AENG 351: Dream House for a revolutionary generation

2011

900 07 3740

DREAM HOUSE FOR A REVOLUTIONARY GENERATION

EMAN AREF

aRt is liFe

The American University in Cairo Architectural Engineering Department AENG 351 Section 1

Dr. Zeinab Shafik Dr. Nagwa Sherif T.A's: Menatallah, Mariam, Ahmed, Mahmoud

Eman Aref

Dream House for Youth (A REVOLUTIONARY GENERATION) TABLE OF CONTENTS A. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE .............................................................................................................................................. ........................................... ........................................... ........................................... ....................................... 3 B. USER PROFILE ....................................................................................................................... ........................................... ........................................... ........................................... .................................................................................. 3 C. INTERVIEWS ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. .........6 D. USER LIFESTYLE ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ...............................15 E. RESEARCH EXAMPLES ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ...................16 1. Unite d'Habitation 2. Guangzhou Vanke City . Ming F. EXAMPLES OF INSPIRATION ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. .........24 G. AREA ANALYSIS ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ...............................27 H. SPACE PROGRAM SHEETS ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. .............30 I.

DESIGN PROGRAM ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ...........................39

J. REFERENCES ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ............................. ..... 41

AENG 3512

Eman Aref

A. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Egypt as we know it, is passing through a revolutionary era whose main theme is "Change". A new path of thinking has been directing the Egyptians since the 25th of January: A revolution that broke all boundaries and everyone's expectations. " Al shaa'b" boldly and courageously have expressed themselves asking for change; for real freedom, for independence, for their rights to have their locked voices heard, to make their own choices by themselves as Egyptians and to break free of all corruption. Architecture must always be a reflection of the surrounding social, political, environmental and all aspects of the place and time of construction, it must reflect these .strong images we have seen in the revolution with its own perspective. Therefore not only Egypt that is heading for change, architecture too has to break the boundaries and the traditions to effectively satisfy the user's needs

B. USER PROFILE An inside-out approach to design requires before going into the design process, to first identify my target group/user. Who are they, what defines them, to what generation do they belong, what is their income, their nationality, etc.

Then from each of these points, the needs of the user and my design criteria emerge. So that after I investigate my user's needs, I could later manage to design these spaces that would respond to their needs and hence their dream house.

1. Income Group: Middle income group AENG 3513

Eman Aref  Limited Budget 2. Age: 20’s or early 30’s: single or recently married  They are Energetic  Dreamful  They are the ones leading the developments of the country 3. Nationality and Place: Egypt and the Egyptian Characteristics  Sociable  Helpful  Humorous  The status of our country: the nature, the weather, etc  Health concerns: - Architecture should then encourage them to walk/ run in gardens, to make the sun enter their homes more, to decrease the effects of the bad polluted air through planting and gardens, etc 4. The time:  Egypt’s economy being in crisis  Fast pace of time and the increasing demands of life now - Trying to satisfy more of your needs closer to you/ at your home - Flexibility for the fast change happening in life. Because of the increasing demands in life, moving for example might not be the optimum solution for youth when in need of change in spaces weather because they are getting married, getting children, need to divide space because of a certain new work,..etc  Speeding technological advancements.

- Architecture must therefore not just follow the technological advancements, but try to be at the front racing the future. Otherwise, the building will manage to grow old very fast and will not be satisfying the user's futuristic needs.

5. Specific Generation: They are the Revolutionary Generation  Change: - They are in need of new ideas and life routines to refresh their lives

AENG 3514

Eman Aref - We need to replace the old cliche'd designs with new modern Architecture or new ideas in general We don't want cliché' oriented designs while still not forgetting our identity and roots, we are not building a new country (Rootness vs. Change)  Proof for their love for Egypt: It's still important to keep our identity as Egyptians: which seemed very strong in the images the revolution showed of Egyptians longing for their identities and against westernizing and the so.

- We should stop stereotyping or westernizing in Architecture and start focusing on our identities as Egyptians  They challenge themselves - I need to challenge myself with new and innovative design problems  Open mindness and Freedom of Self -Expression - To encourage the feeling of freedom and expressing yourself, transparency in the design is a must. This would be reflected in the increase of use of materials such as glass and the increase of the size of windows. Also, the interior being more transparent through open spaces: decreasing the presence of walls and doors between one room and the other - The use of bold shapes and bold materials and colors.  Safety is also one of the high concerns today - It would be a privilege if all residents in a street or a compound become more knowledgeable of their neighbors, not just for their safety but also, to increase the sense of community is clearly needed.

- To safely enclose the building unit / compound  Independence: - Maybe through growing some vegetables or fruits inside in their homes  Sociability - Spaces for residents to do some activities together, connect residents together.  Social interaction and collaboration between the different levels of the society

 Appreciation to beauty and greenery: Environmental Awareness (the image of cleaning the streets ) - Integration between Nature, Art and Architecture in my design through mingling with nature more, use of glass - Environmentally friendly designs - Benefiting from the sun 6. Job and Role in the Society :

AENG 3515

Eman Aref Everyone has inside of them a need to express themselves at all times. One of the means of self expression is Art, and at critical times like the ones we experienced here in Egypt, these are the times when Art is most needed, not only for the artists but for everyone and for all the world to experience. Art is needed to express those thoughts and ideas we have as humans and as Egyptians.

Also, considering the events that have been happening and the mistrust we all had towards the media and their dishonesty in bringing us the information when we most needed it, a need for honest follow up of events is present in Egypt. Photography is one way to present Egypt with that.

Most importantly taking Art as a way of expressing beauty which can be simply found in nature. Something that is clearly missing in Egypt. Incorporating the beauty of nature and greenery with architecture is essential.

Therefore, my client is an artist by its entire means, someone who can actually reflect what's happening with creativity weather it's by installation, painting, drawing, photography, contemporary/modern new art forms, even writing or any other form of Art or expression. They all share some personalities and look at life with a special kind of perspective. I will also consider that Artists or writers usually have a sense of individuality that should be relflected in the design.

Art as a way of life style, not just the direct ways we are likely to percieve. This is what I want to express in my design.

Our world today is changing and also the perception of art is. Art is no longer confined to one field, art is becoming more an more interfering with life and becoming a way of lifestyle. An artist is an artist by all its means, he is a creative person and he reflects his/ her creativity in everything around him through the many versatile and inventive ways available for artistic expression. These vary from drawing, painting, interior design to fashion design to media arts, installation and all the new forms of art we have now and yet to come. Art now works hand in hand with technology. Not only media arts and installation are using it as their main tool but also fashion designers and interior designers for example can now visualize their products and images on screens, photography is using technology and even painting is now either becoming created on computer programs or inspired from works on screen or using technology to adjust the painting and play around with it. Not to forget by considering Architecture as an art which is true, an architect is also no longer using the traditional means or drawing all the details of the house by hand on paper but it's more and more relying on programs to visualize and detail their designs. Houses themselves are therefore using the technology available as well, and we can't overlook the technological advancements in the world especially when designing for a revolutionary generation that has relied big time on technology for its success. All these criteria reflect the needs of a revolutionary youth generation who are creative and must be reflected in the design of an artist's dream house.

This revolutionary generation is asking for new challenges and old ideas are simple unacceptable . I would challenge myself a step further and develop an idea where Art incorporated doesn't necessary mean more expensive or luxurious, etc. Art can be simply found in nature. Simplicity is Art. Beauty is Art. So why not try to incorporate Art into an apartment building making use of the space wisely, mass production and while also being Environmentally friendly. I would challenge myself in making Art affordable. Art is simply beauty and not because we need to be economic then we need to exclude artistic solutions to architecture problems. Art is creativity and if you live in a place where Art can be sensed around you in your every movement in spaces and in everywhere you look, that will therefore affect the way you think, the way you look at the world, the way you express yourself and the way the world looks at you. The issues to deal with : 1. how to incorporate Art while also being economic and technological 2. how not to lose the Egyptian Identity of the buildings while being modern new and breaking the old boundaries for the revolutionary generation

C. INTERVIEWS Interview 1: Interviewing an Artist AENG 3516

Eman Aref

1. How old are you ?

19

2. Describe yourself in 3 words: •

Independent

•

Imaginative

•

Surrealist

3. What is your current/future career?

Painter and Photographer

4. Where do you usually practice Art and why?

- study room - living room - your bedroom - outside home - other (please specify: everywhere depending on my mood ) Reason:

5. For you: What distinguishes Artists from other professions?

Artists can imagine, create, put own thoughts weather it's real or not real

6. Visualize your dream House. Can you describe it for me?

AENG 3517

Eman Aref 

Exterior: Tree house (garden + wood)



Interior: (Wooden walls + Floors + red lighting + studio feeling)



Site: (Skies + trees + sun & some gloom)

7. Would you rather prefer to live near everyone else and in the middle of most facilities (downtown) or in farther, more private healthier places that need your help for development (like 6th Oct) ?

I would like to be in downtown THOUGHT when I enter my place i would like to feel like entering another world.. just mine with the music and interior)

8. Do you think it's more important for future buildings in Egypt to focus in their design on adopting ideas from previous Egyptian designs (the Islamic/ Phareonic patterns and/or the traditional layout of interior spaces) instead to be open for new ideas and modern elements for their architectural designs?

for the Exterior: Mix between old and new for the Interior Spaces: Modern

9. How much do you value living near your family? (in need of them to help you out with the increasing demands of life or if having kids for example)

Independent

10. Who do you spend time with the most? a) Family b) Friends c) Art colleagues

11. What are the qualities/ needs you would define as the most important in your house?

AENG 3518

Eman Aref Extremely

Important

Neutral

important X

Individuality Privacy from

Un-

Unpleasant

important X

neighbors Privacy of spaces

X

inside the house (for example of bedrooms) Large space ( Invite lots of people over) Concentration Flexibility of use of

