Strata 101 -Undergraduate Architecture Thesis by Nireen Abu Huwaij, BArch., MEng.

Strata 101

Water Awareness Center.

REVIVING THE BLUE LAYERS OF JORDAN

Prepared by: Nireen Abu-Huwaij Supervised by: Dr. Anwar Ibrahim

February,2022.

A Thesis Presented to the Undergraduate Faculty of Architecture & Design at Jordan University of Science and Technology. In Partial Fulfillment for the Requirements of the Department of Architecture.

Abstract

Water. It's found everywhere on Earth, from polar ice caps to steamy geysers. Wherever water flows on this planet, you can be sure to find life. It is a precious natural resource. As water supports all human, plant and animal life, it can be concluded that life on earth cannot survive without water. The water cycle is one of the largest physical processes on Earth. It constantly moves around the planet; on, above and below the earth's surface. Climate change is escalating the water crisis in the world; Jordan in specific has limited sources of water. Pointing out the worth of water through educational water tourism for local and international users targets the idea of sharing awareness with the community regarding the concept of water. A water awareness environment that reveals all the layers of water recycling and management will revive the blue layers of Jordan by educating the society about the importance of water.

‫‪Dedication‬‬

‫انسي‬ ‫ن‬ ‫نانسي‬ ‫رائد‬ ‫رائد‬

To my backbone & superhero, Dad, thank you for believing in me. To my best friend & soulmate, Mom, thank you for your unconditional love & support. Your daughter is an architect. Dad, Mom, we did It!

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‫‪Acknowledgment‬‬

‫الحمدلله‬ ‫الحمدلله‬

I would like to share my gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Anwar Ibrahim, for your dedicated support throughout the semester. Thank you for tolerating my nonstop nagging and turning it into a strength. It was an extraordinary experience being your student and friend. I'd like to extend my gratitude to my family for supporting me not only through this thesis, but also the previous 5 years. Layan, Ruaa, Talal, Rayyan & Melia, my sisters and brothers, your support was a bit different, but yeah thank you. I Love You. My friends & cousins, thank you for always rescheduling our hangouts based on my ciaos time schedule. It was really important having you as a funny support system.

Strata

101 I

Introduction

Site Analysis

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10

Project Definition Problem Statement Introduction Project Description Why this Project? Goals & Objectives Project Aspects Region Selection Site Selection Why this Site?

2.1 Macro Analysis 2.2 Site Selection 2.3 Micro Analysis

III

Precedents

Programming

Concept

3.1 Awareness Center 3.2 Water Recycling System 3.3 Tourism Sites 3.4 Museum

4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4

Project Users Main Zones Specific Zones Zoning Diagrams

5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5

Concept Statement Concept Implementation Spatial Timeline Concept Details Conceptual Drawings

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List of Figures Figure 01: Average exposure of water users to water stress (WRI Aqueduct, Gassert 2013) Figure 02: Irrigation)

14 Dams located in Jordan (Ministry of Water &

Figure 03: Water Storage in Dams. (Water Scarcity and Sustainable Water Solutions in Jordan) Figure 04: Jordans’ Rainfall (Ministry of Water and Irrigation 2001) Figure 05: Author)

Water Resources in Jordan (Illustrated by

Figure 06: Author)

Main Water Dams in Jordan (Illustrated by

Figure 07: Author)

Proposed Site, Mujib Dam (Illustrated by

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Chapter I Introduction

101

Strata

1.1

1.6

Project Definition

Goals & Objectives

1.2

1.7

Problem Statement Project Aspects 1.3

1.8

Introduction

Region Selection

1.4

1.9

Project Description Site Selection 1.5

1.10

Why this Project?

Why this Site?

1.1

Project Definition Climate change is escalating the water crisis in the world; Jordan in specific has limited sources of water. Addressing the issue of water as a local and global concern evokes the importance of water in the community. Pointing out the worth of water through an educational water tourism center, for local and international users that aims to share awareness with the community. A water awareness center in Mujib Dam will revive the blue layers of Jordan by educating the society about the importance of water, through revealing all the layers of water recycling and management. The transparency of this water recycling process will create an exceptional touristic environment for users to interact and learn from.

