The task was to create the sketch for the reconstruction of the Physical and Mathematical Lyceum in the city of Khiva, one of the Uzbek historical and cultural centers, situated in Khwarazm region.
Studio Name: NUN PTE.LTD
Design Team: Manuel Nunez Yanowsky, Julia Suprunovych, Andrey Levchenko (visualization)
Website: http://www.nunez-yanowsky.com
Area: 6973 sqm + extension
Year: 2019
Location: Khiva, Uzbekistan
Ancient state Khwarazm was the motherland of Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi, a famous polymath, astronomer and head of the library of the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, whose name gave rise to the terms algorism and algorithm. The Client aimed to establish Specialized School of Young Mathematicians named after Al-Khwarizmi based on the reconstruction and redevelopment of the existing Physical and Mathematical Lyceum.
The existing 3-storeyed soviet structure of the Lyceum and its hostels were not suitable to place 420 students, as well as all the teacher’s staff , and didn’t meet the requirements of the contemporary educative process, nor the requirements for living conditions. Taking into account the location of the Lyceum in the historical center of the city of Khyva, close to famous Ichan-Kala walled inner town of Khyva (World Heritage Site since 1990), its facades of the soviet epoch also demanded rethinking.
Our team suggested partial reconstruction of the main building of the Lyceum, and the new-built annexes for the hostels and the canteen, which form the courtyard behind the main building. Also, in respect to the Uzbek traditional architectural elements such as three-walled iwans and external galleries, we suggested a new shaded space along the main facade – the personable interactive place for communication, recreation and possible outdoor cultural activities – exhibitions, conferences, etc.
The first variant of the reconstruction offers a new precast concrete facade with large external gallery with traditional form of Uzbek columns, additional storey treated as traditional large-scale cornice, and ventilation shafts of the climatic system in form of minarets.
The other conceptual variant of the reconstruction offers light shading construction along the existing facade which follows the traditional sculpture forms of the Khyva fortress Ichan-Kala. Within this new created space – shaded and well aerated – numerous outdoor school activities can be held, providing protection during the most hot period.
