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Youth Hub
Year: 2025
Category: Public Architecture
Skills: Revit, Enscape
The Youth Center was conceived as a prototype for a series of youth hubs across the UAE, designed to encourage creativity, collaboration, and well-being. It brings together flexible spaces such as creative studios, workstations, and collaborative areas with sports facilities including an indoor court and gym. Developed in three scalable versions — small, medium, and large — the large model features two floors and a composition of three masses: two parallel volumes intersected by a perpendicular one, forming two courtyards. The front courtyard defines the entrance, while the central open-to-sky courtyard serves as the heart of the building, connecting all major spaces visually and physically. The façade blends traditional elements inspired by the UAE’s mud houses with a modern glass intervention that cuts through the sandy-toned exterior, creating a dynamic contrast between heritage and contemporary design.
Approach
Front Entrance
Front Entrance
Plan showcasing spaces and layout
Left facade
Central Courtyard
The central courtyard serves as the heart of the Youth Center — an open-to-sky space that connects directly to the main entrance and anchors all surrounding functions. It creates a natural gathering zone that brings daylight deep into the interior while maintaining a comfortable microclimate through shading elements and surrounding greenery. The courtyard visually links the creative, social, and sports areas, encouraging interaction and transparency between the building’s different functions.
Central Courtyard
Shaded areas and common spaces
First floor terraces
Connecting bridge view
Central courtyard with main entrance glass facade
Main Entrance lobby
The main entrance lobby is designed as an open-to-sky space that visually connects the interior with the exterior. It maintains the same sandy-toned color palette and material language used on the façade, ensuring continuity across the design. Natural light enters through the central void, emphasizing the simplicity of the finishes and the clarity of the spatial organization. The open layout facilitates movement and interaction, reflecting the functional and communal character of the Youth Center.
Main Entrance lobby
Double volume and skylight
Main Entrance lobby connecting directly to central courtyard
Hisham Borghol
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