X X X

spaces (Change in their usage) Comfort Simplicity Blending with nature

X X X

12. Sometimes people do some activities in spaces that weren't designed for these activities. What activities do you usually perform in the....? (please check all that applies)

Space Living room Dining Area Bed room Office /study place Kitchen

Eat X X

Watch

Practice

Have

Use the

TV X

Art X X X X

visitors X

computer X X X X

Other:

sleep

X

13. Where do you display your art work (home, gallery)?

Both

14. How often do you use these spaces?

AENG 3519

Eman Aref Always

Frequently

Sometimes

Rarely

Bedroom

X

Corridors

X

Dining

Never

X

table Living

X

Area Kitchen

X

15. Would you prefer moving or not? & What will make you move?

I would prefer not to move.

16. How often do you invite people over? Are they friends, artist colleagues or family?

Very often: Art colleagues, Sometimes Family, rarely Friends

17. How do you feel about the following:

Love it i. An apartment building

Pleasant X

Neutral

Unpleasant

Bad

dedicated to artists (A community for artists) ii. An open kitchen iii. Use your home to display off

X X

your Art iv. Having a specific place in

X

your house only dedicated for practicing Art v. Using all spaces in the house

X

to practice Art (new place every now and then) vi. Removing the bedroom as a

X

separate space/room and AENG 35110

Eman Aref having the choice to use this space along with living area vii. Sharing a common garden

X

with other artists

18. How much would you agree/ disagree with the following statements:

Statement

Agree

i. Artists are not being limited to one specific

X

Neutral

Disagree

art profession anymore ii. Technology is interfering big time in Art

X

iii. An artist should communicate with other

X

artists very often to share ideas iv. It would be a good idea for every 4- 10

X

artists to work together in workshops Vs. the need for privacy needed for creativity

Interview 2 :Interviewing an Artist

1. How old are you ?

28 years old (April 1982)

2. Describe yourself in 3 words: •

Dreamer

•

Neutral AENG 35111

Eman Aref •

"Square" personal

3. What is your current/future career?

Visual artist – fashion & jewelry designer

4. Where do you usually practice Art and why?

- study room - living room - your bedroom - outside home - other (please specify: my workshop

)

Reason: it gives me the privacy that I need to work, the mood, and all the tools I need to bring out my ideas .

5. For you: What distinguishes Artists from other professions?

Flexible work times….as a work time His imagination….as a person

6. Visualize your dream House. Can you describe it for me?

7.



Exterior : great simple form with large glass windows and huge garden



Interior: earth colors ,cozy, and comfort …with using neutral materials



Site: sea house in mid of a mountain

Would you rather prefer to live near everyone else and in the middle of most facilities (downtown) or in farther, more private healthier places that need your help for development (like 6th Oct)?

AENG 35112

Eman Aref I prefer to live in private healthier place.

8. Do you think it's more important for future buildings in Egypt to focus in their design on adopting ideas from previous Egyptian designs (the Islamic/ Phareonic patterns and/or the traditional layout of interior spaces) instead to be open for new ideas and modern elements for their architectural designs?

for the Exterior: for the Interior Spaces: I think we have to add new ideas and modern elements with a touch of the traditional (70% modern -30% traditional), I think it will be a nice to mix between the two styles in the building for each the exterior and interior.

9. How much do you value living near your family? (in need of them to help you out with the increasing demands of life or if having kids for example) I will love to, but it's not that important!! "not too far ... not too near"

10. Who do you spend time with the most? a) Family b) Friends c) Art colleagues At work or with my small family

11. What are the qualities/ needs you would define as the most important in your house?

Extremely

Important

important Individuality Privacy from neighbors Privacy of spaces

Neutral

Un-

Unpleasant

important X X

X

inside the house (for example of AENG 35113

Eman Aref bedrooms) Large space ( Invite lots of people over) Concentration Flexibility of use of

X X X

spaces (Change in their usage) Comfort Simplicity Blending with nature

X X X

12. Sometimes people do some activities in spaces that weren't designed for these activities. What activities do you usually perform in the....? (please check all that applies)

Space Living room Dining Area Bed room Office /study place Kitchen

Eat X X

Watch

Practice

Have

Use the

TV X

Art

visitors

computer X X

X

X

Other:

work reading

X

X

13. Where do you display your art work (home, gallery)?

Usually at Gallery, but I like to keep some of the pieces that close to my heart in my home.

14. How often do you use these spaces?

Always Bedroom Corridors

Frequently

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

X X

Dining

X

table Living

X

Area Kitchen

X

AENG 35114

Eman Aref

15. Would you prefer moving or not? & what will make you move?

I don't, and if I will‌ because insecurity or the crowed

16. How often do you invite people over? Are they friends, artist colleagues or family?

Usually "a t lest once a week " I meet my Friends and artists

17. How do you feel about the following:

Love it i. An apartment building

Pleasant X

Neutral

Unpleasant

Bad

dedicated to artists (A community for artists) ii.

An open kitchen iii.

