, timber structural roof systems over the sports halls, kindergarten, and community centers. The warmth and coziness of timber will embrace the children and the community while they are protected from the intense heat and the rugged terrain by our exterior walls in steel columns and braces clad with thick insulated panels. The positioning of the roof openings over inner courtyards and corridors between cluster buildings were all planned for retaining coolness while letting out heated air via very natural chimney systems integrated into the steel structure. Thanks to the flexibility of the steel roof structure, the ambitious and efficient ventilation system would be realized.

Architect: SanalArc