Aabey is diverse in both cultures and religions, but was not spared sectarian violence during the 1975 civil war. On receiving compensation for harm caused by a since-closed landfill site established by the 1990s government on confiscated municipal lands, the municipality decided to use the funds to build community projects, boosting reconciliation. The first is the school. The project followed a "5 ‘i’s" strategy: intertwining - a school being a natural catalyst for bringing communities together; inclusion - through ensuring the main spaces are accessible to all; integration - adopting an ecological approach to the site by integrating buildings into the steep slope and reducing the footprint by placing the basketball court and playground on the roof; identity - a sense offered by echoing elements from local architectural heritage (rows of arches; kiosk-like extruded boxes); and incremental - referring to the allocation of space and infrastructure for installation of green systems when funds become available.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