Use your home to iv.

X X

display off your Art Having a specific place

X

in your house only dedicated for practicing v.

Art Using all spaces in the

X

house to practice Art (new place every now vi.

and then) Removing the bedroom

X

as a separate space/room and having the choice to use this space along with living vii.

area Sharing a common

X

garden with other artists

AENG 35115

Eman Aref

18. How much would you agree/ disagree with the following statements:

Statement

Agree

i. Artists are not being limited to one specific

X

Neutral

Disagree

art profession anymore ii. Technology is interfering big time in Art

iii. An artist should communicate with other

X

X

artists very often to share ideas iv. It would be a good idea for every 4- 10

X

artists to work together in workshops Vs. the need for privacy needed for creativity

D. USER LIFESTYLE

ďƒ˜ Artists now don't confine to one type of art, they express their creativity in more than one form, and since I also see that technology is becoming very much interfering with Art now (starting from media arts, installation, photography, drawing, interior design and even fashion design) and we must be updated with the latest technology that our users are using and of this age.

AENG 35116

Eman Aref  I need to create user-friendly spaces that encourage and stimulate creativity. Moreover, the apartment should also be designed to accommodate and meet the needs of both the artistic residents that live within the space everyday and the visitors who will come to communicate with the resident artists and to experience their life/ work space and environment where they should be able to experience their unique individuality and artistic personality. And that is why individuality is essential in my design helping every artist to pour in a sense of their personality in their own spaces AN ARTIST LOVES TO CREATE THEIR OWN SPACE  Establishing a proper mood for creativity  Concentration level: We need to enhance the feeling of comfort because humans tend to concentrate more when they are feeling comfortable 

Productivity level of the artist : Need to enhance comfort, privacy and personal space and an avoidance of distractions.

 Facilitation of working in a group and cooperation  I will solve Architectural problems in Artistic ways that satisfies an artistic soul. This feeling can be satisfied through open spaces, flexibility in the design of spaces giving the client freedom of distributing the spaces inside, use of glass, etc  Reflect personality and that is more specific for each person and each generation (maybe someone would prioritize creativity over anything else so maybe the design should encourage that through being untraditional and having more open spaces and not so much privacy might not be an issue then

AENG 35117

Eman Aref

E. RESEARCH EXAMPLES 1. Unite' D'Habitation (Le Corbusier in France):

The Concept: " The project was an innovative integration of a system of distributing goods and services that provide independent support to the dwelling unit, responding to the needs of its residents and ensuring operational autonomy in relation to the outside."

- The building " incorporated principles of functionality and economy, recognizing architecture in order to half the urban environment and offer better opportunities for groups. The creation of a new mechanical movement, organization of functions, design of a system of integrated, all these possibilities were used in a disciplined manner and reflect the enormous willingness to intervene in the process of architecture and modern society."

Design Criteria: •

Time, Era : 1947-1952, started construction 1951 In this era and time in France, the dominating condition was that there was economic devastation. It was after world war II when there was massive destruction to buildings and there was a definite need for lots of dwelling units.

Corbusier was ordered by the French state to build "The Radiant City" exactly after World War II (1945-46)

•

Location : elegant suburbs of Marseille, France - " designed as a "vertical garden city", as opposed to the construction of villas"

•

Needed an affordable structural system

•

Minimum space: Le Corbusier used the ground level for social activities

•

Time : He had to be built fast, originally planned to take 12 months

•

A need for a flexible plan: no columns in the middle of the space

•

In a park

Ideas: - Because of budget problems, the material used therefore was low cost reinforced concrete because it was thought to be the most economic and available material at the time. He also used glass.

AENG 35118

Eman Aref - The proposed housing units house 1600 people - "The building is an enormous construction 140 meters long, 24 meters wide and 56 meters high, and provided an internal operation of more than 26 separate services."

- Because of time and budget issues, Unite' d'habitation was a design to be repeated as the basis of several housing developments designed by him throughout Europe (Mass Production) - Being environmental through the roof gardens, the Rooftop ventilation stacks, balcony integrated into sunscreens and the Concept of sunlight, air and green open space for all 1600 residences - Corbusier used no decorations, no elegance for both the interior and the exterior ď ś Exterior: - Mass Production: The facade is protected by canopies which are prefabricated elements of this material"

Cross Section: Layout of the units

- Building raised off ground on " piloti " and underneath having social activities ď ś Interior: - 23 different configurations of 337 flats over 12 storey - Each unit has a two-storey living space.

- "Each floor contains 58 duplex apartments accessible from a wide corridor every three domestic plants." It's Like "streets in the air."

- Some apartments occupy the floor of the corridor and the lower while the others occupy that corridor and the one higher."

This is a cross section through the typical duplex apartments. There are two types: 1. having the entrance through the living room and you need to go up stairs for the bedrooms in the mezanine floor. (the living room is double height, which is preferable) .

