Research and Case Study (Design I)

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“Our Home” Design Project: Phase1- Research | El.Ibyari

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Table of Content

I. Introduction and statement of purpose……………………………………………………………………………………………………....2

II. Local case study: Dar el Rehab Orphanage……………………………………………………………………………………………….....3

Context and surrounding……………………………………………………………………………………………………...……...3

Users’ profile and life style…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...5

Architectural analysis of the space…………………………………………………………………………………………………..10

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...16

III. International Case Study: SOS Children’s Village in Jordan……………………………………………………………………………….18

Context and surrounding……………………………………………………………………………………………………...……..18

Users’ profile………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....18

User’s life style…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....18

Architectural Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..21

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...……….....25

IV. Getting to know my user……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……....26

a. Second visit to Dar el Rehab Orphanage…………………………………………………………………………………...…………....26

b. Orphans’ Day…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...……..…27

V. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…30

VI. Architectural Programming………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….31

Human needs…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...……........31

Goals and objectives……………………………………………………………………………………………………...……....32

Context and surrounding…………………………………………………………………………………………………...……..33

Design criteria……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..38

Ergonomics………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..39

Activity Systems……………………………………………………………………………………………………………....…..40

Elements and solutions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………42

Space program sheet………………………………………………………………………………………………………………43

Customized spaces………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...47

Bubble diagram……………………………………………………………………………............................................................48

Zoning………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….49

Site: Sun and wind orientation………………………………………………………………………………………….…………50

Spatial analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……51

A brief on flexible architecture…………………………………………………………………………………………….………52

VII. Concept…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….55

The choice of user……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..55

Mood board 1: Exterior………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...57

Mood board 2: Outdoor spaces………………………………………………………………………………………………………...58

Mood board 3: Interior. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...59

VIII. References……………………………………………………………………………………………...............................................................60

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i. Introduction and Statement of Purpose

Orphans and orphanages raise a great debate in our society, as they are a big part of the Egyptian community. Young orphans may and

can create a better future for this nation if they are well raised exactly like the normal young children, so why aren’t they having the right amount

of attention as the normal children? Most of the orphanages in Egypt provide a shelter for orphans but they neglect their social needs. The

orphans are like any other child only needing more care therefore, orphanages should be aware that they are dealing with fragile sensitive

individuals; they should not only provide shelter for them, but they should provide a home, where they will feel loved secured and appreciated.

This research is investigating different types of orphanages, getting to know the orphans’ lifestyle, and their human needs (physical and

psychological), in order to attain the best design criteria of an architectural building that will serve as a home for the orphans and hopefully will

fill that gap that they have in their lives.

The main purpose of “Our Home” project is to address the common issues found in the orphanages in Egypt. Creating a new sense of

orphanages, a home for the children where they feel secure, loved and appreciated. “Our Home” orphanage will be designed to be a landmark,

capturing people’s attention to the orphanage problem in Egypt, helping the orphans to be engaged in the society and to be cherished. The

community where “Our Home” will be built will learn to appreciate and support orphanages and orphans as the orphanage will have its fund by

providing high quality services to its community not by taking donations. Therefore, the orphans in this orphanage will be by time accepted in

their society which will make it easier for them to grow up in a healthy way, and to face the outer world on their own with less fear like any

other child having parents to support him. The design will be customized to the 14 girls of Dar- el Rehab Orphanage, giving each girl the space

that she needs to help her grow up into a successful person, not only that but it will also have a flexible plan to change according to their needs in

the future as they grow up, and to accommodate more people so that the ongoing cycle of this orphanage will continue.

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ii. Case Study 1: Dar el Rehab

Location: 19 Abl el Hafez ahmed St. Nasr City.

Context and Surrounding

Dar el Rehab

Orphanage

Side Streets

Central garden,

not well

reserved

Surrounded by

residential buildings

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The orphanage is surrounded by residential buildings. Right next to the orphanage there is an empty space which is used as car parking/ garbage dumping.

Dar el Rehab,

Ground floor

apartment.

Dar el Rehab

right facade

Fence of the out

the outdoor area

The two ground floor

level apartments

belong to the

orphanage.

Entrance of Dar el rehab orphanage/

apartment building. Wide entrance nicely

decorated and gives the feeling of home

and coziness.

Perpendicular to the street of Dar El

Rehab, there is this central garden,

which is obviously not well kept,

therefore it is not used.

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Users’ Profile

Number of children: 14 girls. Age: 9-10 years old.

All the girls go to the same school, which is close to the orphanage. They go to school by the school bus.

Number of surrogate mothers: 4 mothers/ nannies, and one main mother who is also the owner of the orphanage but she does not spend the night at the orphanage.