1.2

Problem Statement Water scarcity in Jordan and the lack of qualitative local educational tourism spaces are two problems that affect Jordans’ community. Water scarcity is an international problem that needs to be limited through sharing awareness with the community by orienting the problem around educational tourism and water management. The interaction of those two aspects can be a solution locally by sharing awareness about water. Though much of Jordan is composed of arid and semi-arid lands, the country has a lot of neglected water spots that consist of scenic vista to nature lovers and eco-travellers that are not well-designed to suit the nature explorers. Architecture may benefit from these scenic spots as a water preservation center, and an attraction point for tourists at the same time to share awareness through an interesting environment. 04

1.3

Introduction Climate Change and its effect on water is an unavoidable phenomenon. However, the scarcity of this precious resource is not just due to changing natural patterns but a highly man-made disaster. According to UN Water, water use has been growing globally at more than twice the rate of population increases in the last century, and an increasing number of regions are reaching the limit of which water services can be sustainably delivered especially in the arid regions. (UN-Water, 2021)

Figure 1: Average exposure of water users to water stress (WRI Aqueduct, Gassert 2013) Like this condition, the water system in Jordan has central instabilities. With a high level of dependence to limited water sources, increasing water pollution, and degradation of the ecosystems, the resilience of water resources is low. This scene has been getting worse and worse as the weather is changing due to less rainfall and intensive heat causing a higher level of water evaporation, as well as the high percentage of water usage with no water income in return. This means that even as Jordan continues to take too much water from aquifers, the amount by which nature refills them is also shrinking.

During the last few decades population growth, industrialization, irrigation projects and improving standards of living not only have led to increasing water use and over exploitation, but also to deteriorating water qualities because of the various human activities. Water tourism involves traveling to locations specifically to take part in waterbased activities. Some people who do not wish to partake in water-related activities embark on water tourism trips so that they can visit tourist sites that sit close to bodies of water such as lakes, seas, or even dams.

One thing is becoming clearer every day is that the quality of Jordans’ water resources is degrading rapidly, not only because of the active pollution by liquid and solid wastes, but also in increasing steps of passive degradation due to salinization because of over pumping and the depletion of groundwater resources. (MWI,2021) “Water is more critical than energy. We have alternate sources of energy, but with water, there is no other choice.” (Eugene Odum,2017) Water quality deterioration problems are increasing the severe water shortage of the country perceived under the existing economic, ecological, social, touristic, scientific, and technological situations.

1.4

Project Description Water demand has increased at more than double the pace of population growth in the last century, and an increasing number of regions, particularly in arid regions, are approaching the limit of how long water services can be delivered sustainably. (UN WATER). Viewing the importance of water, Jordan is in high need of projects that assure the idea that water is life as it is the basic element of every living thing. The project is an educational tourism space that will preserve water by sharing awareness about the importance of water, while still offering the pleasure of enjoyment and entertainment as a viewpoint and attraction point in Jordan. The project will be a changing point to the country regarding this issue as it combines the two aspects water preservation and tourism under one umbrella as an attraction point for water awareness.

Water Preservation Center

Tourism Attraction Point

Exploration of Nature

The project will be connecting all different ages of people through different aspects of importance that will all lead to learning the worth of water. By which users aging from 18-40 would enjoy the beauty of the site, while the kids will be directed in an interactive educational journey as it will be creating a change in the future generations, regarding the issue of water. As a result, by the end of the journey of integrating the community with the process of water preservation, the users will value the importance of water from different aspects of usage.

Water Awareness

The preservation area will be divided into a consecutive journey for water, by which the harvesting rainwater and water recycling will result in providing potable water and irrigation water that will help a lot of agricultural areas around the site. The entire process of preserving water will be experienced by the visitors as it will offer an educational journey that ends by connecting the users with public agricultural areas. As the dams are already existing water sites that are occupied by the community as picnic areas by high percentages without being prepared and designed, the creation of such an attraction point, will increase the quality of the space as it will be designed according to the needs of users in outdoor public spaces as a tourist attraction point.

1.5.1

Why this Project? Introducing the importance of water and the problems that result from the low percentage of water resources in Jordan will be presented and discussed throughout the project. The project will solve the following problematic actions through sharing awareness regarding the aspect of water.

1- Water Scarcity Water scarcity and aridity are happening in dams because of low percentage of rainfall and lack of other clean resources of water. 2- Miss-use of water spots as an entertainment location. Locations around the dams are unorganized and not prepared for users to visit safely, as well as a lot of drowning cases and accidents were experienced repeatedly around different dams. 3- Lack of Edu-Tourism Lack of projects that connect the idea of preservation center and tourism. 4- Aimless Tourism Unfortunately, lately tourism is starting to become aimless and without a main goal. 5- Family-friendly Environment Lack of parks and locations that are family oriented. (Diverse in orientation of users) 6- Desertification Desertification is an issue of global concern that is caused by complex interactions among physical, biological, political, social, cultural, and economic factors, and they are also interrelated with social problems such as poverty, poor health and nutrition, food insecurity and others. 10