2. having the entrance through the bed rooms and going upstairs for the living room in the mezanine floor. (the bedroom is double height, which is unpreferrable) AENG 35119

Eman Aref - This vice versa kind of design provides the bedrooms with the entire horizontality of the plan and the living with the shorter one having the other living of the near apartment beside it as seen here

ď ś It had the idea of a " Unified Dwelling House" having: - On the roof : Recreational and health facilities: a gymnasium, running track, movie theater, health club, nursery school, sun terraces, a children's playground with a swimming pool rooms, a restaurant, a hotel, laundry and other services delivered - Two story shopping floor ( grocery store, beauty shop, repair services, etc.)

Pros: - Environmental - The idea of having all these services near to you Cons: - Anti-urban (turning its back on the existing architectural and street patterns of Marseille) - Little need to associate with the commercial life of the town, completely ignoring presence of the street, having even a grocery inside the building - A decrease in sociability because of the lack of commercial activity on the streets - The verticality of this massive building and number of residents, makes each resident lose their belonging to the place, they become unknowledgeable of their neighbors which also encourages crime.

- According to the arrangement of plans, some apartments have the bedrooms with the double height instead of the living.

My comments: - To still get the benefit of having services very near to your house and still avoid the presence of crime because its inside & unsupervised and while also avoiding the complete ignorance of the street, These services could be placed in the street but attached to the building.

AENG 35120

Eman Aref

2. Guangzhou Vanke City . Ming Design by: Shezen Huasen Architectural & Engineering Designing Consultant Ltd. Guangzhou Branch.

Occupied Area: appr. 28,000 m2 Plot Ratio: 0.61 Location: in the North of Kaichuang Avenue, Science City, Luogang District, Guangzhou Design Criteria: - The itchi forest has over a hundred native itchi trees in this mountain community (Symbol of Vanke city) - An Environmental Design: Makes full use of the solar technology to save the energy and protect the environment.

Design Concept and Ideas: - Vanke city owns 10 ecological systems - Choice of materials: Energy-saving and emission reducing, light materials favorable for sound insulation ď ś Exterior - 50 half-mountain villas (in 4 rows and made up by 3-5 different units) - 3 layers over the ground and 4 kinds of house types.

- Altitude difference between the entrance of South and North combined form the half-underground garage - "Each unit is arranged at random, combined with greening and landscape to form a beautiful space environment."

- "The Core open space of every group link to the main open space of residential area in the aspect of space landscape. The community roads are also fitted into the overall space layout."

- "The appropriate distance among buildings could avoid the mutual interference and the greening planting in some important areas produces a natural screen to protect the privacy of residents."

- Facade Design: modern style. "The concise facade pattern and proper window proportion form an elegance shape of facade. The facade design also puts more attention on variation of architectural volume and the comparison of outside wall and inside concave wall."

- Three Spaces and Three Levels: "The space design adopts the innovative layout of "three spaces and three levels". Each house has 4 courtyards, that is, the entrance courtyard, the atrium, the backyard and the roof garden. Therein the entrance courtyard is the transition space from outdoor to indoor, the atrium is the family landscape space and the backyard is the family activity space.

- "If people look up, the backyard is the first level, which belongs to the family combination activity space, the entrance courtyard and the atrium are the second level of family display space and the roof garden is the third level of communication space between family and nature. "

ď ś Interior

AENG 35121

Eman Aref - The layout of "three spaces and three levels" creates a solid and open living space and expresses a special oriental charm.

- Corridor Design: "50 villas in this project adopt the corridor design, the 2 meters of corridor joints two single buildings together and also combines two courtyards into a whole, while the independent space achieves 7 levels. The complete separation of dining room, living room, main bedroom, guest room and terrain guarantee the high comfort level and the privacy of residents. At the same time, such design provides a wide atrium for each house and makes people get close to the nature as much as possible."

Plan 1: pathways between two parts of the house is a bridge open to the courtyard

ground floor

first floor

second floor &roof garden

Plan 2: pathways between two parts of the house is a closed corridor inside the house except for the ground floor which is inside the courtyard itself

ground floor

first floor

second floor &roof garden

Relationship Matrix:

Living room Dining Kitchen Bedrooms AENG 35122

Eman Aref Guest Toilet Bathrooms

Zoning/ Bubble Diagram: Ground Floor:

Living

Dining

Stairs Courtyard

Toilet

Kitchen

Lobby

Entrance

AENG 35123

Eman Aref

Floor 1:

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3

toilet

Lobby

Stairs

Bedroom 1

Bathroom

Floor 2: Roof Garden

Stairs

Bedroom 4

Bathroom

AENG 35124

Eman Aref

Pros: - using greenery as natural screens to provide privacy - The innovative layout of the "three level and three spaces" having 4 courtyards for each house for residents to do activities and to be a communication space between them and nature -High comfort and privacy through complete separation between areas such as the bedrooms and the living.

Cons: - Having to move on a bridge in case of plan A to move from one part of the apartment to the other.

- Living and Dining aren't very close, so people can't use the TV in both places. Also if some people are eating and others aren't, they will be separated, they can't talk or communicate together.

