My Portfolio by Alia Nael

Alia El-Kelesh April 17, 1994 Cairo, Egypt 01004184458 aliakelesh@gmail.com

Professional Experience • One month Internship: Quinsys, June-July 2014 Accomplished: Technical and infra-structural drawings for different villas in New Cairo City with a hands-on approach that included site visits. • Two-week Internship: Mimar Egypt, June 2015 Accomplished: Master plan and landscape of ‘Bin Jalawy’ public park located in Al-Khobar. • One month Internship: Mimar Egypt, July-August 2016 Accomplished: Took part in the ‘Science City Competition’ located in the 6th of October. Worked on all phases of the competition including research, conceptual and design phases.

Education • IGCSE, MES (Modern Education Schools), graduated 2012 • Architecture and Urban Design Program, The German University in Cairo – expected year of graduation (2017) • Architecture and Urban Design Bachelor Project completed in Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain • Ranking: 4th (out of 140 students) in my last year in university

Technical Skills

Languages

Auto-CAD Sketchup Photoshop Lumion InDesign Illustrator Revit Rhino Grasshopper V-ray

Arabic: Native English: Fluent French: Fair German: Fair

Extra-Curricular Activities

Personal Skills Fast pace worker Team work capability

Travel London | Barcelona | Paris | Berlin

Charity work; teaching art, maths, Arabic and English classes for primary students. ISLC (International Student Leadership Conference) participant, 2013-2014 at AUC. ICGE (International Conference on Global Economy) coordination committee, 2013-2014 at AUC.

Interests Free-hand drawing | 3D modelling | Graphic Design | Photography | Sports: Tennis

CONTENTS:

Design portfolio including projects from my first year in architecture up till now.

Design Projects

01 l School

in Downtown

This site is located in a very special area in Downtown Cairo and by having a school there it gives the place more identity. The idea was to enhance the existing schools standards in this area but still keeping the same character of the place. By analysing the site and the neighbouring streets and buildings, the shape of the school was formed and its height was determined. The main concept was to have several classrooms with shared rooms in between each two classes to give the students the opportunity of team work, sharing and getting to enhance their social skills which was lacking in most of the neighbouring schools. Also by having these group rooms, a certain bond is created between the students and more knowledge is shared. Another important aspect was the availability of open spaces and that’s why the first floor was elevated on coloumns so as to have the whole area under it as a large playground/ cafeteria.

Groups of 2 Supervised by:Prof.Barbra Pampe

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08

Classrooms area

Neighbouring buildings

Playground Main entrance

Playground resulting from elevated gound floor

Ground floor plan

Group rooms between classes

Connecting bridges

Typical floor plan

Vaults for less private areas

Domes for living/ private rooms

02 l Islamic

Dome House

Using bricks, the house is built up by domes and vaults to give the feeling of greatness and openess inspired by islamic architecture. One of the main concepts was to create multiple facades for maximum light and ventilation in the house. A four-bedroom house with a living, dining and office space. Each room with maximum natural light intake due to the long arched windows from the various facades. As we enter the house we find that it is somehow divided into a private area with all the bedrooms and a more public area wiith the living and dining rooms. The domes mainly cover all the rooms while the vaults are used in the corridors and halls. Elevations are made out of bricks to reveal the inner structure and give the feeling of old islamic architecture.

Multiple facades with long arched windows

Supervised by:Prof.Barbra Pampe

02 03 04 05 06 07 08 East Elevation

Ground Floor Plan

West Elevation

North Elevation

03 l Restoration Centre

Located in Al-Fustat area, the site was a large piece of land surrounded by ruins and very delicate areas. By analysing the site and neighbouring areas, it was important not to add any mass or building that would ruin the area or harm it in any way. Having a restoration centre on this piece of land would come in great use to the people in the area since its all surrounded by workers mainly and the ruins that were near the site. The resotartion centre would enhance the area in a useful successful way. The main concept was linearity. Starting of with linear parallel buildings then changing their angles and seperating them according to use and function. Another concept was to divide the buildings in a way that everyone in the building would learn from one another and have a hads-on approach in all activities. Having the classes overlooking the workshops for example. A huge waffle like wooden roof would be on top connecting all the buildings from one floor as seen from the topd view.

Groups of 4 Supervised by:Prof.Thomas Loeffler

01 02

03 04 05 06 07 08

3 main masses

Linearity

Cutting and shifting

Interior space Connecting with roof

Main entrance

Ground Floor Working Drawing

First Floor Working Drawing

Facade Section

Awning Window Detail

Roof Connection

Post Detail Structural Plan

Structural system using steel beams and colums. And a wooden waffle like roof connected through the three buildings on the first floor.