Users’ life style

Door leading to

the outdoor area

There are usually three girls sharing one bedroom.

The bedroom is where the girls spend most of their

time; they sleep, nap, play and even study because it

contains two desks.

Most of the bedrooms are overlooking the private

outdoor area, which gives privacy to the rooms.

Study desks

#1

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Door leading to the

outdoor area

This detail of the dining

room/study room is showing the

problem in circulation: for those

who are sitting in these chairs

they will be squeezed between

the wall and the table with no

room to move, and this applies to

all four tables in the room which

means that eight girls will be

sitting uncomfortably while they

eat or study.

Study room/ dining area, where the

girls and the surrogate mothers eat

all the essential three meals of the

day, the girls also use this space for

studying. The space is too crowded

compared to the number of users

therefore the furniture arrangement

is uncomfortable also creating a

problem in circulation.

#2

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The steps at the end of

the corridor

Single loaded corridor leading to the

living room. (Where the kids enjoy

running back and forth, but it is not

safe for them because it starts with

two steps and ends with two steps, so

they can easily fall or trip)

The living room, where the girls are allowed to

play and watch TV. It is also a place of leisure

for the surrogate mother, when the girls are

working on their homework or in school, the

surrogate mothers spend their time here,

watching TV and resting.

#3

#4 #5

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.

The kitchen where all the cooking takes place.

Usually the surrogate mothers cook, and

sometimes the kids participate. The area of

the kitchen is too small for the four surrogate

mothers especially if the girls are participating

in the cooking.

The very organized food storage

room, where they keep track of

each item going in or out, and

setting dates for everything.

Office room, used as

storage room.

#

6 #7

#8

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.

The reception area, used to

receive guests visiting the

orphanage also as a main office

for the owner but rarely used by

the kids

The outdoor area, not shaded, and

rarely used by the kids because it

is not shaded and not safe because

of the ceramic tiles floor.

#9 #10

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Architectural Analysis

Single bed: 110x190cm. The bed size is

appropriate, but there is not enough space

between the beds for circulation in this

room. Window height is also appropriate

for the age of the girls, because they can

look outside of the window and still have

their privacy because the windows are

overlooking the outdoor area of the house.

Study desks: 50x80cm. The size

of the desks is appropriate for the

age of the girls, but a couple of

years later it will be too small for

them.

Closets size: 2x90cm width, depth

100m, height 200cm. The closet has

enough room for the two girls’ cloths,

but the upper shelves are too high for

the girls to reach, therefore they are

used for storage.

Dining tables: 75x120. Dining

table’s size does not go with the

size of the room, the room is

crowded.

Furniture

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Ventilation, Natural Light and Circulation Plan

The Kitchen has cross

ventilation, no smell is going

inwards.

The Bedrooms are placed on

the Southern side of the

house, which is bad

ventilation wise, and also

they will have direct sunlight

as there are no louvers on the

windows.

Major drawback: the living

room has no windows,

therefore it is not well

ventilated and there is no

natural light going in.

Sun

Orientation

N

Northern Wind

Direction

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Zoning Diagrams

The combined spaces in the relationship diagram

demonstrates the relation between the facilities and

the other aspects of the house.

Zoning diagram indicating the circulation between

the different aspects of the house

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Bubble Diagram

1. There is a strong relation between the kitchen and the

food storage room, but they are too far from each

other.

2. The bathroom near the children’s bedroom is also

used by the guests: There should be a bathroom near

the reception area (Cross Circulation between guests

and children in this area is not acceptable).

3. The kitchen is almost in-front of the entrance area,

which is not a good place for it, it should be more

sheltered.

4. There is a buffer zone between the entrance and the

children’s room, which is the space leading to the

office room and the dining room (view plan).

5. The living room area is very far from the entrance and

the reception area which gives it a good amount of

privacy.

6. The surrogate mothers’ bedroom is near the children’s

rooms which is a good thing, especially in the early

age of the kids.

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Space Program Sheet

Space: Bedrooms. Function: Sleeping, playing and studying.

Molecular activity: Each girl has her own bed, 3 girls in a room. The space between the

beds is used for playing. They sit on the ground and play. The desks are placed facing the

wall, for studying.

Who?

The children, usually three girls, but in playing time they gather in larger groups. The

surrogate mothers drop by for supervision

Spatial Relations: Direct access to the bathroom, dining room, living room and outdoor

area.

Environment Quality

Sufficient amount of natural light, because of the door leading to the outdoor area.

Well ventilated: Large window/door.

Private: overlooking the outdoor area of the house.

