ZHA’s work with the Education Above All Foundation (EAA) to develop a modular structural system for use as schools, clinics and emergency shelters for refugee and displaced communities has been selected as an International finalist in this year’s AT Awards.

Celebrating and sharing knowledge about buildings that have stood the test of time, the AT Awards consider projects that have been in use for at least three years and can demonstrate a strong track record for delivering on their functional, community, environmental and cultural ambitions.

Since 2015, EAA has partnered with ZHA to build temporary learning spaces for children displaced by conflict and natural disaster, with ZHA-EAA tents used as schools for thousands of out-of-school children in Pakistan, Turkey and Syria; underscoring the foundation's commitment to providing education and shelter for vulnerable populations striving to rebuild their lives amidst conflict and displacement.

Katara Village in northern Syria was built this year and consists of 30 ZHA-EAA tents. The village provides transitional housing, medical and other essential services for the increasing number of displaced in the region and includes four school classrooms that offer a safe learning environment tailored to the needs of displaced children.

ZHA and EAA developed the design as a robust, cost-effective and lightweight modular architectural system with fabric envelope that is weather-proof and allows for natural daylight. Easily moved and re-assembled, the tents also incorporate components that can be upcycled or recycled, making them ideal for displaced populations. With more than 70 million people displaced in their own countries or living as international refugees, and half under the age of 18, EAA saw a critical need for suitable infrastructure that could serve as classrooms, temporary housing, and medical centres for displaced children and their families. That’s when EAA teamed up with ZHA in a joint venture to create a structure that offers safe, versatile and sustainable spaces for children to use for play, learning, and development.