1.5.2

Literature Review Water is a Basic Human Need. Without water survival is not possible. Every day, 2.1 billion people still wake up each morning without access to clean water. This means that millions of vulnerable families around the world do not drink, cook, or bathe with clean water. For most rural schools and communities, access to clean water depends on outside NGOs (non-profit organizations) purchasing or “giving” a well. However, there are millions of schools and communities that do not have access to non-profit agencies or local government support. We must then ask ourselves: “How can we make water available for all?” Something must be done. (WHOlives, 2021)

Figure 2: 14 Dams located in Jordan (Ministry of Water & Irrigation)

Jordan does not possess rivers in the world-wide known scale, except the Jordan River which used to discharge around 1400MCM/year into the Dead Sea, even though this river is very small source compared with international rivers like Nile, water resources are a bit varied yet limited in Jordan as some are found in the Yarmouk and Zarqa rivers and in wadis, in addition to flood flow and rainfall that is collected between mountains as Dams. Dams located in Jordan are divided into 2 main categories; dams that has a natural filtration system creating a potable water or dams that are socially active and pointed to as a recreational ecosystem.

The construction of dams came to gain benefit from the flow of rainwater in the valleys, in a country that ranks 172 out of 180 countries in the rate of rainfall, the majority of which is lost in evaporation. Of the total fourteen dams in Jordan, there are only three of them whose water is considered directly safe to drink, AlWahda, Al-Wala and Al-Mujib dams. This is due to the nature of the collected water, the salinity ratios, and the floor of the water course as well, which leads to the natural filtration system of water. Figure 3: Water Storage in Dams. (Water Scarcity and Sustainable Water Solutions in Jordan)

Jordans’ need of water is all based on the low water savings in governates, orienting the water management to the usage of water store management in most of the areas and locations of water.

Groundwater represents a major store of water. The global groundwater resource is estimated at around 23,400,000 billion cubic metres (Oki and Kanae, 2006). Water can be stored in soils in the landscape. Soils play an important role in the rainfall– runoff response of a catchment. Globally, the total volumes of water stored within soils are small compared with other natural terrestrial stores. Human-made storage has been developed to play a key role in water management. As human needs have extended beyond that which nature has been able to provide, humans have constructed a broad variety of water retention structures at a variety of scales. Since 1950, humans have constructed more than 57,000 large dams globally (ICOLD, 2017). Human-made reservoirs now cover approximately 0.26 Mkm2 (Global land area, 2016) 12

1.6.1

Goals 1

Reviving water spots is Jordan.

2 Desiging a project that points out the importance of water as an attraction point. 3 Engaging the community with water facilities. 4 Preservation of water and the natural environment. 5 Educating & awaring the comunity about the values of water 6 Creating an interactive relationship between the user and the ecosystem, through learning the water values. 7 Highlighting the importance of water resources in Jordan as political, communal, and atom of life.

1.6.2

Objectives 1

The project will be divided into consecutive parts that will be connected through an experiential journey that would be part of the water procedure of preserving water.

2 The designed view-ports and landscape will point out the importance of viewing the seasonal differences in the nature that is located around the dam. 3 The floating architecture will be part of presenting the seasonal views of the project. 4 The projects ecosystem will be the heart of the dam and the lungs of Jordan. 5 Combing the architecture with the natural ecosystem will restore the wildlife and create a green infrastructure that will be part of the natural environment. 6 The architecture, material, landscape, and the whole infrastructure will create a positive impact on the climate change specifically in Jordan. 7 The whole compositional complex will be the starting point of creating a green environment and growth. 8 Part of the project will be a water harvesting system that would raise rainwater storage in the dams by over 25%. 14

1.6.3

Project Aims Water

Preserve and protect water resources in Jordan. Introducing Jordan as one of the countries that reuse and recycle the wasted water. Representing water resources as a changing point, to re-assign such projects, as a modular unit, on similar locations. Tackling the global epidemic of water scarcity and creating a positive impact on the world by sharing awareness and restoring water. Generating energy through water pressure over dams as a hydro-power system project. Limit the complications of the climate change and benefit Jordan from using the wasted rainwater in different aspects.

