Architects Transform Sand and Rubble Into Schools for Syrian Refugees

There are an estimated 2 million Syrian refugee children across the globe, and over a million of them aren’t in school. While activists like Malala Yousafzai are doing their best to build schools in the region, sometimes the struggle is simply environmental. So a group of architects recently decided that they would design a series of highly durable schools made of out of local materials like sand and soil, and bring them to refugee camps in areas like Jordan, where the resources are few and the need, tremendous.

Image via Pixabay

Although the structures can be used for other purposes, including hospitals and housing, the Pilosio Building Peace Organization and two architects (Cameron Sinclair and Pouya Khazaeli) decided that they would experiment with building two schools, and placed them in Jordan. The project, known as RE:BUILD, won’t employ outside laborers for the project—but will instead hire local refugees who need meaningful employment the most. Sand isn’t just an ample resource but an excellent insulator, and the organization hopes they can build these edifices quickly, efficiently, and economically.

Many Syrian children have been out of school for years now, and nearly two-thirds are estimated to not have received any education. While RE:BUILD may not be a long-term solution, it’s a brilliantly adaptive short-term one, and a great opportunity for the region’s neglected, but hopeful, youth.

(Via: Archdaily)