- Also kitchen and dining are negatively related which doesn't give an opportunity if more visitors came to use the living to eat near those sitting in the dining area. (they could ,maybe use the courtyard/ atrium but probably in case of lots of more people so that not just one or two get separated in this courtyard (bad especially with people who love to take lots of time to eat). It also won't be that close.

My Comments: Maybe I could adopt the idea of the courtyard separating the public areas from the public.

AENG 35125

Eman Aref

F. EXAMPLES OF INSPIRATION 1. The Interlace (designed by Ole Scheeren/ Singapore): BUILDINGS RISE IN THE LEGO SENSE - " The Lego sense of the interlace is somehow a wonder, where it breaks a pattern of routine architecture" - his intention was to "break the cluster of the squished vertical towers approach to explore a new type of integrated communal environmental living" - his aim was to "design a contemporary residential complex that studies the social concerns and individual needs proposing the network of living interlaced in the lego sense instead" - A vertical contemporary natural living: "the interlocking of blocks or residential units that look like pieces of Lego interspaced, however they are stacked up in a random hexagonal arrangement, they create permeable courtyards, introducing more roof gardens, landscape sky terraces and cascading balconies."

- T space of 170,000 m2 is divided into: " residential units, club houses, amenities, cores, retail and underground garage offering multiple spaces for indoor and outdoor peculiarity in the tropical context of living."

- It considers the internal comfort in space and shared activities along with an interconnected living.

- minimal transportation above the ground up - more presence of nature - The interlace incorporates sustainability with a nature friendly life style, where far ranging views, are provided within apartments while maintaining their privacy.

- Interwoven communal spaces and shared social needs and leisure.

activity

in

AENG 35126

Eman Aref

2. Sky Village (designed by Winy Maas and Jacob van Rijs) in Copenhagen, Denmark - No floor level is the same All floors are opened up in various places which allows for daylight to enter, deep into the building - The differentiated floor plan increases the amount of views on each level.

- The terraces are a mix of private and public ones, covered or under open sky - parking garage underground - A plaza is created by projecting the grid on the ground level. Result is a diverse and playful plaza with shops, cafe, playground, beaches, etc -It serves both domestic and office purposes: individualized usages, natural ventilation, and maximum visibility from the sky towards the ground.

- "Flexibility for adaptation is one of the best sustainable characteristics of a building.

Besides this the Sky Village will also integrate the latest technologies according to the progressive Danish environmental standards. Furthermore the plans include a greywater circuit, the use of 40% recycled concrete in the foundation and a variety of energy producing devices on the faรงade"

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3. Optibo (by White Architects and White design) The Concept : THE FOLDING HOUSE The Comfort, the design provides to the space when effortlessly hiding the room's furniture according to the user's needs Design Criteria: - Comfortable and Spacious apartments - within a space of only 25 m2.

Pros:

Ideas:

- Very efficient use of space - "Adapting the design of the apartment's different areas to each moment's need, and using advanced technology to optimize - A new revolutionary idea the space" Incorporates - "A hydro-electric system allows the dining room table and chairs, as well as the bed, to be hidden in the floor when- not in use. " technology - They can be easily folded and unfolded according to the need. Also, the height of the furniture is changeable.

- Small space used well

- Gives for the user toause thetub. space whatever way they would like to.

- Even in the bathroom, the most efficient use of space is provided. A part of the shower's floor is of wooden lattice that can freedom be removed, revealing bath Cons: - No availability for the user to do more than one activity at a time (specially if more than one person is living in this place or if the owner would like to invite friends over and they need more activities - Could be overly minimal to the extent that it could limit your actions, your life style (inviting friends over), and uncomfortable - No privacy, since it's one room for all activities, especially in the event of visitors.

My comments: - The idea of the use of the same space in multiple ways according to the user's needs is excellent and economic (especially for my user group where they would love to distribute their own space and be creative in placing the furniture and in changing its layout whenever they like ) , but since it's kind of very much minimized that it might be not very comfortable, AENGand 351since 28 I'm going to be designing for a middle income group so maybe i will add more than one room, maybe two or three using the same idea. But to like provide the user with the choice of doing more than one activity at a time. This would also help resolve the privacy issue.

Eman Aref

Elevating the ground level to provide space for storage and space for the folded furniture.

- 4 Ways to furniture the plan/ apartment: 1. Sitting area

2. Dining area

3. Sleeping area

4.office/study area

4. Ben Avigdor Lofts (by Avi Laiser and Amr Schwarz/ U-I) The Concept: THE PRINCIPLE OF SIMPLICITY Design Criteria: - Location: Inside a neighborhood of liberal professionals and artists.

- Limited timeframe - Limited Budget Ideas: - Practical and Simple solutions where the conclusions of limited time and budget. Such as the use of cement flooring and the plywood surfaces in the bathroom.

- Eliminate any unnecessary elements, which could affect the spaciousness of the space - Make the loft's space give a feeling of delicateness through using polished cement flooring to emphasize each piece of furniture.