Exploration Nourishing tourism in Jordan, leading to better economic life. Raising the rate of tourism in Jordan through presenting the importance of these phenomenon locations. (Around water resources) Offering a safe place that attracts the community to interact with such project. Achieving social and environmental sustainability. Assessing water-tourism as one of the main tourism aspects Jordan. Through this project people will be able to feel the climatic change that occur through seasons by experiencing the project. 16

1.7

Project Aspects

Ecological

Economical

Water Preservation

Technological

Energy Generation

Awareness

Social

1.8

Region Selection Regional selection of the site is based on the amount of rainfall in Jordan. As presented in the figure below, the climatic aspects are based on the rainfall configuration that presents the rainfall as it is distributed in Jordan. As it was referenced in Quest for Quality, Dr. Kamel Mahadin, Jordan's land is classified as being within the Mediterranean climate system of northern Arabia, where it lies in the eastern coastal zone of the Mediterranean which includes Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Northern Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait. This region experiences sporadic rainfall. Based on the water rainfall and all the water resources in Jordan, and after asking the Ministry of water and Irrigation, a project that would share awareness, restore water, and act as a water tourism center is would best be located near dams, as these water infrastructures would elevate the usage the of the phenomenon locations.

Figure 4: Jordans’ Rainfall (Ministry of Water and Irrigation 2001)

Iraq

Syria

Palestine

Iraq

Saudi Arabia Jordan

Figure 5: Water Resources in Jordan (Illustrated by Author)

1.9

Site Selection King Talal Dam Connected to Al-Zarqa River, and it connects between Jerash and Al-Salt Jordan

Walah Dam Located in the governate of Madaba

Jordan

Mujib Dam Connects between the boarders of 3 cities: Amman, Madaba and Karak. Jordan

Figure 6: Main Water Dams in Jordan (Illustrated by Author)

The selection criteria is based on the 4 main aspects of the project as they are presented: 22

sustainable, ecological, economic, and social aspects.

1.10

Why this Site?

Mujib Dam Mujib Dam is located in Wadi Mujib, between the cities of Madaba and Karak, in the Madaba Governorate of Jordan. Its communal and social aspect of the site location would also be a reason in collecting more visitors to the center.

Chapter II Site Analysis

2.1 Macro Analysis 2.2

101

Strata

Selected Site 2.3 Micro Analysis

101

2.1.1

2.1.2

2.1.3

2.1.4

Region Definition

Water Flow

Accessibility

Connections

Macro Analysis

2.1

2.1.5

2.1.6

2.1.7

2.1.8

2.1.9

2.1.10

Context

Vegetation

Climate

Rainfall

Landscape Region

Topography

Mujeb Sub-District Karak, Jordan.

2.1.1

Jordan.

Region Definition

Jordan is an Arab country located in Western Asia, precisely in the Middle East. Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, and Palestine. The Dead Sea is located along its western borders as one of the countries high touristic spots. Jordan is a semiarid country, covering an area of 89,342 km2, that is populated with 10 million residents. (Encyclopedia of World Geography, 2016) Syria

Palestine

Iraq

Saudi Arabia Jordan

101

Strata

Dead Sea

Wadi Mujib Mujib Dam

Mujib Biosphere Reserve Mujeb Sub-District Karak, Jordan.

2.1.2

Water Flow

Mujib Dam is located in Jordan, with in Wadi Al Mujib, south of Madaba and north of Al Karak. It is mostly used for irrigation. It's a composite dam with clay core rockfill (CCR) sections at both abutments and a roller-compacted concrete (RCC) center section. The concrete mass is 67 meters high and 466 meters long, is with a volume of 660,590 m3. The CCR sections are built on mudstone and limestone, while the RCC sections are built on limestone. (Jordan Valley Authority, 2014) Geo-Technical Engineering

Irrigation

Hydrology & Floods Dams

Water Transfer & pumping Station

101

Strata

Dhiban

2.1.3

Kings Hway

Accessiblity

Mujibs main access point is through Kings High way, that designed over the dams' bridge, creating a connection between the two governorates of Madaba and Karak. Mujib dam is also accessible by pedestrians through the walking trail in wadi Mujib.

Wadi Mujib Main Highway St. Secondary St. Water Flow

AlMughayer

2.1.4

Dead Sea

Governorates

Mujib Dam location is unique as it lies between three cities of Amman, Madaba, and Karak. This uniqueness increases the importance of this site also politically. Another aspect that elevated the importance of the sites' location, is the sites connectivity to the Dead sea through the walking trail of wadi Mujib.

Madaba Amman

Karak

101

Strata

Dhiban

2.1.5

Context

Wadi Mujib

Wadi Mujib Trail View points Restuarants Hotel Water Flow

AlMughayer

2.1.6

Vegetation

Mujibs' vegetation is part of a larger ecological context, most of the vegetation is concentrated around the water canals, as well as some distributed greenery spots. One of the main large natural parks is located between the site and the dead sea, Mujib Biosphere Reserve identifies the importance of greenery within the context.

