On a small hill at the centre of Ouled Merzoug village, this preschool for approximately 30 children attempts in its design to create a "new vernacular". Designed by a team of Belgian architects from the KU Leuven faculty of architecture and constructed in collaboration with village craftsmen, it is built using local materials of stone, earth and wood, and traditional building techniques. The school has an indoor classroom, a shaded outdoor classroom, bathrooms, a garden and a playground on an area of about 170 square metres. Two courtyards on each side of the school are connected to the central classroom and can be used as playgrounds or as an external classroom.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture