Like a small city, the Dar Al Marefa school in Dubai spreads out in modular volumes set between streets and squares, encouraging discovery and learning. Using standardized components, the project of the Catalonian firm RCR – Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem, Ramon Vilalta – resembles a beehive.
The decorative pattern of the lattices unifies the premises, as do the pergolas that provide protection again solar radiation, which are scattered along the walkways, with steel structures covered by textile and wire meshes.
Besides classrooms and administrative areas, the 22,262-square-meter educational complex features a library, an auditorium, sports facilities, and other communal spaces. The program is organized in color-coded zones, addressing the needs of the 0-18 age range.