Arieh Sharon - Architect : Planning in Developing Countries from 1960

Planning in Developing Countries from 1960 Galleries

Introduction : PREV 1 of 14 Next

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The greatest lesson was given to us by the Aztecs and Mayas' old towns, the perfect architectural example of an urban ensemble, where the pyramidical temples, piazzas and holy courtyards meet in such convincing synthesis of order and space relations. These are perhaps the world's best examples of comprehensive urban design.
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The main architectural problem of the proposed campus was whether we should have centralisation or dispersion. Reviewing trends abroad of other universities, we agreed with the professors that, in view of the local conditions and customs, and the site's topography and environment, the layout of the campus proper should be as compact as possible, while the halls of residence and staff quarters would be placed at some distance from the campus.
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We proposed to make the buildings self-protecting against the monsoon rain and the intensive sun and glare by cantilevering the floors one over another. The humanities building was designed accordingly as a series of reverse pyramids along a climatic and functional utility principle. The widest upper floors consisted of spacious lecture rooms, on the middle floors were the less spacious seminar rooms, and on the lowest floors were the offices and laboratories. This solution proved useful and efficient, because all the continuous openings protected by simply turning glass louvres are, de facto, open and they catch breezes along the whole elevation line. At the same time they are protected from sun and rain by the cantilevering terraces.
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While clearing the bush, we strove to preserve the wooded sites with their beautiful trees. We worked at first with hundreds of farmers and labourers, who understood our approach that trees should be saved. Then the contractors' bulldozers arrived, and alas, modern technology was in some places victorious over our architectural intentions. On the whole however, the university's natural landscape in and around the campus was saved and integrally connected with the new gardens and buildings.
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Pavilion Hospital 1967 : Prev 2 of 14 Next

Project for the Developing Countries

This hospital project, prepared for the developing countries, is elaborated along a standardized pavilion system. The design is based on the repetitive order of a typical pavilion, which, together with patios and pergolas, forms a regular square ward unit of 44 beds. The pavilion, with interior changes of partitions and installations, may also contain medical facilities, like operating theatres, X-ray departments or laboratories. The general layout may either be compact and dense (layout B) for hot and dry countries, or loose and dispersed (layout A) for hot and humid countries. The execution was planned for a conventional building system or for prefabricated building elements, mounted on locally prepared foundations.

Pavilion Hospital 1967

Health Centre - Kohn Kaen University, Thailand 1968 : Prev 3 of 14 Next

The basic pavilion plan for developing countries was adapted to a Health Centre for the Khon Kaen University in Thailand. Medical facilities and main wards are concentrated in a five-storey building surrounded by standard pavilions for pediatrics, maternity and services. All pavilions are based on a repetitive pattern, consisting of two elements in the shape of an equilateral "L", one of them raised on pillars to create an interior courtyard for air circulation. The main axis runs diagonally from the entrance gate through the two square gardens of the hospital to the Medical School in the north-west corner of the complex. Inspired by traditional rural architecture of the Khon Kaen Province, most of the buildings are raised on pillars, creating micro-climatic conditions, which suit the hot-humid climate.

Health Centre - Kohn Kaen University, Thailand 1968

Military Hospital, San Salvador 1970 : Prev 4 of 14 Next

The San Salvador Military Hospital for 250 beds consists of three separate wings containing wards for officers, their families, and other ranks respectively. They are loosely connected to allow the breeze to flow through the whole complex. A traffic tower containing stairs and elevators is located in the centre of the triangular layout, connected by bridges to the wards on the upper floors, and the medical facilities and services on the lower floors. The project aims at creating - out of loosely connected building wings - an architectural entity, adapted to the subtropical climatic conditions and suiting the specific medical needs.

Military Hospital, San Salvador 1970

University of Ife in Nigeria 1960 : Prev 5 of 14 Next

The Ife University in Nigeria is the main university of the country's Western Region, intended for 5,000 students during the first decade.
After a thorough socio-economic and physical survey of 20 medium-sized towns in the Region, the town of Ife was selected as the seat of the new university, because of its central position, its beautiful environment, favourable micro-climatic conditions, its proximity to the capital of the Western Region and the good amenities available - water supply, electricity and road network.
Ife is also regarded as the cradle of the Yoruba culture. From Ife emerged the fine terracotta sculptures and the world-famous bronze heads, which had been evident earlier only in the ancient Nok culture.

University of Ife in Nigeria 1960

Ife - General Survey : Prev 6 of 14 Next

Geographically, the Region could be divided into three basic zones. Along the seashore is a low-lying area consisting of a continuous sequence of lagoons, swamps and marshland in a linear pattern. Proceeding inland, there is a 30-40 mile wide belt of undulating hills with high forests. The drainage of the Region is concentrated around several major watersheds, one of which passes the university campus. The vegetation pattern follows the topographical zones and the river courses. In the high forest area, the farmers are clearing sections of the forest to cultivate cocoa trees and short-term crops. It is here that the campus is situated, and the open character of the bushland allows for continuous air flow into and around the buildings erected.

Ife - General Survey

Ife - Master Plan 1962-1972 : Prev 7 of 14 Next

The main architectural problems were those of centralization or dispersion, considering the local conditions and new trends in universities throughout the world, towards intensity and integration. The final decision was that the campus proper should be as compact as the climatic conditions allowed, while the residential quarters could be situated at some distance from the campus, the students' quarters within bicycle distance and the staff quarters in motoring distance. The core and the various faculties, on the other hand, are in easy reach and walking distance of each other, providing students and professors with ample opportunities for informal personal contact.

Ife - Master Plan 1962-1972

Ife - Main Core : Prev 8 of 14 Next

The main core is a gently sloping area in the centre of the campus planned at the heart of the university complex. The piazza is flanked on three sides by the secretariat, library assembly hall, and connected by pergolas to the faculties of humanities, social sciences and education. The design aimed at creating a closely knit and formal complex of buildings and gardens, rising on terraces, and linked by patios, walks, ramps and gardens into an architectural whole, which would become a purely pedestrian complex of spaces.

Ife - Main Core

Ife - Faculty of Humanities 1962

Ife - Halls of Residence 1964

Ife - The Library 1966 : Prev 11 of 14 Next

The library is situated on the central piazza near the humanities buildings and consists of four floors with reading rooms, open catalogue stacks and exhibition halls. Its design is similar to that of the humanities building, with cantilevered floors running along its north and south elevations, protecting the building from sun and rain.
From the main entrance a wide ramp descends to the piazza, terminating in a semi-circular concrete column, 20 metres high, which embraces a facsimile of the old Ife stone staff.

Ife - The Library 1966

Ife - The Institute of Education 1970 : Prev 12 of 14 Next

The building housing the Institute of Education is situated on the higher level of the main university core. The inverted pyramid conception is achieved by an outward sloping symmetrical frame structure providing office and class-room areas along both the north and south elevations with open corridors around a long central court. This provides cross-ventilation through the open ground floor and up via the court exhausting through the central roof canopy.
The simple facade of this building is expressed entirely by its sloping frame structure and open court section which has proved successful as a natural ventilation system.

A display centre and language laboratory occupy part of the central area of the ground floor. The first floor is occupied by offices while the second and wider floor provides the areas for classrooms and laboratories.

Ife - The Institute of Education 1970

Ife - The Secretariat 1968 : Prev 13 of 14 Next

The Secretariat, housing the university administration, is one of the three buildings - together with the Assembly Hall and Library - which define the formal main piazza. Its point office block and service core provide a strong vertical landmark to the whole campus. It rises on simple massive columns above an L-shaped building which contains the foyer, banks, exhibition spaces, bookshop and post office providing a continually functioning and lively social core for the campus, in contrast to the repetitive floors above. The two arms of the "L" embrace an open court enclosed on its eastern side by a pergola leading to the humanities buildings, which terminates with a sculptured gate, descending to street level. The Secretariat extension provides a mirrored office block, to the east of the existing block, to form an integrated staggered tower with the addition of council and senate chambers. The Secretariat complex as a whole will complete and frame the lineal elevation with Humanities and Education to the eastern boundary of the main core.

Ife - The Secretariat 1968

Ife - The Assembly Hall 1970 : Prev 14 of 14 NEXT

The Assembly Hall and Amphitheatre occupy the south-western corner of the main core, forming an imposing boundary to the west with its wide stairs, which ascend from the main piazza towards the hall and open foyers. It is a multipurpose hall, housing 1,400 people, and is fully air-conditioned, but can also be naturally ventilated. It was conceived in the shape of a sloping saucer serving as seating platform covered by a concrete "tent" oversailing the hall area, which is supported on the outer column line and protects the hall from sun and rain. A minimum stage tower has been provided, as all Nigerian theatre relies on "thrust-stage" production.
Leading off the stage tower to the north is the semicircular stage of the amphitheatre. The amphitheatre itself, seating 3,500, slopes upwards as a semicircular concrete structure over a large parking area.

Ife - The Assembly Hall 1970

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