Educational Spaces as Cultural and Civic Hubs in the Middle East: 7 Projects Redefining Public EngagementSave this picture!Issam Fares Institute American University of Beirut / Zaha Hadid Architects. Image Luke HayesEducation has long been a driving force in the Middle East, shaping knowledge, encouraging innovation, and strengthening cultural identity. In recent years, educational architecture in the region has expanded beyond its academic function, evolving into public gathering spaces and cultural hubs. These institutions are designed not only for learning but also for dialogue, research, and collaboration, often integrating open courtyards, multi-use public areas, and architectural elements that reflect local heritage. Whether through their physical openness, adaptability, or connection to the urban environment, these spaces reinforce the idea that universities and research centers are essential to civic life.This shift is visible in built projects across the region. In Lebanon, the Issam Fares Institute at AUB provides accessible spaces for research and policy discussions, while the Sheikh Nahyan Centre for Arabic Studies serves as an intellectual and cultural meeting point. In Saudi Arabia, KAUST and Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University integrate research, education, and public engagement within expansive campuses. In Jordan, the International Amman Academy creates a village-like environment that blends learning with outdoor public space. In Egypt, the Jameel Center in Downtown Cairo, originally part of the American University in Cairo, has been reactivated as part of the GrEEK Campus, a hub for technology and entrepreneurship. Together, these institutions demonstrate how educational spaces in the Middle East are evolving into centers for social, intellectual, and cultural exchange.Read on to discover how these institutions are redefining educational architecture in the Middle East. Related Article Spaces that Educate: The Role of Architectural Design on International Education Day Issam Fares Institute / Zaha Hadid Architects Hamra, LebanonSave this picture!The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at AUB, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, is a research and policy center that integrates into the university's campus. The building is designed to be accessible, with multiple entry points that connect it to key circulation routes, making it a natural part of the daily movement of students and faculty. One of its defining architectural features is the cantilevered structure, which reduces its footprint and creates a shaded courtyard beneath, functioning as an informal gathering space. The building's layout is open and interconnected, with research lounges, seminar rooms, and a reading area arranged to encourage interaction. The double-height entrance courtyard acts as an extension of the surrounding landscape, providing a covered public space for casual meetings and discussions. Inside, transparent partitions and open circulation routes promote visibility and engagement between different working areas. The 100-seat auditorium is positioned to allow for larger public events and lectures without disrupting the daily functions of the institute. Through its design, the building encourages a fluid exchange of ideas, using spatial openness and circulation to support its role as a hub for research, discussion, and policy development.Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University / Perkins & WillSaudi ArabiaSave this picture!Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU), designed by Perkins+Will in collaboration with Dar Al-Handasah, is the largest woman-only academic and cultural hub. It is designed exclusively for women's education and professional development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Serving 60,000 students, the campus integrates academic, medical, and recreational facilities along with a monorail system, creating a self-sufficient urban environment. Architecturally, the university incorporates regional design elements, such as mashrabiya-style latticework, which provides privacy while maintaining visibility in exterior spaces. The project was built as a fully realized master plan, ensuring all facilities were completed simultaneously rather than evolving over time. Beyond classrooms, the campus includes research centers, sports facilities, and gathering spaces, supporting both education and social interaction. Its design reflects a dedicated space for women's higher learning, creating both academic growth and public engagement within a structured and secure environment.IAA / Symbiosis Designs LTDAmman, JordanSave this picture!The International Amman Academy (IAA), designed by Symbiosis Designs, is organized as a "garden village" campus, integrating educational spaces with outdoor areas that encourage interaction. The layout consists of multiple buildings connected by open courtyards and gardens, rather than a single institutional block. The gardens are designed with thematic elements, ranging from playful areas for younger students to more reflective spaces for older students, creating different environments for gathering, movement, and learning outside the classroom. At the entrance, the administrative building includes an art gallery, providing a public-facing cultural space within the campus. A defining feature of the campus is the wind towers, which are integrated into the buildings to provide natural ventilation, daylight, and cooling. These towers also serve as visual markers, creating a rhythm across the school's skyline. Through its open circulation, public spaces, and layered architectural design, IAA acts as civic and cultural hubs, incorporating elements that extend beyond classrooms to create spaces for gathering, reflection, and cultural expression.The Abdul Latif Jameel Center / Dar Al-HandasahCairo, EgyptSave this picture!Save this picture!The Abdul Latif Jameel Center for Middle East