Al Jabal Park in Jabal Amman was transformed into a communal, playful space in 2023, with an initiative from the nearby school; Ahliyya and Mutran. Their Transformation Initiative rethinks traditional education by embedding community engagement, wellbeing, and local emancipatory learning. This approach critiques neoliberal education models, and works toward reclaiming Al Jabal Park as an active learning space and a community hub.
The idea was sparked by community concerns over the park’s poor condition and lack of safe play areas. Thus, The school engaged students, the community, local initiatives, and Greater Amman Municipality, with funding from Al Etihad bank. Through research, participatory processes, and playful explorations, like treasure hunts and walkalongs in the area, the students along with the community reimagined the park not just as a playground, but as a shared urban commons rooted in collective efforts. Through play and imagination, the initiative emphasises shared agency, and the role of schools as nodes of public life, rooted in their surroundings.