Space: Kitchen Function: cooking

Molecular activity: every day the surrogate mothers cook the three meals for the children in

this kitchen.

Who? Four surrogate mothers.

Spatial Relations:

Direct relation to the dining room and the bathroom

Environment Quality:

Well ventilated : cross ventilation

Natural light from the two windows

Space: Living room. Function: spending the leisure time/resting/socializing.

Molecular activity:

The girls spend their free time in the living room, watching TV or playing. They also get the

chance to sit all together with the surrogate mothers and socialize.

Who?

The 11 girls and 4 surrogate mothers.

Spatial relations:

Direct relation to the bedrooms and the bathroom

Environment Quality:

The room has no windows. Not well ventilated .No natural light coming in.

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Spatial Percentages of different project components Spatial Relation Matrix

Conclusion:

Bedrooms

Bathrooms

reception/office area Kitchen

Outdoor Area

Living room

Storage

The reception area is too big compared to the area of the

house, also because it is not used.

The bathroom area is too small compared to the number of

users and the space.

The outdoor area is appropriate in size, but it is not well

used.

Indirect Relation

Direct Relation

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Advantages Disadvantages

Given the relatively small number of children, the owner of the place

is considered the mother, and the surrogate mothers are like nannies,

therefore there is an atmosphere of a family and warmth in the place.

The children are feeling more secure, knowing that this is their

permanent home.

The location of the orphanage is near their school.

The orphanage does not have any means of transportation, and its location

does not provide any walking distance sporting clubs or any outdoor

facilities, that is why the children are isolated from the society, because the

only time they get in contact with the outer world is when they go to

school or when they go to trips, which does not happen frequently because

of the problem of transportation.

The plan of the apartment is divided into two levels, which is dangerous

for the children, who are running and playing all the time. Also this

division makes some places of the house not well used such as the

reception area. (view plan)

The outdoor area in the place is not well used at all because the floor is all

covered by ceramic tiles so it is not safe for the young children who fall all

the time, it is also not shaded so it is hard to go out in the day light.

The dining room/study room is very small compared to the number of

children.

Some girls have early signs of talents such as drawing, but unfortunately

the space does not have any facilities that could help them develop or

discover these talents.

The furniture colors and walls do not suit young children.

Ex: furniture color of the living room, not appealing for children.

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Solutions Plan Adjusted

Turn the large outdoor area into garden with shaded seating areas, this will

provide a pleasant outdoor space for the children to play, and also a nice

view for their bedrooms as most of the bedrooms are overlooking this

outdoor space.

Make all the apartment one level.

The small office that is beside the dining room is barely used, therefore it

is better to make the office and the dining room a single large room. (view

plan).

The reception area is not used by the children because it contains the main

office, so if there was a separation between the reception and the office,

the reception can be a play room for the children, or a studio where they

will learn arts and develop their talents.

The children are isolated from the society therefore we should either

change their location near a sporting club, or use the opposite land that the

orphanage owns as a public garden for children, which will also provide

fund for the orphanage.

Fix the central garden of the area, and turn the garbage dumping space to a

garden, which will enhance the quality of the surrounding and will make

the orphanage appreciated by the community they live in.

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iii. International Case Study: SOS Children’s Village in Amman, Jordan

I chose this particular institution to base my international case study on because:

It is located in Jordan, which is an Arab country therefore most of the social and religious traditions that we have in Egypt will be

found there, as a result to that, they will be facing the same social constraints and advantages that I will be facing when designing.

SOS villages for orphans are international institutions that are found all over the world; they have specific design criteria and

they are known to be very successful.

Although SOS is a large institution and its projects are large scale projects, while my project is oriented towards a smaller number

of users, but SOS villages have managed to create the closest thing to a family life to her children, which is the main concern in

my design.

Most of its family houses are either one floor or two floors compact building which is what I am intending to do in my design.

Users’ profile

The SOS village is a shelter and home for a large number of children, varying in age groups.

Each house accommodates around 9 children, boys and girls and different age groups.

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The theatre building,

where they have all sorts

of entertainment for their

closed society

Outdoor stage/

roman theatre.

Children’s school, where

they spend most of their day

under the supervision of their

teachers and also under the

supervision of a psychiatric.

Example of the

landscape/ vegetation in

the site.

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Example of a two

story height family

house. Entrance of the

family house.

Children from different

age groups and genders

(one family), watching TV

in the living room area.

Shows the bond in the

family life.

A surrogate mother

sitting with her children

on the dining room table,

helping them with their

homework.

