Industrial Workshops and Recycling Centre
In one of the oldest industrial areas in Cairo, the project introduces high-tech steel and wood workshops for the local workers of Al-Sabteya. Being located in the heart of the vibrant city of Cairo, the project showcases the historic craftsmanship and unleashes the potential within the skillful local workers. The projects also integrates the rest of the community through the recycling centre that also acts as the social and communal space for the local residence. Overlooking the Nile river, the rooftop of the building is expected to house local social and cultural events.
Industrial Workshops and Recycling Centre
GROUND FLOOR The ground floor of the building consists on two main wings. The built part of the left wing is minimised just to include the entrance to the recycling centre whose most spaces and activities take place in the basement. The rest of the shaded space is left open to the public.
The right side is mainly the administration sector, some workshops and a lecture theatre for different events, talks and celebrations. The porosity of the design is meant to attract more visitors to explore the building and learn about the local steel and wood craftsmanship.
Industrial Workshops and Recycling Centre
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First FLOOR
Industrial Workshops and Recycling Centre
SECOND FLOOR
THIRD FLOOR
Industrial Workshops and Recycling Centre
MADE FOR YOU...With Love
Stepped Seating: While building is divided into two wings, the middle space is considered a large communal space for the users of the work spaces as well as the local residence of Al-Sabteya. On a sunny day during a week end, it is expected to have family gatherings, BBQs, outing all directed to the vegetated outdoor areas of the building. Still there are more shaded spaces for the same or other activities just on the ground floor of the left wing.
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Main Section : Two wings of the building
Porous Ground Floor For the design of the right wing, the idea is to create a stepped outline of the building that guarantees the visual connection between all the outer working spaces, terraces. The workers could have the chance of watching each other, exchange their experiences and learn new production techniques from each other.
Industrial Workshops and Recycling Centre
Outdoor Workshops taking place on the back terraces The backside of the building is facing other smaller local workshops. The outdoor working terraces are meant to host various phases of processing the wood and steal raw materials. The design aims at highlighting the industrial processes as well as the new high-tech techniques of production to all the other workshops in the area, thus, present the building as a living work model that guides the workers in the area.
Industrial Workshops and Recycling Centre
Outdoor Steel Workshops
Workshop
Cl assroom
Central Social Space
The clear organisation of work spaces with interconnecting corridors Roof Amphitheatre Outdoor Wood Workshops
Workers’ Lounge Cl assroom
Front Elevation : Frames are dominating structure as well as the facade screens
Roof Amphitheatre Outdoor Wood Workshops
Workers’ Lounge Cl assroom
Amphitheater on the 3rd floor : A social Hub for local communal cultural and social events
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Industrial Workshops and Recycling Centre
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BACK Elevation : Outdoor terraces connected with staircases to the ground floor
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Industrial Workshops and Recycling Centre
Comic books Library and study Spaces
In the dry Hilly area of mokkatam in Cairo, the general atmosphere affects the ideas and concepts of most of the projects. This project is meant to blend in within an existing on-site hill. Accordingly, the spaces are carved inside the hill to create beautiful confined interior space for the visitors of the library who are welcomed to come to read comic books or use the study spaces while enjoying a cave-like journey which is not very popular in Cairo even though there are huge desert areas..
Section through the library spaces Located in a CROWDED district in Cairo, THE IDEA WAS TO CREATE A LIBRARY THAT separates the users from the exterior noises of the city, and highlight the beauty of THE NATURAL FEATURES OF THE DESERT ENVIRONMENT. THE Clear HEIGHT OF a single SPACE VARIES ACCORDING TO THE function of THE ZONE. The variation in the ceiling height, as long as it does Not hinder the function, Provides THE users with the cave Experience. SPACES APPEAR TO BE SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER IN THE SECTION WHICH SHOWS HOW THE PROJECT ADAPTS TO THE TERMITES design concept, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, THE PLAN APPEARS to be CONTINUOUS when looking at the floor plans of the library.
In the desert, some of THE BEST STRUCTURES BUILT ARE DESIGNED NOT by humans but Termites. THE COMPLEXITY of the termite's structure system and its huge SCALE IN RELATION TO THE 1 CM ORGANISMS, makes it a good inspiration for the project. The termites' spaces are of a highly functional nature with considerations for ventilation, air circulation and accessibility to different spaces.
Comic books library and study spaces
Mountain Layout After creating the ramped pathway all the way to the top of the hill
Apart from the interior experience that highlights the desert environment, the project creates a journey through the ramped pathways on the mountain reaching the top. The mountain itself is meant to act as a social hub for the local community where people could gather to socialise or enjoy a quick brunch at the cafe on top. The very top of the hill is a flat area which is prepared to host bbqs and other parties organised by the locals
Comic books library and study spaces
Level 1: : a closed loop inside the mountain
THE PROJECT is BASED ON THE IDEA OF EATING UP FROM THE MOUNTAIN TO FORM INTERIOR SPACES WHICH ARE BLENDING WITH THE ENVIRONMENT. THE ZONES ARE CREATED TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED ISOLATION, BUT AT THE SAME TIME MAINTAIN CONTINUITY OF THE PLAN. NO WALLS or partitions ARE USED IN THE PROJECT. THE un-carved parts of the mountain ACT AS THE SEPARATORS between different spaces. NO BEAMS ARE USED FOR SUPPORT. INSTEAD, Spaces adopt THE TERMITE POPULAR Dripping SHAPE which is self supported. COLUMNS ARE CARVED FROM THE MOUNTAIN ITSELF ONLY TO SUPPORT LARGE SPAN AREAS. CIRCULATION IS VERY DIRECT AND opens up to all the spaces while also acting as an open exhibition of the comic books.. VENTILATION IS ACHIEVED THROUGH VERTICAL SHAFTS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THE OVER GROUND TERMITE STRUCTURES. ALSO IN SOME SPACES, THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ROOM MIGHT EXTEND OUTSIDE THE MOUNTAIN. THE LIBRARY could CARRY UP TO 12000 BOOKS on average. THE excessive use of kinks in the FORM increases THE SURFACE Area to accommodate the BOOKSHELVES AND the READING AREAS. BOOKS are Organised ACCORDING TO the DEWEY DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION INTO 10 SECTIONS WITH THE READING AND SEATING AREAS ACROSS. ZONES ARE ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY: ONE WAY SEQUENCE AT GROUND LEVEL AND TWO WAY IN THE UPPER Floor.
Comic books library and study spaces
Level II : meeting and study spaces
THE PLAN OF THE SECOND FLOOR is located over the nu-excavated areas of the ground floor. THE FIRST FLOOR WAS PLANNED NOT TO INTERSECT VERTICALLY WITH THE GROUND FLOOR PLAN EXCEPT AT THE STAIRCASES ZONES, TO AVOID ANY USE OF ARTIFICIAL COLUMNS OR BEAMS FOR THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE library. COLUMNS CARVED FROM THE ROCKS THEMSELVES ARE ONLY USED IN LARGE SPACES WITHIN THE LIBRARY WHERE THE SUPPORT BECOMES A NECESSITY. THE CARVED ROOMS ARE SCULPTURED TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM PRIVACY. THEIR INTESTINE LIKE SHAPE GUARANTEES that PART OF their boundaries to extend beyond THE MOUNTAIN FOR VENTILATION AS WELL AS NATURAL LIGHTING, In some areas of the library, the FLOORING IS LEFT UNCOVERED to keep THE genuine EXPERIENCE of moving through a cave in a mountain. In other areas where THE flooring is not very walkable, a layer of finishing is added especially in the main circulation spaces to facilitate the movement of the users across different spaces in the library ALL THE FURNITURE, TABLES AND Chairs, ARE CARVED FROM THE ROCKS WITHIN THE SITE FOR A RICH USER EXPERIENCE.
Comic books library and study spaces
Section showing the ventilation shafts for every space of the library
Mountain Elevation: The top of the mountain acts as a social hub with a small cafe and a bbq area for the local community
Section showing the library vertical circulation
Comic books library and study spaces
Comic books library and study spaces
Comic books library and study spaces