- Intense colors (like the red of some walls) counteracts the austerity of the loft's shapes and materials and making the interior modern and urban.

Pros: - The idea of minimizing the spaces - Flexibility - The use of colors to solve some architectural issues - Unlike the previous example, some apartment according to this architect at least provide privacy for the bedroom - Open kitchen - Two nearby apartments can be mingled into one if the owner wishes to expand his/her space. (expansion) Cons: AENG 35129

Eman Aref - Still not so much privacy My Comments: - I think this design for the plans is better, while the previous project had the idea of the folding furniture used. So, I might like to use a combination of both in my design.

G. SITE ANALYSIS

1. Site Selection An artist who is creative needs a place to evoke the creativity inside of him and as one of the youth, it would be wise to benefit from their energy to develop those places that are in most need of their creativity, energy, and urge to develop their country and that is why I would chose a place overlooking "Hay Al Ashgar" beside "Dream land" and also besides " hadaek al ahram" from the other corner. This area is also somewhat near the new Egyptian Museum where cultural and artistic facilities are to be developed while the necessary requirements are there. Also, there are lots of entertainment, Dream Park, Magic land, etc very near. Moreover, it would free the imagination of both the artists and the architect to create with freedom (a revolutionary idea) without being limited with the surrounding. coz less noise and pollution

2. Accessibility to the site and Street Network Analysis The New Egyptian Museum Al Remaya Square My Site

Tareek Al Da'ery School Dream Land / Dream Club and Dream Cinema The Pyramids

Dream Park

Hada'ek El Ahram AENG 35130

Eman Aref N To the Pyramids & New Magic Land Egyptian Museum Hay Al Ashgar

Secondary Street: Al Hada'ek

My Site Tareek Al Wahat

My Site

To Al Fayoum

Secondary Street: Al Hada'ek

Main Street: Tareek El Wahat

The Area of the land is : 80 by 100 m

3. Photographs around the site The Site and the inside street The site and surrounding buildings

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Eman Aref

Hada'ek Al Ahram's Entrance

The inside street way to the site

The overlooking Park

4. Surrounding view - The land is overlooking a garden. To make use of the garden as a favorable view for the residents, I might consider raising the buildings off ground on pilotis for example.

- At the back of the land: there's other apartment units so for privacy's sake we'd avoid overlooking them 5. Typography - The land is almost flat.

6. Security

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Eman Aref - The piece of land I have chosen is distanced away from the main street and is mainly facing the inside slower lane (which to be actually driving through it, you need to enter through one of " hada'ek al ahrams's main gates.)

7. Environmental Analysis

N

NW: Good Wind Direction

i. Wind Analysis - The wind coming towards the main facade of the land will be SW which is the bad wind so we need to take that into consideration.

Toilets and Kitchens should be placed facing the SW; bad wind direction

ii. Sun / Heat Analysis - During the summer: The Sun rises from the NE and sets in the NW - In Winter: The sun rises from the SE and sets in the SW N

- The highest sun intensity is during the noon at 1 pm - Roof gardens to cool of the heat

iii. Sound Pollution and Noise - As the Site is directly facing the street therefore there's noise especially on the facade facing it.

- However, " Hada'ek al ahram" is not exactly on the street: there is a bit of short fencing and buildings are distanced away from the main street where there is another slow lane street that belongs to the inside of the " hada'ek". This distance lessens the noise a bit - Yet, we can use buffering system: This could be through artificial buffers (such as fences of special noise absorbing materials) or by natural buffers (presence of a hill for example Another effective way of buffering is by using plats, lots of shrubbery and trees planted very close to each other (they should be heavy and long types

typography) of tress)

- We can also use insulation through: AENG 35133

Eman Aref

double walls

double doors

double windows

H. SPACE PROGRAM SHEETS 1. Spaces needed a) Bedroom b) Bathroom c) Kitchen d) Bathroom

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Eman Aref e) Guest toilet f) Living g) Semi Private Space/ Bedroom 2 h) Open Artist/ Living Area 2 i)

Garden

- I have decided to attach chairs to the kitchen for dining area, however using the roof garden as the main place for eating (making use of Egypt's nice sunny weather, while also minimizing a space that is only and not always used at eating times)

2. For each Space i.

Bedroom/ private space Main Functions

Sleeping, Dressing

Molecular Functions

Watching T.V, reading (would like to watch T.V or read before sleeping), relaxing (needs extreme privacy)

Who uses the space

Single person/ couple

Environmental Requirements of the space

Sun light Natural Ventilation

Safety and /or Privacy Requirements

High privacy From windows/ neighbors From entrance/ strangers From living/ visitors

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Eman Aref Images of Inspiration

Furniture used

Bed (2.0 *1.6 ) Walking Closet or closet built inside the wall/ partition :Clearance Space 85 cm General access 60 cm

Distance to wall

Between bed and cabinets or closets 90 - 120 cm 45-75

Area / m2

ii.