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Architectural Analysis

Context and surrounding:

SOS village is located in Amman, Jordan. It is

a very large piece of land, where there are 12 small

family houses (one floor houses or two floors

depending on the number of children and their age)

in a large landscape, each house containing

approximately eight-nine children (brothers and

sisters) and one surrogate mother. The village has

all the facility needed for this community to stand

on its own: Sports facilities, educational facilities

and entertainment theatre. Around the children’s

village, there are the houses of youth, where the

SOS youth move into, after they reach a certain age

(21 years old). In these houses, they learn to be

independent and engage in the society, while still

getting some help from the SOS village where they

grew up.

Sports Facilities

Typical Family

House

Main Gate

Services

building

Kindergarten

Guests and

Admin building

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Site Zoning

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Plan analysis for a typical two floors family building (two families share this house):

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One building shared by two families, Each family has its own private area (appartement) containing:

4 bedrooms.

4 bathrooms.

One living room/ dining room.

A small storage room.

And each two families are overlooking the same outdoor area.

Zoning of an apartment plan for one family

Private area

Facilities/

Services

Garden

Indirect Relation

Direct Relation

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Conclusion

Advantages Disadvantages

Every child belongs to a family.

Every child grows with respect (children participate in making

decisions that affect their own lives), sense of security and sense of

belonging provided to him by his surrogate mother, his family and

the SOS community.

The space has all the facilities that it needs.

There is a fair amount of outdoor spaces and good vegetation.

SOS village contains encourages its children to develop all sorts of

talents though their theatre/ entertainment building, which helps in

shaping their future.

One building accommodating two families helps build an inside

community where each family enjoys the sense of having neighbors

that can help them out in time of need.

The SOS children’s village provides a closed community for the

children, which will make it harder for them to cope with the outer

world and be independent. This also does not face the problem that

orphans are not accepted in our in society and therefore are treated

equally to other children but with better circumstances.

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iv. Getting to Know My User

A. Second Visit to Dar el Rehab Orphanage

Our first visit to Dar el rehab was all about the architectural features of the orphanage also a bit informative about their lifestyle, as we went in a large

group (11 students) and we spent most of our time in examining the place and with the main surrogate mother who is also the owner (Mrs. Moshira). That is

why I had to visit the place for the second time to get to know more each and every girl. My friend and I, we went to the orphanage on a school day after they

had all finished their home-works, we spent some quality time with them, talked about all sorts of things and we even baked cookies. This experience helped

me to get familiar more of their physical and emotional needs.

Physical needs

Psychological needs

The girls have a lot of energy, that they need to express somehow,

there was a lot of running around in the place, jumping on beds,

and even going out (to the outdoor area) and in constantly. The

apartment has some short cuts, but the girls always seem to prefer

the longer way. From this, I noticed that the girls need a lot of

open space, they enjoy running around, so the inner space should

be safe and prepared for that.

Some of the girls tend to like sitting alone sometimes, as some of

them are very loud and others are more quite therefore there must

be a place where one can go and enjoy some personal space, and

this will be needed more and more as they grow up

They are isolated from their surrounding as they only feel

secure inside their home, and they are very naïve when it comes

to their experiences with the society and the outer world.

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B. Orphans’ Day

Location: Heliopolis Sporting Club in shorouk.

Number of orphanages who participated in that day: 3 orphanages.

Number of orphans: 50 children

Age of the children: 5-9 years old

FTP (For the People) organization held an orphans’ day on Friday 17th of September 2009. Their aim was to create a friendly atmosphere for the orphans,

and also to entertain them. There were all sorts of games for the children to enjoy: face painting, foot-ball matches, dancing, trampolines etc... This was a great

opportunity for me to get to know these children and try to imagine how they think and how they perceive the world around them in order to get more familiar with

their needs.

Informal Interviews

1.

Me: "Hi, would you like to draw something on your face?"

Child 1:" No, thank you"

Child 2 (running towards us after hearing me asking the first child):" Yes!"

Me:"What would you like to draw?"

Child 2: "Exactly like what is drawn on this box (referring to the colors box)"

Child 1(very enthusiastic, unlike the first time I asked him): "I want you to draw on

my face too!"

Me: "What would you like to draw?"

Child 1(pointing on his friend): "Exactly like what you drawn his face".

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2.

Me:"What is your favorite color?"

Child A:"I don't know"

Me (addressing child B):"what is your favorite color?"

Child B (after showing him all the colors and almost insisting that he

chooses one): "Green".

Child A (watching us): "Green !".

- Typical scenarios happened when they were supposed to choose a

game to play, or in their choice of their dinner.

Observation:

- Most of the children cling to what we give them so hard, such

as toys or snacks; they don't agree to share even if it's with us.