101

Strata

2.1.7

Climate

Jordan's land is classified as being within the Mediterranean climate system of northern Arabia, where it lies in the eastern coastal zone of the Mediterranean which includes Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Northern Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait. This region experiences sporadic rainfall. (Gaisma, 2021) November June Solstice December Solstice Annual Variation Sunset

2.1.8

Rainfall

Jordans' Rainfall is directed into levels according to water concentration of rain. The site is located in an area by which the yearly annual rainfall goes between 200-300 millimeters. (Ministry of Water and Irrigation 2001)

101

Strata

2.1.9

Landscape Region

The landscape regions of Jordan are linked to the geological land formation and climatic characteristics of rainfall , where a relation between the mountainous region with the semi-arid zone, the Steppe region with the arid zone, and the Hamada region and the Jordan Valley are Saharan Med. The site is located in the Jordan Valley region. (Quest for quality, 2006) Mountainous Region Jordan Valley Steppe Region

2.1.10

Topography

Topographically wadi Al-Mujib district has a maximum elevation of 1267m below sea level which is located in the southern east and southern west of the basin. The lowest elevation decline to - 425 m which is located in the western part of the basin at its outlet, the Dead Sea. As it is the lowest point on land. (Topographic Position Index, 2019)

101

Strata

101

Strata

Site Selection 2.2

101

Strata

2.3.1

2.3.2

2.3.3

2.3.4

Historical Identity

Accessibility

Topography

Climate

Micro Analysis

2.3

2.3.5

2.3.6

2.3.7

Water Feature

Vegetation

Sensory

101

Strata

2.3.1

Historical Identity

The Mujib Dam is located about 80 km south of the capital Amman, on Wadi Mujib, where the construction of the dam was started on 01/28/1999, and the dam was finally received and storage began on (22/11/2003). The body of the dam consists of rolled concrete in the middle and shoulders of heterogeneous aggregates, with a length of (765) meters and a height of (62) meters, at a level of (200.25) meters above sea level, and a spillway for the drainage of flood waters with a width of (300) meters and a level of (194) meters above sea level with a drainage capacity (5893) m3/s. The storage capacity is (29.8) m3 at the highest level of storage, and the area of the dam lake is (1.6) km2 and the area of the basin is (4380) km2. (Ministry of water and irrigation, 2019) 46

2.3.2

Accessiblity

The proposed site is the closest point to accessible roads, which connects the site easily with the surrounding context. The site is accessible through main roads, primary streets, and pedestrian paths.

2.3.3

Topography

The topography of the site presents a steep mountain, with a 100 meters elevation difference across a 200 meters.

Selected Site Highway St. Secondary St. Collected Water

2.3.4

Climate

2.3.5

Water Feature

The highest capacity level within the dam water collector is around 29.8 cubic meters, classifying the dam as one of the biggest dams in Jordan.

2.3.6

Vegetaion

The vegetation and greenery located within the boarders of the site tend to be deciduous tree as they change seasonally accordingly with the waters' level.

Greenery Selected Site Highway St. Secondary St. Collected Water

2.3.7

Sensory

Sensory is divided into positive & negative view as well as noises. The sites' best view is located with the highest exposure of visual access to water and mountains. The negative noises are located from the highway street based on the high level of traffic in some occasional seasons.

Chapter III Precedent Studies

3.1 Conservation Center 3.2

101

Strata

Water Recycling System 3.3 Tourism Sites

101

Strata

Project Genre

Location

Architect

Area

Water Management & conservation Museum

Lishui, China.

Tiantian Xu DnA

6746 m²

Water Conservancy 3.1 Center https://www.archdaily.com/941799/water-conservancy-center-dna? ad_source=myarchdaily&ad_medium=bookmark-show&ad_content=current-user

Year 2019

3.1

Why this Case? The Water Conservancy Center, located in the southwest of Baisha lake dam and power station out of county urban center, was originally planned as county water facilities management center. The project was reprogrammed into a hydro-logical park to provide cultural and leisure services for Songyin River Green Belt.

The monitoring center will be open by appointment to visitors and local schools as part of education program.

The cluster of building volumes intersects with the water park on ground level to create a series of water courtyards. Passages on water surface adjusting to the topography as either micro dams or covered bridges will reproduce the spatial experience of various elements of Songyang water conservancy.

