First published on April 15, 2020
As global headlines read 'temporary', 'pop-up', and 'transformation' of spaces, the use of schools has been the preference of many governmental agencies. The need for additional space became a major and critical demand in the fight against the new virus.
COVID-19 won't be the first time the schools of Kuwait were adapted in response to a crisis. Throughout history, schools have been successfully reimagined to meet multiple needs, from shelters to polling places.
Found in every neighborhood-unit, schools are a strategic and geographically diverse asset. Located in central junctions or at the outskirts, schools found in the neighborhood-units of Kuwait offset from dense residential blocks.
The immense care for safety in school designs transform the space into a controllable and supervised environment. Schools limit undesired movement, control access, and allow for a smooth flow of users. They are designed as a physical time schedule. Human experiences are timed, shaped, controlled, and tracked.
The variety and size of programs found in schools transform the structure into a self-contained entity capable of adapting to different demands seamlessly. With a range of dimensions, sufficient space is provided to host various activities and uses in gyms, fields, auditoriums, and halls. More specific programs provide grounds for critical requirements. Bathrooms, health clinics, dining halls, security posts, and religious spaces fulfill user needs and enhance their experience.
Last week, Kuwait's Cabinet of Ministers ordered the Ministry of Education to allocate schools to aid in the fight against COVID-19. Schools are being used to house cooperative society workers to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in co-ops. Another batch of buildings have been transformed into institutional quarantine facilities to house citizens abroad on their return. Other schools under the control of the Ministry of Interior are being used as deportation centers. At the time of writing, a joint effort by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Defense was announced to transform multiple schools into field hospitals at districts under total lockdown.
Beds and cabinets are being moved in.
Temporary walls set up.
Ventilators installed.
A movement of adaptive reuse has started.
Our schools present a vast opportunity. Their commonplace and prototypical design provide an adaptable infrastructure capable of tackling various issues.
Kuwait is in a race against time for space, and out schools are there to help.
Blog post by Abdullatif Al Barjas, Architect, B.Arch - MSc Architectural Design & Theory