- Most of them want to take as many as they can even if they

don't need to have that much snacks, they only stop wanting

when they are not capable of carrying anymore. (Unlike children

in Dar el Rehab Orphanage)

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Conclusion:

From the informal interviews:

-The children do not seem to have clear statements about what they want or what they need. They are not used to be given a choice, or to decide

on their own. At first I thought that this was because of their young age, but when I interviewed other children in the same age but with better

circumstances, they knew what they exactly wanted, they had very clear statements about what they want to eat, play with, and even with whom

they would like to play and where.

From the observation of their behavior:

- The children were not feeling secure, therefore, they were trying to get as much as they can NOW because they do not trust tomorrow. Not

wanting to share and clinging to the materials rather than enjoying playing with it, also indicates the feeling of insecurity.

Psychological Problems indicated:

- Insecurity.

- Lack of personal space and sense of individually (not treated as individuals but as a group).

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v. Conclusion

Common Problems Noticed in Different Orphanages

Most of the orphanages do not provide a family life for the children, while this should be their main goal. As a result to that, the orphans do

not feel secure, and that gap form not having a parent to care for them still remains. The orphans are not treated as individuals when it comes to

their human needs; the orphanages do not consider the issue of personal space, which creates psychological problems for the children. The

orphans are rarely engaged in the society, they are not raised to be independent individuals who can face the outer world on their own and build

their own life. Most orphanages do not provide appropriate outdoor spaces for the children to enjoy the nature.

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vi. Architectural Programming

Human Needs Addressed in “Our Home” Design

The User: 20 girls (different age brackets) and 8 surrogate mothers.

Social interaction/ engaging in the society

Personal space and

personalization of spaces.

Shelter/ Home. Family life. Sense of security

and sense of belonging.

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Goals and Objectives

The main purpose of “Our Home” is to address psychological and physical needs observed in the orphanages visited and especially Dar-el

Rehab, because “Our Home” project will be a customized home/orphanage for these girls. It aims to fulfill their needs keeping a flexible plan to

change according to their changing needs, it will also allow for any future extension to allow the cycle of the orphanage to continue. “Our

Home” will be a landmark, capturing people’s attention to the orphanages problem in Egypt, it will also allow the people to appreciate and

accept orphanages and orphans in the society, as this project will be built on an empty piece of land that is a garbage dump, and it will have a

bakery/café attached to it, which will act as a funding project for the orphanage and it will also serve the need of the neighborhood. Therefore the

orphanage will not need any donations; moreover, it will act like a family business for the girls making them feel more secure about their future

and allowing them to interact with the society. Not only that, but also the community will appreciate the orphanage through the parking project

that the orphanage will provide, which will act as a secondary funding project. As a result, these girls will be prepared to be independent and

face the outer world on their own not being afraid from that rejection that they could face when dealing with the society. As for its architectural

features it will have outdoor gardens and open spaces that are also private providing a nice view, and allowing natural light and ventilation in the

spaces. It will also have personalized spaces for the girls, which will allow them to feel that sense of home and it will consider their need of

personal space encouraging each and every one of them to develop a unique character and strong personality which is one of the keys of having

a successful life.

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The Context and Surrounding

The chosen site

Area of the site = 880 m^2.

The parking project

(secondary funding) Zoning of the surrounding,

illustrating the relationship

between the main street, side

streets and central garden to

the site.

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This is the empty piece

of land where “Our

Home” project will

take place.

The land is surrounded by

residential buildings, and is

overlooking two side

streets (safe to cross)

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This area right beside the chosen site is where a

lot of cars park because there is shortage in

parking spaces in this neighborhood. But as you

can see the cars parking is all surrounded by

garbage and the area is not well equipped.

Therefore, this land will be transformed into a

multi story parking well equipped and will serve

as a secondary funding project for “Our Home”

and a service for the neighborhood which will

make the idea of an orphanage in the

neighborhood acceptable and appreciated.

Garbage dump and

parking space

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Potentials of the site:

It is right next to their home therefore, the girls will not feel the

emotional stress that can occur from leaving the home where they

were raised.

The girls will not have to change their school which they are

attached to.

By changing this piece of land (a garbage dump) into an

appealing architectural site where there is a lot of greenery the

orphanage will be appreciated by the community.

There is an empty land across the street that belongs to Dar el

Rehab which will be the funding project of the orphanage (bakery

and super-market [two things that the neighborhood does not

have, and need]).

The orphanage will take the responsibility of making a campaign

to encourage the people living in this neighborhood to fix the

large central garden. This will also help the orphans of “Our

Home” orphanage to be engaged in their society, and to take

actions rather than being passive about their less-fortunate life.