Revolving Door Detail

04 l Sand & Silt Spa

Located in the beautiful Aswan, the site was divided into two parts. Part of the site was on the Nile and the other part was up the moutains. Aiming to produce architecture with a light footprint, I decided to have similar functions on both sites but in a very simple and light way that would not harm or change the existing nature or environment. People come from all around the world to visit the golden sands of Aswan and it’s of great importance not to destroy that and encourge more people to visit. The first site, on the nile, included very light structures that would create a quite peacfeul zone for the more elder people who will not be able to climb the mountain. Using hammocks and light shading elements for the sand spa, it was basically already naturally designed and didn’t need any additions. As for the mountain site, which will be visited by the younger people and is the more active zone, a resort would be built with a bamboo accessible roof for night and day activities. Eco-lodges were availble on both sites built with PET bottles for people to stay. The main idea was to integrate the whole village in this project with two main axes, the road axis on the nile and the activity axis going up the mountain.

Supervised by:Prof.Cornelia Redeker

01 02 03

04 05 06 07 08

GOLDEN SAND

itecture and Urban Design • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cornelia Redeker • 6th Semester • Design Studio 5 / Sand & Silt Bath Aswan • Alia Na a Schwarz Abstract environmental and architectural concept showing spatial quality Main axis (desert and oasis) + bamboo roofing PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Bamboo in wetlands Bamboo for roofing

RODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Environmental concept in section

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Concept Diagrams

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODES RODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Environmental concept in section

Common shaded area Accessible roof seating

Star gazing at night Accessible roof seating

Shade from roof

Farming

Grey water

Wetlands

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Grey water

Environmental concept in section

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK

SK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Bamboo in wetlands Bamboo for roofing

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Compost toilets

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Private terraces PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Green roof

PET bottles

Green roof Boat rides Outdoor sand baths

Floating wetland Grey water

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

K EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Path connecting both sites

Shaded sand & silt spa in existing site

Lodges & spa on the desert site

Ground Floor Plan Nile Site

Typical Floor Plan Nile Site

Ground Floor Plan Desert Site

Roof Plan Desert Site

Accessable Bamboo Roof

Elevations using PET bottles

Inner court for day/ night activities

05 l Residential Building

The vision is to upgrade the area without changing its characteristics. The area was recognized by several aspects: 1its retail capacity scattered all around (ex: Boulaq Market). 2- Its’ heavy traffic and unorganized flows of the street. 3- The inconsistency of the building’s heights. The Concept started by dealing with the whole plot as a block then starting to fragment it to form different spaces within it through Promenade Architectural & this resulted in dividing the plot into two areas with special purposes; an area that’s considered the “Business Centre” & “The Money Generator” while the other is “An Offering for the Neighborhood”. The Money Generator area would be the hybrid building and the offering is the public park.Cutouts were used as the main access/connection to the outside, they occur frequently along the parameter of the buildings; however the side facing Sudan Street is blocked to reduce noise. Main Elements:1- The Market theme dominating our ground floor and 2- having A Public Park that’s opened to the neighborhood and serves the area as a much needed nice open space where all audiences can enjoy.

Supervised by:Prof.Monique Juttner

01 02 03 04

05 06 07 08

Extruding Extrudingthethebuildings buildings an and extending the main path t extending the main path to the neighbourthe neighbourhood loop hood loop

Prutruding masses from Pretruding masses from th the block creating a mian path block creating a main path

Transforming the mass int the mass

Transforming a block into a block

Dividing the plot

Whole plot as 1 Dealing with the whole plo mass as one mass

Neighbourhood Analysis

Ground Floor Plan

Public Spaces

Semi-public roof

Green Roofs

Private Spaces

Typical Floor Plan

Main Focus Area

Main Section

Apartment Typologies

First Floor

Apt. Type 6 130 m2

Duplex Type 1 85 m2

Duplex Type 2 85 m2

Ground Floor

Duplex Type 1

Duplex Type 2

FirstFloor

First Floor

Rectangular Apt.

L-shaped Apt. 74 m2 Duplex Type 3 105 m2

Duplex Type 4 105 m2

Ground Floor

Duplex Type 3

Duplex Type 4

L-Shaped Apt.

