The Idea

The old governorate building used to have a courtyard (200 sqm footprint area), so originally it was a building with a public space inside. What we propose is to turn it inside out: to keep all the walls, to keep the feeling of a big public space and to use the contour of the former courtyard as a construction site for the design center itself. 

As a result we get a tall building, which hosts the functional program, with a significant setback from the street, surrounded by a public space, mainly used for the design center activities, which is always open to the public. 2003 US invasion of Iraq. The site is currently underused, and have not been properly maintained. The competition site and the skin of the old building are now called Al-Multaqa (the meeting point), where people usually meet before heading to the crowded surrounding areas. 

The site is the old Baghdad Governorate Building in Al-Rusafa side of Baghdad (old Aling remains) due to the looting and the vandalism in the week that followed the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. 

The site is currently underused, and have not been properly maintained. The competition site and the skin of the old building are now called Al-Multaqa (the meeting point), where people usually meet before heading to the crowded surrounding areas.