Good circulation of air, because the northern side of the land is

not blocked by any buildings, and the southern side too, so the air

can circulate freely and there will be a fair amount of natural light

to the space.

And since it is in the corner of two side streets and is overlooking

a large garden, the low rise building’s privacy will not be violated

by the high rise buildings surrounding it.

Having a parking on the other side will prevent the building of

any high rise building in that space, therefore the land has three

sides that are completely private.

The central garden

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Design Criteria

All bedrooms must have its own privacy and if possible a nice view and placed on the northern side of the site.

Bathrooms and kitchen should be placed in the southern side of the house.

Maximum use of spaces.

Engage the outdoor and indoor spaces.

Combine the fixed parts of the plan for maximum flexibility.

Use a simple grid to ensure the largest column span for flexibility.

Activities related to each other should be placed near each other, for example, dining room and kitchen.

Japanese partitions, instead of fixed walls if possible.

Ceiling higher than the usual, allowing/ expecting future expansions of building mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems in floor

and ceiling.

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Work table.

Dining table

Sleeping

Minimum spaces

between two

walls (corridor)

Ergonomics

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Activity Systems

Min Area of the kitchen = 14 m^2

Kitchenette, where the surrogate mothers will be

cooking along with the girls who are interested in

cooking. It can also contain a small dining table.

Min area for the kitchenette (max 3 users)=

2.5 m^2

Flexibility in Design

Dining room accommodating 20 users:

Min area= 40 m^2

Kitchen: The Main Kitchen

where the house Cook will be

cooking with the help of the

surrogate mothers or the staff.

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Bedrooms

Bathrooms

Bedroom for two

users.

Min area= 13 m^2

The arrangement of

furniture in this room gives

each person his/her privacy

because the beds are located

in opposite directions and

on different sides of the

room.

Bedroom for two, with

space for closets and

attached to a bathroom and

shower. Area of the

bedroom= 12.5 m^2

Area of the bedroom+

bathroom area= 22 m^2

Bedroom for two, each

having his/her separate

private place, thanks to

the partition wall in the

middle of the room.

Area= 14 m^2

(Flexible Design)

Bathroom with a sink and a

square shower.

Area= 3.2 m^2

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Elements and Solutions

Some of the features included in the orphanages:

Unusual building design (irregular skyline, different materials on the façade, the use of bold colors {view mood board}), different

from its surrounding to attain the goal of being a landmark.

Large garden and open space but in the same time private and sheltered so that the user will feel secure and their personal space will

not be violated.

It will have an outlet/ small project (ex: bakery, public library, gallery room etc…), that will provide fund for the place and will engage

it in the society. It will also make the girls feel that they have a family business, which will enhance the family bond between them and

their surrogate mothers. The girls will be engaged in a way or another in this business, so they will have a touch of reality and some

experience with the outer world that they will have to face shortly on their own.

It will have personalized spaces for each girl, or for each couple of girls, depending on their needs.

Natural ventilation, wind catchers, and cross ventilations, especially in the kitchen area.

Natural light in the rooms, while taking care not to violate the privacy of the spaces.

Privacy in the main façade (view mood board 1).

Roof garden (making use of all the spaces in the orphanage).

Multipurpose rooms for the best use of spaces (view mood board 3).

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Space Program Sheet

Space Function and

molecular activity

User Spatial Relations Environmental

Quality

Office (20 m^2)

Work space for the

owner and receives

guests.

The owner. Direct relation to the

entrance and the

bathroom, indirect

relation to the outdoor

area and the private

area.

Natural light, well

ventilated and overlooking

some greenery.

Dining room (40 m^2)

Eating breakfast, dinner

and supper.

The girls with their

surrogate mothers.

Direct relation to the

kitchen, the bathroom,

and the outdoor space.

Natural light, well

ventilated and overlooking

some greenery.

Kitchen ( 14 m^2)

Cooking for the entire

house.

The cook and

sometimes the surrogate

mothers.


food storage room and

the dining room. Having

one entrance from the

staff lobby and an outlet

to the dining room.

Cross ventilated.

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Kitchenette + small cook books library

(2.5 m^2)

Cooking snacks and

quick meals. It will also

help the 4 girls (Sherifa,

Shahinaz, Hend and

Noura) who showed an

interest in cooking

practice their hobby.

The girls with the

surrogate mothers.


living room and the

bathroom.

Well ventilated (southern

side of the house).

Living room

(min of 25 m^2)

Socializing, watching

TV, playing, resting and

relaxing.

The girls and the

surrogate mothers.


kitchenette, bathroom

and indirect to the

bedrooms.