06 l Sewing the City the Citadel and the Sea

This project, based in Barcelona (Spain), is my thesis and bachelor project. This project was completed after staying for 3 months in Barcelona where the project site and design process took place. The project was divided into two main parts; conducting a masterplan in groups of 3 and then each individual takes part of the masterplan and completes their own design. The project site was located in Parc De La Ciutadella which is somewhere near the center of Barcelona. The city‘s different fabrics were a very important issue in the design process and were taken into consideration. The main masterplan showed the different fabrics and the main concept of the Drop and Spread of the green and public areas all around Barcelona. The concept mainly shows how the Parc De La Ciutadella which is the main focus, spreads within the city fabrics and creates more opportunities and spaces that serve the people and the city. Moving on to the indicidual project which focuses on a smaller sitr near the park and how it works within the context and how it can serve the main concept.

Supervised by:Prof.Rita Pinto De Freitas

01 02 03 04 05

06 07 08

Different Fabrics

Park Within Fabrics

New Site Limits

Drop and Spread

Important Surroundings

Green Cluster

Drop and Spread

New Green Areas

Park Limits Change into Green Cluter

Intervention Areas Affected Areas

Limits

Intervention Areas

New Proposed Green Areas

Proposed Added Buildiings

Housing Project

Existing Buildings

Pedestrian Bridge

Existing Green Areas

Added Buildings

Proposed Green Public Spaces

Demolished Buildings

New and Old Buildings

Greenery

All Layers

Masterplan

Solid and Void

Discontinuity of Greens

Streets and Greens

Main Axis and Streets

Main Path in Site

Unconnected Green Areas

Existing Situation

Transformation Into One Space

Proposal

Path Penetration

Form Generation

Block Transformation

Market Concept

Path Through Theatre and Public Building

Path Through Market

Path Between Market and Library

Main Plan

Concrete

Tiles

Wood

Sand

Granite Tiles Detail of Path

Detail of Market

07 l New Capital

National and History Museum

This project, located in the New Capital Administrative Disctrict, is a National and History Museum resembling Egypt’s great history and culture. Since the New Capital is imagined to be a sign of strength and renewal, the design process took those concepts into consideration in order to reach a form that shows off Egypt’s strength and new phase. The Museum is imagined to be located infront of the new Parliament building to act as a gate or pathway for people to learn about Egypts history before entering the new distrcit. The museum is designed in a way that interacts with the people and the urban life surrounding it in order to blend within context. It is also designed with an interior that circulates around the sculptures and hitory until reaching the main point where the new Egypt is visible through the massive glass structure that leads to the district. Supervised by:Prof.Hussam Hussein Salama

01 02 03 04 05 06

07 08

Shading added to provide shade for the entrance

Terrace cut into two parts

Main hall shifted to view parliament

Main hall canilivered to show improtance

Terrace that views parliament’s reflection on adjacent building

Form created from spine directed to the parliament

TOP VIEW 1:2500

Parliament zone

Site Plan

Main Axis FIRST EXHIBITON HALL

GIFT SHOP WC WC

CAFETIRIA

Parliament View ENTRANCE LOBBY

Buildings creating visual connection

ENTRANCE LOBBY INTERACTIVE EXHIBITION WC

OFFICE

THIRD EXHIBITION HALL

SECOND EXHIBITON HALL CAFETIRIA

OFFICE

ENTRANCE LOBBY

DISPLAY AREA

MAIN HALL

ROOF-TERRACE MEZANINE

STORAGE

THE MAIN CONCEPT OF THE PLANS WAS TO CREATE BOTH VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL CONNECTIONS. THIS WAS ACHIEVED BY CREATING SEVERAL DOUBLE HEIGHT AREAS AND OPEN SPACES THAT OVERLOOK EACH OTHER. ALSO THE CIRCULATION WAS TREATED BY THE SAME WAY AND THE VISUAL AND PHYSICAL CONNECTIONS WERE SOLVED VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY. THE USER WILL FIND IN THIS LONGITUDINAL SPACE THAT EACH SPOT HE REACHES WILL LEAD HIM TO ANOTHER SPACE EITHER PHYSICALLY OR VISUALLY AND IN SEVERAL DIRECTIONS. THE EXHIBITION HALLS FOR THE AUDIENCE ARE DESIGNED TO CREATE AN INDIRECT JOURNEY TO FORM A PATH WHERE THE USER CAN GET LOST WHILE LOOKING AT THE DISPLAYED CONTENT BUT ALWAYS FINDS HIMSELF IN A NEW PERSPECTIVE.

