The contract for a large-scale education campus in the historical city of Samarra, Iraq has been handed to Dewan Architects and Engineers who have a local office in nearby Baghdad. Samarra University’s newest addition is due to be implemented in three phases, the first of which will be completed in 2015.

In total, the campus will provide accommodation for 12,000 students plus a number of faculty members in a series of residential units. Alongside this will be teaching facilities for Agriculture, Nursing, International Affairs, Law, Media and Fine Arts, Languages, Sports, Computer Sciences, Islamic Studies and Applied Sciences. Supporting administration buildings will also be included in the masterplan.

Commenting on the 2.6 sq km masterplan, Mohamed Al Assam, Founder and Chairman of Dewan said: “This project is significant as Samarra is home to a number of sites of historic and architectural interest. As such, our design will incorporate various elements that correspond with the areas cultural and historical significance while complying with international best practices in education campus planning.”