Permeable Courtyard

2016

Chalmers University of Technology

Gothenburg, Sweden

11,000 sqft

This project is part of a series of interventions conceptualized around the idea of resettlement. The work produced in this studio was a direct response to the humanitarian crisis triggered by the Syrian civil war. The objective of the Permeable Courtyard was to welcome refugees to Sweden, becoming a conciliating middleground that ignited a sense of belonging.

The courtyard is designed from memories of both places. It studies the cognitive perception of Scandinavia and the Middle East through an analysis of its territory and built environment. It plays with the idea of privacy and openness, as it seeks to provide a meeting point for both cultures. The Permeable Courtyard is a contemplation space where people can find a quiet detour from their daily lives.