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LIBYA MSALATA MEDICAL CITY, RESIDENTIAL PROJECT


Architectural& Interior Design

​Project: SOFA Studio of Architecture &Nesime Onel Architecture

Team:
 Nesime Onel,Aslı Ayvaz, Aysu Acar 

​Client:
 Rahma Group

Location:m;  Msalata   / Libya

Building Type: Residential &Hospitality

Construction Area:  35.000m2

Project Site Area:  124.690 m2

Year: 2022-2023

Status: Ongoing


 

The design of this residential community located near Msallata, Libya, outside Tripoli, was motivated by issues of topography, climate, light, geographical and cultural context, identity, and tectonic form. The settlement is divided into two discrete areas on either side of a ridge. Later on, a town center with commercial, entertainment, and religious facilities will be sited between the two areas. The larger, north-facing site accommodates 83-units in a series of detached and semi-detached low-rise buildings, while the southern site is comprised of four high rises.

The terraced, low-rise settlement blends harmoniously with the gently sloped site and draws on the phenomenological qualities of the region’s vernacular architecture. It was informed particularly by the ancient city of Ghadames, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its unique earthen brick houses and arcaded passageways that comprise its public spaces. Accordingly, open air, sun-protected corridors along the rear of the low-rise residential blocks connect the units with the common areas, pedestrian paths, driveways, and parking. The primary circulation is parallel to the slope, while a secondary pedestrian system of tiered parks spans from the ridge to the valley below.

The living areas of each unit face across and down the valley towards the view, and the buildings are slightly skewed with respect to each other to maintain privacy, which is prized in this devout, primarily Muslim country. Units have independent entrances and private courtyards or terraces. The muted tones and materials are congruent with local norms and the arid climate. The vaulted forms of the roof are not merely a visual echo of the vernacular but rather reduce the surface area of the roof exposed to the sun.

Modesty was key for the high-rise units, as well. The living areas of each unit as well as their deep, recessed balconies are oriented outwards, shielding them from public view. In the middle of the four buildings, a semi-public park shaded with palm trees connects the planned mixed-use town center with the entrances to the residential buildings and offers outdoor recreational facilities for residents of both the low and high rise areas.

On the whole, the design balances tradition, present-day Libyan lifestyles and mores, contemporary amenities, and the universal qualities of civilization and modern architecture to create a community that blends seamlessly with the social and physical landscape of the place.

The residential community is intended to house permanent and transient doctors, teachers, and staff of a planned 400.000 m² complex that includes a 400‑room regional hospital and rehabilitation center, a medical university, a boarding school for autistic children and youth, and a hotel. The facilities will serve a catchment area of more than 4 million people within a two-hour drive — more than half of Libya’s population.

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