Adminstration

Catering Area

Adminstration

Exhibition Area

Water Conservancy Area

Theater

3.1

MultiFunctional Room

Program

The interior and exterior of the volume are further interacted into a structure to accommodate both indoor programmatic space and outdoor activity surfaces. Amphitheaters to provide surfaces for outdoor activities, and walkways to the roof gardens and viewing terraces, bringing a spatial identity to the interior. 58

3.1 Conclusion Providing a connecting and interacting platform between urban center & rural villages would through the intersection of water parks with architectural buildings creating water courtyards for the environment. 60

101

Strata

Project Genre

Location

Architect

Area

Water Recycling Purification Center

Muttenz, Switzerland.

Oppenheim Architecture

1850 m²

Muttenz Water Purification Plant

3.2

https://www.archdaily.com/918824/muttenz-water-purification-plant-oppenheimarchitecture-plus-design

Year 2017

3.2

Why this Case? The plant is a model of sustainability, extremely sensitive to its contrasting setting near the Rhine riverfront. Settled between the protected forest and the nearby industrial parks, the project exhibits an educational area to explain the complex purification process in such a stressed environment.

The Purification plant is more like educating the users how to combine between industry and nature.

Education

Industry

Nature

The unique and important function of the drinking water treatment plant is to create a new landmark for the town of Muttenz and the Basel area. The role of the architecture is to link the state-of-the-art technology with the natural ecosystem and to emphasize the importance of the purification process.

The Concept The building sits inside a lush green forest next to the river Rhine. This contrasting context - the natural and the industrial - is expressed in the architectural concept. The drinking water purification plant houses a state of the art, 3-phased process, which will ensure the highest quality of water for the citizen of Muttenz. The engineering driven arrangement of the interior defines the form and the size of the building. Like a tight dress, the skin presses against it and reflects the technical inner life to the outside. Pipelines, filters, and apparatuses can be read through the façade in an abstract manner. The result is an expressive building, acting like an ‘objet trouvé’ in its natural context, reduced to its materiality and form.

Industry

Nature

A central open platform serves as a collection area and as a stage for the presentations. The alcove-like room is pure, open to the outside and sits on a pool of water, reflecting the daylight and collecting the rainwater pouring in from the roof. Depending on the time and season, the space can be moist, cold and mystical. Water can be experienced with all of the senses.

3.2

Conclusion

As the rainwater flows from the rood over the façade, it leaves a patina that allows moss growth, continuously changing the appearance of the plant and merging the façade with its context. This process creates a constant dialogue between the building and the landscape, leading to the idea that building with nature not on top of nature. 68

101

Strata

Project Genre

Location

Architect

Area

Hospitality Architecture, Hotels

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Wael Al-Masri Planners & Architects

230,000 m²

Mysk Al Badayer Retreat, Desert Camp 3.3

Year 2020

https://www.archdaily.com/971724/mysk-al-badayer-retreat-desert-camp-wael-almasri-planners-and-architect?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab? ad_source=myarchdaily&ad_medium=bookmark-show&ad_content=current-user

3.3

Why this Case? Mysk al Badayer Retreat in Sharjah is a striking hotel nestled between desert dunes. It had a comprehensive design approach.

This Retreat highlights the identity of AlBadayer area and encourages the enjoyment of its assets within a creative local contemporary narrative. It represents a new comprehensive approach in the development and implementation of urban, architectural, interior and landscape design.

Landscape design reflects desert oasis themes with wadi and aflaj features, palm groves and the use of native plants. These landscape features are inspired by local practices and evoke natural desert settings within the UAE, highlighting the preciousness of vegetation, and the beauty felt by its scarcity. Such cultural and environmental approach would hopefully raise awareness of sustainable local architecture and well-being in the delicate desert environment, especially in this age of cultural alienation, global warming and increasing desertification.

Master Plan

Masterplan

Main Axis

The project expresses a form of “Hybrid Identity” which draws inspirations from traditional architecture in the region, together with the careful use of modern planning systems, repetitive architectural forms, building technologies and features such as tensile fabrics and state of the art provisions for comfort, leisure and hospitality.

Diagrams

Main Entrance Axis

Buildings Orientation

Circulation

Built up Area

Positive Spaces

Main Central Tent

The Program Administration - Information - Services Mosque - Main Entrance Gate - Restaurant

3.3

Conclusion

As the project employs in its design a modular system based on a 3x3 meter module in all building components as well as landscaped courtyards, platforms and plazas, it can help in creating a continuous image that connects all the project parts together.. The geometric grid contrasts with the fluid nature of the surrounding desert dunes. The use of this simple and practical structural order has helped achieve a great variety of volumetric and spatial solutions that have contributed to the overall diversity and vitality of this project, within a notable sense of unity perceived through scale, repetitions, materials, details and colors, both externally and internally.