08 l Luxor’s Green

Belt | Reviving New Gourna

The main aim of this project which was based in Luxor, was to create a green belt strategy that surrounds Luxor and its villages and that offers solution for the existing problems. After allocating problems such as sewage, lack of education, no tourism and many more, we focused on one village which was Hassan Fathy’s village that we would create an impact on. This green belt tackles social, environmental and economical issues and offers solutions for Luxor. The green belt on large scale shows ways that can make more sustainble life styles and better living conditions. On a smaller scale, we analysed and studied Hassan Fathy’s village and allocated the issues and problems that the village is suffering from. While doing so, Hassan Fathy’s design concepts and style were put into consideration and not changed. The focus was on both, the urban and architectutral scale. Supervised by:Prof.Cornelia Redeker

01 02 03 04 05 06 07

People

Al Zayniyyah

Metabolism

Altarif Buildings

Qurna

Open Spaces

Al Dayeiah Infrastructure

Al Maris Al Boghdady

Armant Landscape

Al Tood

Green belt strategy where several nodes are created in the heritage sites and are connected to create a sustainable belt that includes new proposals and projects that will activate it and revive Luxor

WETL

A- PR 7

PRIMAR FROM

B- SE

PRIMAR FROM

8 6

R 3 1 7

TYPICAL PLAN FOR CONSTRUCTED WETLAND SCALE 1:200

Cyclic diagram showing how functions, production and wastes flow

Wetland System

Wetland Section

WASTE WATER FROM PUMP STATION

Bayara Section

Missed Destinations

Tourists Paths

Main Street Plan

Main Street Within Village

Street Plan and Section1

Main Street Visualization

Street Plan and Section2

Bus stop proposal in main street

Street Plan and Section3

Hassan Fathy›s Original Realised Master Plan

Main Axis

Proposed Buildings

Drainage Section After on going research, we found out that the water drainage issue resulted from several things. Such as, the level of the nile according to its width, the seweage problem in Luxor, and the existance of wadis. One solution to this issue was creating a new layer of isolation membrane along the layers of the foundation to prevent the leakage of the water

Limestone Tiles

Mudbricks

Pea Gravel

Wood Planks

Proposed Master Plan

Plan1

Plan2

Plan3

Master Plan

Building Connectivity

Path Leading to Building

East Elevation

West Elevation

Other Projects

01 l Urban

Furniture

The Nile station located in both Imbaba and Zamalek is a very busy and frequentlly visited space by everyine, yet very dull and boring and not inviting even though people spend a lot of their time there. The whole idea was to enhance the space by a light structure that would make it more appealing and interesting and make people enjoy the few minutes they spend waiting for their ride. A simple idea was hanging swings instead of chairs so as people would wait on them yet for a change would enjoy waiting instead of hating it. The already existing chairs would be simply hung on the trusses holding the roof and become the new urban furniture. This would invite people more to the place and enjoy the scenerey and view of the Nile and if old people are their it would be pleasant for them. Also young people and children would enjoy the swings and the time they spend waiting would pass by faster for them.

Supervised by:Prof.Cornelia Redeker

01 02 03

Typical Plan

Longitudinal Section

Visualization

Existing Chairs

Truss roof

Ropes holding the swings Columns holding the roof

02 l Parametric Light Fixture

A parametric design project using both Rhino and Grasshopper to develop a simple light fixture that can be put in different places and lit up in different ways. As a start, a certain 5 sided geometric shape was chosen and then a vertical axis was made. The geometric shape was repeated along this vertical axis to have several shapes above each other but with different sizes and rotated. A surface was created vertically to connect all those shapes together. Using the triangulation method, triangular openings were opened on this surface and rotated along it until the final shae was created.

Having these triangular shapes on a horizntal plane, we then cut out the shapes and put them together according to their numbers to produce the final product.

Groups of 3 Supervised by:Prof.Mohamed Raafat

02 03

Geometric Shape

Main Axis

Rotation of shape along axis

Create surface

Grasshopper Steps

03 l Stage

Design

Based on the novel, Still Alice, which tells the story of a woman who is suffering from Alzheimer‘s disiease. This project‘s aim is desiging a stage where the novel is translated into a play or a scene that people could watch and understand. Translating the main character and the stages she goes through with the disease into fragments on the stage displayed by white elements, lighting and shadow. The stages Alice goes through are five stages which start from the moment she realizes she has Alzheimers until the moment where she gives in and accepts reality. The stage itself is portrayed as a room where the walls or elements inside it shape and transform, changing the feeling and direction of the character and alsro the audience who are watching. The character has no control over the movement or the direction or the space, but the elements are the things that direct her.

Supervised by:Prof.Ines Schroder

01 02

ALIA EL-KELESH

Architect

Contact: aliakelesh@gmail.com