Oblisque by Ebtissam Farid

ENCODE Studio Text by Lesley Lababidi

Encode Studio For Tanis Textile “The harmony of the world is made manifest in Form and Number, and heart and soul and all the poetry of Natural Philosophy are embodied in the concept of mathematical beauty.” - D’Arcy Thompson (1860-1948)

t is hot outside. The traffic snarls. I am impatient yet I tightly hold an invitation to the Furnex Exhibition at the Cairo Conference Centre. At one point, I almost turn around and go home. But curiosity pushes me through the doors of the conference centre. The ceilings are high; the air is cool. I breathe a sigh of relief and head straight to the hall that exhibits projects by Egyptian entrepreneurs.

I am on a quest to find ENCODE, a design studio located in Alexandria, Egypt. Founded in 2012 by young architects, Ebtissam Farid, Ahmed Abouelkheir, and Mohamed Zaghloul met first as undergraduate students at Alexandria

University. It was not long before they discovered their shared vision of collaborative research in architectural design. They describe themselves as lateral thinkers who respond to environment, renewed heritage, and contemporary design with a creative and unorthodox approach rather than by the traditional step-by-step logic. Their strength is mathematics; their skill is computers technology; and their love is architectural design. So what did they do? They established ENCODE Studio. Along with team members, May Hussein Ezzat, Mohammad Abdelkhalek, and Mohamed Moustafa Dawod, ENCODE is an architectural

firm specializing in interior and furniture designs, educational workshops, and industrial prototypes. The ENCODE team considers design production as a holistic process—research, concept, analysis, development, prototype, production—and relies heavily upon collaborative practices rather than individual masters. As I roam through the exhibition hall, this innovative design company was not difficult to spot. I am immediately drawn to the ornamental geometric patterns of floor to ceiling panels that recall to mind the handcarved wood latticework of mashrabiya. However unlike of traditional mashrabiya, these panels are made from light and airy thin plywood and thick felt fabric with the geometric patterns designed by digital technology. Ebtissam Farid greets me warmly and I ask about what inspires the ENCODE team. “The aim is to stimulate the viewer eye to reveal the hidden order of patterns and the silhouette, and to encourage an emotional response similar to the effect by which meditation inspires.” Professor Farid continues to explain that Sufism is closely linked to the practice of geometry, in symmetries and

in meditative expression. The team’s inspiration comes from innovative uses of geometric patterns that symbolize the infinite, which extends beyond the visible material world. _______________________ “Patterns have been always a distinctive part of our daily life, whether it is ornamental or functional, it often embeds cultural and historical values.” _______________________ Geometric patterns were derived from early cultures such as Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Central Asia, and Persia. These early cultures directly contributed to the decoration that is popularly referred to as Islamic art. Throughout the Middle East, geometric designs were used extensively not only as an embellishment for monumental structures but also as decoration on an array of objects. Beginning with simple forms such as a circle or square, Islamic patterns have distinctive traits and are created by intersection and duplication that form interlaced and intricate combinations. ENCODE continues to evolve geometric ornamentation into highly complex patterns by combining new algorithmic tools with technology. This union empowers calculations that suggest a limitless amount of freedom in repetition and complexity. In terms of their abstractness, repetitive motifs, and symmetry, geometric patterns provide extraordinary versatility when combined with digital models and technological manufacturing tools. _____________________________ The evolution of legacy is fading because of the shortage of craftsmanship. ENCODE takes the challenge to revive Egyptian heritage by exploring new path ways through experimentation in cuttingedge mathematical design systems and fabrication techniques. _____________________________ By uniting traditional Islamic designs with digital technology, ENCODE Studio recreates ornamental styles of the past. Professor Farid explains, “Islamic patterns evolved over centuries while branding our heritage not only as an arts and craft object but also as a geometrical and mathematical innovation.” ENCODE introduced a series of patterns that incorporates traditional themes with contemporary spirit, color and materials. Geometric designs enhance a wide range of items for home and office, which includes curtains, windows screens, dis-

play units, tables, partitions, lighting units, tableware and jewelry. In December 2014, ENCODE will launch its first furniture series. A variety of home and office items, room dividers, wall panelling and a line of functional furnishings will be available through their web site. www.encodeshop.com With plenty left to see at the Furnex Exhibition, I pull myself away from the ENCODE display; but, I leave inspired, awe-struck, and feeling a great deal of pride for these young Egyptian architects who draw from their rich heritage to merge traditional designs with the newest technology. ENCODE Studio is a dynamic company that encourages the brightest minds in shaping Egypt’s future in the field of research, digital patterns, and architecture, and is, certainly, one of Egypt’s rising stars. Ω Lesley Lababidi is a frequent contributor to Obelisque Magazine. She writes on culture and history of Egypt and Nigeria. She blogs at nomad4now.com.