Chapter IV Program

4.1 Project Users 4.2

101

Strata

Main Zoning 4.3 Spatial Relations 4.4 Zoning on Site

101

Strata

Local Tourists

International Tourists

Family users (Adults + Kids) Teens Nature explorers Adventurers

Project 4.1 Users Learners

Researchers

School Students Undergraduates Post-graduates

Water Researchers Ecologists

101

Strata

101

Strata

Sequential Values Learn Explore Interact Change

Educational Zone

Exploration Zone

Educating the users the importance of water will act as an awareness concept by connecting the users minds through logic of studies and facts.

The need of exploring is directed toward the entertainment of users through out the project. The concept of awareness in this zone will connect to the users soul.

Main Zones

4.2

Interactive Communal Zone

The whole projects system will be divided throughout this zone, as it will let the user interact with the whole projects aspects and functions of water management. In this zone the user will be able to feel the concept of being part of water.

101

Strata

Creating an interaction between the community and the idea of the projects levels up the idea of sharing awareness in different perspectives.

Treatment Zone

4.2.1

Experiential Collage The users' main experience will be directed toward the idea of LEARNING the importance of water and its historical identity, afterward the user will start EXPLORING water in its different aspects and perspectives with other users in different forms, leading to the phase by which the user will INTERACT through a smart series of interactive communal activities that are dedicated for water, ending this journey with the concept of CHANGE by letting the user experience the functional phases of water retreat and water recycling.

Learn

Interact

Change

Explore

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Educational Zone

Strata

4.2.2

Main Spatial Relations Interactive Communal Zone Experimental Zone Water Recycling Zone

101 Water Museum The main goal of the spatial experience is to create a series of events that would help the user to interact with different parts of the project, creating a connection between the user and the context, by which s/he can visit the project more than once.

Spatial Zones Educational Zone Exploration Zone Interactive Communal Zone Water Treatment Zone Administrative Zone Entrance Zone

4.3

Spatial Zoning

Administration Zone

Exploration Zone

Entrance Zone

Educational Zone

Percentages of each zone: Educational Zone Exploration Zone Interactive Communal Zone Water Treatment Zone Administrative Zone Entrance Zone

21.5% 17.3% 17.2% 32.5% 6.5% 5%

Water Treatment Zone

Interactive Communal Zone

101

Strata

4.3.1

Library

Educational Zone Lecture Halls Auditorium

With a total area 1185 sq.m, the educational zone will be able to teach the users in direct and indirect ways through educating the users the importance of water through theoretical and experimental learning.

Conference Hall

Services Experimental Labs

Computer Labs

Walking Trail

4.3.2

Exploration Zone

Traditional Exhibition Hall Digital Exhibition Hall

Kiosks

Within 950 sq.m, the exploration zone will be able to take the user within a series of explorations through and within different kinds of exhibitions that will present to the user the benefits of water as a natural element.

Water Gallery Reception

Viewing Ports

Outdoor Area

Services

4.3.3

Activity Area Reception

Interactive Smart Platforms

Discussion Lobby

Community Harvesting Units

Restaurant

With a total area 945 sq.m, the Interactive Communal zone will be able to connect the users with each other through interactive activities by which their interaction with the water will create a connection between the users soul and the waters body.

Amphitheater

Kids Playgorund

Interactive Communal Zone

Services

Kiosks

Water Tanks

4.3.4

Treatment Zone

Reception

Sanitation Room

Water Harvesting Units

Water Testing Labs

Water Purification

Within this 1785 sq.m, the user will be part of changing the waters future as they will interact with all the water treatment phases, from recycling to packaging.

Cloud Generator Room

Services

Staff Offices

Waiting Area

Lobby

Reception

All managing and security aspects of the project will be fulfilled within the 355 sq.m that will be dedicated for the administrative zone.

Meeting Room

Kitchenette

Administrative Zone

ADM. Offices

4.3.5

Services

Mini-Bar

Welcoming Gallery Waiting Area

Public Event Space

Entrance Zone

Reception

Souvenir Shop

4.3.6

The entrance zone will be more of like a welcoming area, by which it will point out the importance of the project and the need of it in the country, only within 275 sq.m

