Library Creatures

Overview
In collaboration with caregivers, children, and service providers in Azraq Refugee Camp, I led the co-design and implementation of a child-centered Early Childhood Development (ECD) library that integrates play, learning, and cultural familiarity into a single interactive space. This initiative was grounded in participatory design principles and aimed at enhancing access to educational and creative opportunities for children living in humanitarian settings.

Background
During a design thinking workshop focused on local challenges, caregivers and community members highlighted the lack of engaging and safe educational spaces for young children. While there were existing libraries, they were often adult-oriented, rigid in layout, and lacked a sense of play. This project sought to reimagine what a library could be — not just a room with books, but a space that invites exploration, sparks imagination, and feels owned by the children and families who use it.

Design Process

• Participatory Workshops
  I facilitated sessions with children, parents, and camp staff to surface their needs, preferences, and aspirations. We explored themes through sketches, storytelling, and physical prototyping.

• Concept Development
  Drawing from these insights, we developed the concept of an “animal-themed” library, where each furniture piece doubles as an interactive learning element — a camel-shaped bookshelf, a turtle reading pod, a gazelle bench. These forms were chosen for their familiarity and cultural resonance.

• Digital Fabrication & Local Making
  Using digital tools like MeshMixer and Autodesk Slicer, I transformed hand-drawn concepts into CNC-compatible files. Working with 10mm MDF boards, the furniture was fabricated in Amman, then transported and assembled in the camp. Local families and staff participated in painting and assembling the pieces, deepening community ownership.

• Implementation & Replication
  The final space was warmly received and organically integrated into daily camp life. Due to its success, a similar version of the library was later replicated by UNICEF in another camp facility.

Impact
The ECD Library became more than a place to read — it was a space for imaginative play, parent-child bonding, and social learning. It demonstrated how spatial design and community-led processes can empower displaced populations and reframe what humanitarian design looks like from the ground up.