American Cooperative School of Tunis | Elementary School

New PK–5 Facility | L'Aouina, Tunisia

The American Cooperative School of Tunis (ACST) is an international school serving 600 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. During the civil unrest of the Arab Spring in September 2012, the school was attacked, looted, and set on fire by a mob. After developing a master plan for rebuilding the campus, Flansburgh was engaged by the school to rebuild its elementary school.

The building’s design takes its inspiration from the stark modernist style of traditional North African architecture, with white-washed walls and an interplay of solid and void and light and shadow. 

Renovations to existing classrooms will increase natural light and support collaborative teaching by linking adjacent classrooms through flexible breakout spaces. Sustainable elements include a passive ventilation system driven by a solar chimney, which will decrease the use of air conditioning in the shoulder seasons and provide better indoor air quality overall.

Side angle of white building with light blue windows and green grass in front
White building with light blue windows and green grass in front
Exterior of building with staircase in-between posts, tile on ground, and blue sky peeking out behind left window openings
Portion of top left of building with long vertical windows and white facade. Blue sky in background
White building with windows on left side, blue sky behind

Project Information

Time Span 2014–2016

Type New PK–5 Facility

Client American Cooperative School of Tunis

Size 5,600 square meters (60,000 square feet)

Cost $6 million

Design Team David Croteau, Principal-in-Charge; Jenni Katajamäki, Project Manager

Consultants SCET-Tunisie (Engineer); Theatre Projects (Theatre Consultant)

Local Architect Wassim Ben Mahmoud

General Contractor CFE Tunisie-CTE

Photographer Raber Umphenour

Videographer Raber Umphenour

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Side angle of white building with light blue windows

American Cooperative School of Tunis | Elementary School

New PK–5 Facility | L'Aouina, Tunisia

The American Cooperative School of Tunis (ACST) is an international school serving 600 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. During the civil unrest of the Arab Spring in September 2012, the school was attacked, looted, and set on fire by a mob. After developing a master plan for rebuilding the campus, Flansburgh was engaged by the school to rebuild its elementary school.

White building with light blue windows and green grass in front
Exterior of building with staircase in-between posts, tile on ground, and blue sky peeking out behind left window openings
Portion of top left of building with long vertical windows and white facade. Blue sky in background
White building with windows on left side, blue sky behind
Theater with blue seats in front section and orange seats in back area, with white walls and ceiling
Time Span 2014–2016
Type New PK–5 Facility
Client American Cooperative School of Tunis
Size 5,600 square meteres (60,000 square feet)
Cost $6 million
Design Team David Croteau, Principal-in-Charge; Jenni Katajamäki, Project Manager
Local Architect Wassim Ben Mahmoud
Consultants SCET-Tunisie (Engineer); Theatre Projects (Theatre Consultant)
General Contractor CFE Tunisie-CTE
Photographer Raber Umphenour
Videographer Raber Umphenour