Natural light and

ventilation. View on the

outdoor garden.

Library (30 m^2)

Reading, relaxing and

enjoying personal space.

The girls and the

surrogate mothers.


outdoor area and the

bathroom.

Natural light, spacious,

comfortable and has a nice

view.

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Arts and Crafts room

(18 m^2)

Learning arts and crafts,

developing talents.

(Mariam, Ashrakat and

Amal). Spending the

spare doing something

useful (small products)

and being creative.

The girls, arts and crafts

teachers.

Direct Relation to the

bathroom.

Well ventilated and

natural light.

Play room

(18 m^2)

Playing.

The younger sector of

the kids, under the

supervision of the

mothers.


bathroom and the

bedroom.

Cozy, safe, spacious.

Natural light and well

ventilated and overlooks

the roof garden.

Study Room

(20 m^2)

Studying (individual

and in groups)

The girls. Direct relation to the

bedroom.

Spacious and has a fair

amount of natural light.

The furniture arrangement

will allow personal space.

Movable light furniture

which will allow its easy

displacement to give them

the option if they want to

study in groups.

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Bedroom

(14 m^2)

Sleeping / playing, and

sometimes studying.

The girls and the

surrogate mothers.


bathroom.

Cozy, personalized and

spacious allowing personal

space. Natural light and

ventilation.

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The Customized Spaces

Kitchenette with a small cook books library for Sherifa, Shahinaz, Hend and Noura who are interested in cooking.

This will help them learn about cooking in depth and develop their hobby into something more useful for them in the

long run for example: opening their own restaurant.

Arts and crafts room for Mariam, Amal and Ashrakat, these three girls have a promising artistic talent all they need is

a well equipped space to work in and some professional guidance that they can have from the weekly art classes that

will be given to them in this room . Providing them with this unique space will encourage them to develop their talent

and encourage other girls to discover their talents too.

Ghada and Mai seem to have a quiet personality, and they enjoy having personal space, therefore, they will have

larger spaces in their bedrooms overlooking the roof garden, they can make use of the library and the main outdoor

area too, to reflect on their own thoughts and ideas and enjoy that personal space that they miss in their current home.

As for Sahar, she likes writing and reading; therefore in her bedroom she will have a special place for writing that has

a nice view to inspire her.

Sherifa and Ashrakat seem to have a very active personality, but unfortunately they have never played any sports, so I

could not specify which type of sport they would like or would excel in, but hopefully through the two funding

projects of the orphanage, the orphanage will be able to buy a bus that can transport the girls to the nearby club, which

is el Ahly club. Where they can play all sorts of sports. The design of the orphanage will have safe outdoor spaces that

will also help the girls to express this energy.

As for the other girls who did not show a special need for a certain space, they will have a chance to enjoy the other

facilities of the house (library, outdoor spaces, arts and crafts room, work at the bakery and go to the sporting club),

and will share the personalized spaces with their sisters, helping them to discover their talents and their unique needs.

And when they do, thanks to the flexible plan of the orphanage these needs can be fulfilled.

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Bubble Diagram (Three Floors Compact Building)

50


Zoning Diagram

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Sun Orientation

Site: Sun-wind orientation

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Spatial Relations Matrix Spatial Percentages

Bedrooms

Living Rooms

Kitchen and kitchenettes Bathrooms

Guests Area

Staff Area

The spaces with the largest percentage area

are: The bedrooms, the living rooms, the

outdoor gardens and the bathroom. For these

are among the most important components of

the orphanage, and will be used by large

number of users at the same time.

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A brief on Flexible Architecture

Leading architects:

Le Corbusier: in his book “Le Modulor”, Le Corbusier aimed to standardize n architectural unit, where it will be used in residential

buildings, and can be mass-produced he called this invention “L’Espri Nouveau”.

The Japanese Architect: Ikebe Kiyoshi

Kiyoshi’s aim was to create an architectural module based on the flexible nature of people’s lifestyles and social conditions.

His module was also based and related to mathematical equations as he believed that “mathematics is beauty”.

His module was also based on:

- The space needed for each person.

- The relation between people and objects.

- Emphasis on the complexity of the human nature.

- Freedom in design.

- The dimensions of the module was based on the human culture, need for space and activity.

The Creation of a Module System in Japan:

- A module based on the placement and the dimensions of the tatami mat.

- A module based on the distance between columns.

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Some of the Characteristics of flexible design:

1. Adaptable: Walls and partitions easy to move and reposition. Ex: Japanese houses

2. Open floor plan and free design: Ability to adapt to different users.

Sliding walls or partitions,

having the option to divide the

spaces and giving each space its

privacy while maintaining the

aesthetic value of the place.

Dining area, open on the

kitchen area open on the

outdoor area, giving the room

a spacious feeling, openness

and more natural light.

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3. Movable: repositionable structures can be used in the outdoor areas, creating an extra room for different purposes, or tearing down a

room to enjoy more outdoor spaces and open spaces.

4. Transformable: modular design, capable of adding or removing units, can also change form and color.

Ex: The University of Phoenix Stadium. Architects: Eisenman Architects.

5. Responsive: Can respond and adapt to different circumstances such as interaction, usage and occupation (The way we live, flexible

architecture).

Movable roof

Movable aluminum sheets(can

be rolled out) to allow more

sunlight

Living room, dining room

and library. The separation

between the spaces is

through the library book

shelves.

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vii. Concept

“Fulfillment through adaptation and flexibility”

“Our Home” is an orphanage where its habitants will enjoy family life and sense of security. The design of “Our Home” aims to satisfy

the users’ needs, taking into consideration that these needs will be changing over time therefore the plan will be a flexible plan. It will allow any

changes to happen to please the needs of the orphans, and encourage each one of them to develop a unique independent character by providing

her with personalized spaces and personal space. This project also aspires to engage orphans in the society: The funding of the project will be a

high quality service for the neighboring community, it will be a bakery attached to a grocery store and a multistory parking area as secondary

funding. When this community realizes that these orphans are useful to them and not a burden on the society they will start appreciating them

and respecting them. As a result to that, the orphans will be able to face this community with their head held high, feeling that they are needed,

appreciated and cared for. Therefore, these kids will not fear to face the outer world.

My users: 14 girls of Dar el Rehab, and I will add 6 infants to allow the continuity of my design, enhance sense of responsibility in the

older girls as they will be helping in raising these infants at a certain age and also provide a unique sense of sisterhood where to older girls will

take care of the younger ones, and the younger girls will give them back their love and appreciation.

Why did I choose the 14 girls of Dar-el Rehab in particular to base my design criteria on?

Since my mian design concept is to have a flexible plan that will change according to the needs of the users, it was better to have a

specific real life user whom I can access easily and frequently, to study their behavior closely, get to know them in person so that the plan of my

project with its fixed (constant) areas as well as its flexible (variable) areas all will be based on concrete information that I recieved from my

user. Bearing in mind that, they are not the only users of the space, and that there will be other new young users introduced to the place

therefore, some aspects in the plan will be generalized to please all users( for example the outdoor spaces and the privacy of the spaces) and to

allow this concept to be adapted by other orphanages in Egypt, creating a new generation of architecture and a new percpective of orphanages

and residential buildings.

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Family

Personal Space

Engaged in the society

Personalization of spaces

Sense of security

Plan

Flexible

Personalized

Fixed

Generalized

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The Exterior (Landmark, compact and private) Irregular skylines

A plan of a compact

residential building

Attractive/unusual

façade colors

Compact houses

Privacy in the façade overlooking

the main street (blocks of concrete,

less windows)

Different levels and

sloping roof slab.

Mood Board 1

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Outdoor Spaces (view, privacy, vegetation)

Make the best use of

spaces, by adding a

roof garden

Private gardens that are

also used as dining areas.

(making the best use of

spaces as it is a compact

design in an urban

context).

Mood Board 2

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Interiors (Personal Space, natural light, personalization and best use of spaces)

Personalized

working space

Personalized bedroom for two

children, a boy and a girl,

each half of the room has its

identity and still the space is

coherent

Natural light going in,

while respecting the

privacy of the space Family dining room

and storage area

Open space with

multi-functions

Making the best

use of spaces

Mood Board 3

Reading area

(personal space)

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viii. References

Art and decoration magazine .

Architectural Standard- Donald Watson- Time Saver Standard for Architectural Design.

Contemporist: www.contemporist.com

Japanese Touch for your House.

The Japan Architect Magazine.

Le Corbusier, Le Modular.

King, Jong- Jim . Associate Professor Ryan Brouwer. College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan. NEXT 21: A

Prototype Multi-Family Housing Complex.

SOS Children’s Village in Jordan: http://www.sosjor.org/

The way we live: Flexible Architecture: http://thewaywelive.wordpress.com/2007/11/15/flexibility-in-architecture/

Visited sites:

Dar El Rehab orphanage.

Dar el Sondos for disabled orphans.

Dar el Orman orphanage.

Dar el Obour orphanage.

http://www.contemporist.com/

http://www.sosjor.org/

http://thewaywelive.wordpress.com/2007/11/15/flexibility-in-architecture/

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Documents

Research and Case Study (Design I)