The Department of Architecture at the College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, organized a scientific field visit to the Baghdad Palm Complex located in the Al-Saydiya district on Thursday, April 24, 2025. The visit was supervised by a group of faculty members and included all first-year architecture students.
This visit served as a practical site exploration for the students’ final project in the Architectural Design course: designing a residence and artist’s studio within the Baghdad Palm Complex. The students learned how to analyze the project site by observing spatial characteristics, taking measurements, assessing environmental and contextual influences, identifying fixed elements, understanding circulation paths, evaluating solar orientation, and studying the design of outdoor spaces.
Particular emphasis was placed on the presence of palm trees as a physical and symbolic component representing the spirit of the place, local environmental conditions, and Iraqi cultural heritage. The visit provided a tangible connection between academic design principles and real-world site conditions.
Students also examined a physical model of the Baghdad Palm Complex, which helped them visualize the project within its defined spatial and environmental context. The visit was enriched by the professors’ insightful commentary and the students’ active engagement with the site and project objectives.