Services

101

Strata

Educational Zone

Values Learn Explore

Administration Zone

Exploration Zone

Entrance Zone

Water Treatment Zone

Interact Change

Interactive Communal Zone

4.4

Overlapped Zoning Walking Trail

Water Gallery

Interactive Smart Platforms

Cloud Generator Room

Services

Discussion Lobby

Community Harvesting Units

Restaurant

Amphitheater

Kids Playgorund

Kiosks

Water Tanks Reception

Water Harvesting Units

Services

Activity Area Reception

Digital Exhibition Hall

Kiosks

Lobby

Services

Viewing Ports

Computer Labs

Sanitation Room

Water Purification

Waiting Area

Experimental Labs

Traditional Exhibition Hall

Reception

Auditorium

Reception

Conference Hall

Services

Water Testing Labs

Staff Offices

Lecture Halls

Outdoor Area

Services

Meeting Room

Reception

ADM. Offices

Public Event Space

Welcoming Gallery Waiting Area

Mini-Bar

Kitchenette

Souvenir Shop

Library

Services

4.4.1

Zoning on Site The built area of the project will be located on the highest point on the site, so it can overview the whole scene of the waters dam view.

Spatial Zones Educational Zone Exploration Zone Interactive Communal Zone Water Treatment Zone Administrative Zone Entrance Zone Figure 7: Proposed Site, Mujib Dam (Illustrated by Author)

102

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Chapter V Concept

5.1 Concept Statement 5.2

101

Strata

Concept Implementation 5.3 Spatial Timeline 5.4 Concept Details 5.5 Concept Drawings

5.1

Concept Statement Addressing the issue of water through designing an awareness environment that evokes the importance of water. Strata 101 is an awareness center that holds the idea of a water museum as a local and global concern. The museum integrates by showcasing four inclusive areas: water history and development, communal interaction, and experimentation. The integrated architecture exhibits the values of water as a sequence of phases that will lead the first step of change.

Interact

Change Learn Explore 106

5.2.1

Concept Implementation The main goal of a museum is to exhibit a specific element through out a loop that leads to a conclusion. In Strata 101, a main axis will be directed to connect the 4 main zones that will be exhibiting water.

Legend: Educational Zone Exploration Zone Water Treatment Zone Interactive Communal Zone Welcoming Area

5.2.2

Zoning on Site The distribution of masses is based on its integration with the site lines & forces, as they are also layered to create an outdoor interaction with the surrounding natural environment as an interactive system.

108

5.2.3

Conceptual Lines on Site Legend: Educational Zone Exploration Zone Water Treatment Zone Interactive Communal Zone Welcoming Area

5.2.4

Zoning on Site The distribution of the masses is based on the idea of visual and interactive connections, by which 3 different types of water view-ports will connect the 4 inclusive areas that will be showcasing water. The structure will be also part of exhibiting water, as it will be part of creating an interactive architectural design.

110

101

Strata

5.3

Spatial Timeline The integration of the 3 view-ports to showcase four inclusive areas: water history and development, communal interaction, and experimentation. Through out the users journey of learning the importance of water, he/she will be able to interact with the values of water from different aspects of concern.

112

5.4

Concept Details View-ports: 1- Historical Transition 2- Water Interaction 3- Interactive Communal Port

114

101

Strata

5.5

Conceptual Drawings Welcoming Area Educational Exploration Experimenting View-port Amphitheater Water Treatment Area 101 Statue Harvesting Communal View-port Interactive Communal Area

116

Refrences Water scarcity and sustainable water solutions in Jordan. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2021 Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Jordan Wadi (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2021 braham, E., & Berkenbusch, K. (2017). Estimated captures of New Zealand fur seal, New Zealand sea lion, common dolphin, and turtles in New Zealand commercial fisheries, 1995–96 to 2014–15. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/458671/30-dams-tobe-turned-into-tourism-destinations MISSION: Water Museums https://www.watermuseums.net/project/ Climate and average monthly weather in Amman (Amman Governorate), Jordan World - Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times https://www.gaisma.com/en/dir/001-continent.html

https://www.sisgeo.com/projects/dams/asia-eoceania/item/mujib-dam-jordan.html Modeling of groundwater flow for Mujib aquifer, Jordan https://www.researchgate.net/.../Modeling-ofgroundwater-flow-for-Mujib-aquifer-Jordan.pdf Agreement signed to remove Mujib Dam's sediments https://en.ammonnews.net/article/53944 https://www.archdaily.com/918824/muttenz-waterpurification-plant-oppenheim-architecture-plus-design https://www.archdaily.com/971724/mysk-al-badayerretreat-desert-camp-wael-al-masri-planners-andarchitect?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab? ad_source=myarchdaily&ad_medium=bookmarkshow&ad_content=current-user https://www.archdaily.com/941799/water-conservancycenter-dna? ad_source=myarchdaily&ad_medium=bookmarkshow&ad_content=current-user

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