Management Studies, designed by Dar Al-Handasah and completed in 1989, is an educational and cultural hub in Downtown Cairo. Originally built as part of the American University in Cairo (AUC), the center integrates modernist design with Mamluk architectural influences, featuring fair-faced concrete faades, wooden mashrabiyyas, and marble arches. These elements reference Cairo's historic architectural vocabulary while serving functional purposes, such as passive cooling and light control.Beyond its role in business education and management training, the Jameel Center has evolved into a key part of Cairo's innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Today, it is incorporated into the GrEEK Campus, a major technology and startup hub, extending its use beyond academia. Situated in the heart of Downtown Cairo, the center remains an active space for learning, collaboration, and cultural exchange, reflecting how educational buildings in the Middle East continue to adapt and serve broader societal needs.Gooyesh Institute / SATRAP Architectural StudioIsfahan, IranSave this picture!The Gooyesh Institute, designed by SATRAP Architectural Studio, is a multi-purpose educational and cultural hub that combines language training facilities with public gathering spaces. The four-story building, covering 918 square meters, houses classrooms, a library, administrative offices, an internet area, a bookstore, and a cafeteria, making it a space for both learning and social interaction. The faade design integrates Persian architectural references, featuring a 'Metal Amood' structure that wraps the building, creating a visual identity while filtering light and shadow throughout the day. The faade also incorporates engraved text, including educational quotes, reinforcing the institute's role as a space for knowledge exchange.Inside, the layout is designed for flexibility, with hybrid mechanical systems for climate control and intelligent energy management. The combination of educational functions, communal spaces, and an expressive architectural identity establishes the Gooyesh Institute as a gathering space that extends beyond its role as a language school, engaging with the urban environment and broader community.King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) / HOK Thuwal, Saudi ArabiaSave this picture!King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), designed by HOK, is a large-scale academic and research hub in Saudi Arabia that integrates educational, residential, and cultural functions. The campus and university town were planned together, providing facilities for students, faculty, and researchers in a connected environment. The main campus consists of ten buildings facing the Red Sea, housing administrative offices, student services, a library, a mosque, labs, and research centers. A coastal studies center is also part of the university's expansion.The architectural design incorporates passive cooling strategies, with large shaded walkways, perforated roofs, and fountains to regulate temperature. Open courtyards and circulation routes between buildings create gathering spaces, reinforcing KAUST as a place for both research and social interaction. The library and research buildings include open bridges and triple-height spaces, visually connecting different areas and encouraging collaboration. With its combination of academic, public, and residential spaces, KAUST is designed as an educational and cultural hub, supporting scientific research while integrating elements of traditional Middle Eastern architecture in a contemporary setting.Sheikh Nahyan Centre for Arabic Studies / Fouad Samara Architects Koura, LebanonSave this picture!The Sheikh Nahyan Centre for Arabic Studies and Intercultural Dialogue (CASID) at the University of Balamand, designed by Fouad Samara Architects, is a cultural and academic hub dedicated to intellectual exchange and research on Arabic heritage. Positioned on a sloping site with views of the campus, a walnut grove, and the Mediterranean Sea, the building is designed to be open and accessible from all sides, reinforcing its role as a platform for dialogue and learning. CASID follows the spatial logic of traditional Levantine courtyard buildings, but instead of enclosing itself, it integrates with the surrounding landscape. The eastern section is embedded into the terrain, reflecting traditional hillside construction, while the western section cantilevers out toward the campus, creating a prominent entrance. The rooftop serves as a public space, offering green areas and panoramic views. The use of local materials, such as rough shuttered concrete and honed basalt floors, connects the building to regional construction traditions, while aluminum sun baffles on the western faade reinterpret Arabesque patterns in a modern form. By combining educational spaces with public gathering areas, CASID functions as both a research institute and a cultural meeting point, supporting interdisciplinary exchange within the university and the broader community.This article is part of an ArchDaily curated series that focuses on built projects from our own database grouped under specific themes related to cities, typologies, materials, or programs. Every month, we will highlight a collection of structures that find a common thread between previously uncommon contexts, unpacking the depths of influence on our built environments. As always, at ArchDaily, we highly appreciate the input of our readers. If you think we should mention specific ideas, please submit your suggestions.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorNour FakharanyAuthorCite: Nour Fakharany. "Educational Spaces as Cultural and Civic Hubs in the Middle East: 7 Projects Redefining Public Engagement" 02 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027464/educational-spaces-as-cultural-and-civic-hubs-in-the-middle-east-7-projects-redefining-public-engagement&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream