| Year: | 2015 |
| Location: | Nasiriyah, Iraq |
| Client: | Iraqi-Italian Archaeological Mission at Abu Tbeirah |
| Status: | Proposal |
| Collaborator: | Arch. Cristina Cupero |
| Description: | The proposal aims to meet the mission’s need of a specific place of reference during research trips. The mission house, therefore, combines accommodation (kitchen, dining room, guest rooms) and research areas (storage room and workshops). The building is arranged around two courtyards, according to the Arabic tradition: a more public one, encircled by the communal and research areas, and a more private one, encircled by the guest rooms. The courtyards are surrounded by arcades offering shade. The communal areas are dome vaulted, while the guest rooms are barrel vaulted. This choice, which recalls the local building tradition, meets the need for natural cooling of the rooms, which is more effective with vaulted roofs than with flat ones. Construction techniques and materials must be local too, to better integrate the new building with its surroundings and make it easier to get materials and labor. |