Between twin beds

20 m2

Living Area Main Functions

Meet people, watch T.V,

Molecular Functions

Practice Art, people viewing Displayed Art (especially that which is better to be seen from mezzanine floor ), read, relax

Who uses the space

Residents & Visitors

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Eman Aref Environmental Requirements of the space

Natural light Or Special Quality light (for screens) Natural Ventilation

Safety & Privacy Requirements

Privacy from entrance & kitchen (odors)

Images of Inspiration

Furniture used

Sofas, chairs, TV, Tables, maybe folding furniture, retractable furniture

Area / m2

iii.

40 m2

Kitchen

Main Functions

Cook food

Molecular Functions

Watch TV, Practice Art, talk on the phone, eat

Who uses the space

Residents

Environmental Requirements of the space

Directed S or SW (bad wind)

Safety & Privacy Requirements

Privacy from entrance, bedrooms & guest area Close to the entrance and dining Oven never under window Sink preferably on a view Odor privacy

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Eman Aref Images of Inspiration

Furniture used

Sink, oven, microwave, refrigerator, storage places (moveable). :Cabinets :Lower cabinets H=max 85 cm, Depth 60cm Upper cabinets: Depth = 35 cm Height difference between L & U cabinets 45 –60 cm :Clearance Space Between opposite surfaces of cabinets = 100 – 120 cm

Area / m2

iv.

15 m2

Guest toilet

Main Functions

Wash hands/ face, toilet

Molecular Functions

-

Who uses the space

Visitors

Environmental Requirements of the space

Directed S or SW AENG 35138

Eman Aref

Safety & Privacy Requirements

Privacy from living and dining

Furniture used

Sink, toilet

Area / m2

4.5 m2

v.

Bathroom

Main Functions

Wash hands/ face, toilet, take a shower

Molecular Functions

Watch T.V, dressing up, ironing

Who uses the space

Residents

Environmental Requirements of the space

Directed S or SW

Safety & Privacy Requirements

Privacy from living and dining Close to the bedroom

Furniture used

Sink, bath tub, toilet, closet

Area / m2

6 m2

vi.

Open Artist Space/ living area

Main Functions

Meet people, Practice art, Display Art

Molecular Functions

Relax, listen to music

Who uses the space

Residents & Visitors

Environmental Requirements of the space

Natural light Or Special Quality light (for screens) Natural Ventilation

Safety & Privacy Requirements

Privacy from entrance & kitchen (odors)

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Eman Aref Images of Inspiration

Furniture used

Maybe just very simple chairs or a small simple table & storage place for Art stuff

Area / m2

vii.

16.5 m2

Semi Private Space/ Bedroom 2

Main Functions

Either sleep or a space for displaying "installation" art on big screen

Molecular Functions

Read, relax

Who uses the space

Residents &/or Visitors

Environmental Requirements of the space

Natural light Or Special Quality light (for screens) Natural Ventilation

Safety & Privacy Requirements

Privacy from entrance & kitchen (odors)

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Eman Aref

Images of Inspiration

Furniture used

Bed and closet or simple chairs distanced from the screen

Area / m2

18m2

I. DESIGN PROGRAM 1. The unit

Number

Space

Area/ m2

% Area of space/Total House Floor Area

1

Bedroom 1

20 m2

16.7 % of Total Area

2

Living

40m2

33.3 % of Total Area

3

Kitchen & attached dining

15 m2

12.5 % of Total Area

5

Guest toilet

1.5 * 3= 4.5 m2

3.75 % of Total Area

16.5 m

13.75% of Total Area

6 7

Bathroom

2* 3 = 6 m2 (tub underground )

5 % of Total Area

8

Semi private space/ Bedroom 2

18 m2

15 % of Total Area

Total Area

120 m2

-

This makes the mezzanine floor of a total of 40 m and the ground floor of 80 m totaling 120 m for the duplex apartment

-

Pie Chart

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Eman Aref

2. Buildings Vs Landscape - The land is almost 80 m * 100 m - The area dedicated for buildings is estimated to be 40 % - The landscape area: 60 %

J. BUBBLE DIAGRAM

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Eman Aref

1. Ground Floor

Roof Garden

Stairs Living Area Open Kitchen Toilet

Lobby

Entrance

2. Mezzanine Floor Bathroom Semi Private Space/ Bedroom 2

Open artist + Living Area

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Eman Aref Main Bedroom

Stairs

K. INSPIRAITONAL IMAGES (Mood Board)

Division between spaces and between one room and another is either through retractable partitions or through walls/ Screens (those screens display off the artist's works : photography, media arts, videos, images, etc). The walls could also be divided into places for screens and places for real tangible art works to be hung upon them. A huge double height wall at the mezzanine may also be dedicated for art.

- Building Higher than street level ďƒ better ventilation, better landscape and garden view, decrease of noise pollution, also provides a place to display off the art on walls in courtyard

Musical Stairs

Artistic Screens

De Stijl Play around with the exterior

Modern colorful Pillotis

Gardens covering the exterior AENG 35144

Eman Aref

- