The Rabat American School engaged Flansburgh to develop a master plan for a new campus of 680 students on a 5.8-hectare site overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Working in Rabat, we were inspired by the rich history of architecture in Morocco, which draws from its legacy as a cultural crossroads, with influence from Roman, Moorish, Andalusian, Arab-Islamic, and French cultures. Three aspects of Moroccan architecture in particular informed the design: 

• The organization of the school into “Riads,” traditional Moroccan courtyard homes, with each division housed in a Riad with classrooms surrounding a central courtyard. 
• The organization of Riads along a “Medina Street,” which emulates the pedestrian streets of the medina, the ancient walled city. The Medina Street acts as a collector, bringing together the whole school community and providing a space for casual and informal encounters.
• The use of Moucharabieh, a screen wall with islamic patterns, for shading and privacy.

Other important considerations in the design included designing spaces that support a collaborative approach to teaching and learning, and responding to local environmental conditions. With regard to the latter, the zig-zag shape of the plan maximizes self-shading while blocking the cold winter winds, opening up to the cooling summer winds, and also maximizing views of the Atlantic Ocean.