Communique: Tamara Azizian - A School in the Desert 
31 May 2011
12.00pm - 1.00pm
Venue: Design Theatre, Building 423, 22 Symonds St
Host: The School of Architecture and Planning
Cost: Free
Contact info: events-archplan@auckland.ac.nz
Website: Communique
Al Khan Al Ahmar Mixed Primary is no ordinary school.
Designed by Italian architects and built together with the Bedouin community, the school is located in the desert beside the road to Jericho in the West Bank. Constructed entirely out of recyclable materials—tyres and mud—it is an example of architectural ingenuity and innovation in the face of political instability and regional zoning restrictions as well as the extreme conditions of the desert. Yet in spite of such difficulties, the school symbolises hope and promise for the children of a small Bedouin community who are struggling to preserve their identity. This presentation will cover a brief history of the area, a photographic commentary about the building process and the school as it stands today with its future still uncertain.
Tamara Azizian is a television production coordinator (currently with Maori Television), writer and photographer. She is part of a team of film makers who are completing a self-funded documentary—which was filmed in Jerusalem and Ramallah (The Palestinian Territories) from 2007 to 2009. In October 2010, Tamara visited the Al Khan Al Ahmar school, documenting their activities.
