Designed to embrace and re-interpret traditional visual themes of Syrian culture, the Massar Children’s Discovery Centre is built on the site of the old International Fairground in the centre of Damascus. Its site is the bed of the old Barada River, and the structure takes its inspiration from the Damask rose – creating a shell that allows for a dazzling display of light on the inner spaces.
Interior walkways are reminiscent of those the in old city of Damascus, with rooms on the ground floor forming a plateau rising from the old riverbed. A series of ramps and steps radiate from the central communal space, forming a web that interweaves the public plateau with the upper shell.
As part of the 170,000m2 Massar concept, the Discovery Centre has sustainability at its heart. The environmental strategy has been specifically designed to respond to the Mediterranean climate; solar panels gather summer’s energy to charge a ground heat store for use in the winter, with combined heat and power units minimising the overall heating demand.
The very materials from which the building is constructed have not only been selected in keeping with local availability and building traditions, but provide a further dimension to the energy strategy; clay plaster on internal surfaces has been specified as part of a breathable wall construction. Ventilation for the building’s exhibition areas and galleries will be produced by passing air through hollowcore slabs from the courtyard, while a ground cooling store system and an earth tube/labyrinth system also feature.