ENCODE Studio ENCODE is a design by research studio founded in Alexandria-Egypt, created by the collaboration of architects dedicated to explore innovative design systems on different scales from object to field aiming for a more significant Egyptian presence in the global design market.

Based on the mathematical and material logic of natural systems, ENCODE investigates various digital and physical computational tools exploring the potentials of digital design and fabrication techniques. ‫الشــغوفن‬industry. ‫وص ِّمــم بتعــاون مشــرك بــن مجموعــة مــن املهندســن املعاريــن‬ ُ .‫ مــر‬،‫بحثــي يف اإلســكندرية‬ ENCODE team believes in research as a catalyst of innovation ‫ـاف‬ in‫باستكشـ‬ the design ‫ســتويات بدايــة مــن الفكــرة املجــردة إىل التنفيــذ الفعــي؛ وذلــك بهــدف تواجــد مــري أكــر متيـ ًزا يف ســوق التصميــم‬ ‫ والتــي تستكشــف إمكانــات‬،‫ يــدرس إنكــود مختلــف األدوات الحاســوبية املاديــة والرقميــة‬،‫ــايض لألنظمــة الطبيعيــة‬ During last few years, ENCODE team conducted a series of workshops, seminars and lectures in computational design .‫ وصناعــة التصميــم‬،‫ واملهنــة‬،‫كل مــن التعليــم‬ ٍّ ‫ط‬ and fabrication. They also have been involved in academic, organizational and professional collaborations with specialists in digital design and fabrication industry. ‫ أجــرى فريــق عمــل إنكــود سلســلة‬،‫ ويف خــال الســنوات القليلــة املاضيــة‬.‫وصفــه حافـ ًزا لابتــكار يف صناعــة التصميــم‬ ‫ ومهنــي مــع متخصصــن يف‬،‫ ومؤســي‬،‫ كــا شــاركوا يف أكــر مــن تعــاون أكادميــي‬.‫يف التصميــم الحاســويب والتصنيــع‬ ENCODE offers to its clients; Architectural, in terior and furniture design educational industrial ‫ـن خــال‬ ‫صناعيــة مـ‬services, ‫ ومنــاذج‬،‫تعليميــة‬ ‫ وورش عمــل‬workshops, ،‫وتصميــات األثــاث‬and ،‫وداخليــة‬ ،‫م إنكــود لعمائــه خدمــات معاريــة‬ prototypes through exploratory workshop environments that focus on learning through making with the latest digital ‫ وكل ذلــك مــن خــال مروعــات قامئــة عــى‬،‫التصميــات الرقميــة وأنظمــة التصنيــع‬ ‫ز عــى التعلُّــم باســتخدام أحــدث‬ design and fabrication systems. In December 2014, ENCODE will launch its first.‫ـة‬furniture variety ‫مصنعــة متاثلـ‬series. ‫إىل منــاذج‬A‫اســة‬ ‫ قيــد الدر‬of ‫ـاذج‬home ‫ـس بــن منـ‬and ‫ وتحويــل املقاييـ‬،‫واقــع ملمــوس‬ office items, room dividers, wall panelling and a line of functional furnishings will be available through their web site www.encodeshop.com Contact : Email : encodestudio.mail@gmail.com Website : www.encodestudio.net The Encode Founders:

‫ارية لباريس مااليك‬ ‫ لندن‬،‫ من مدرسة الجمعية املعارية للهندسة املعارية‬،‫ر أبحاث األجهزة‬

Ebtissam Farid, Associate Professor. PhD in Architecture, Faculty of Fine Arts , Alexandria University Founder

‫للتكنولوجيا يف زيوريخ‬ ‫كندرية‬

Ahmed Abouelkheir, Ph.D candidate, École Paris-malaquais, M.Arch,DRL, Architectural Ass. School of Architecture, London Founder Mohamed Zaghloul, Ph.D candidate, ETH Zurich MSc in Architecture, Alexandria University Founder

encodes w

The Encode Team: May Hussein Ezzat, Architect Mohammad Abdelkhalek, Architect Mohamed Moustafa Dawod, Architect May

‫كتاب الفنان‬

M. AbdelKhalek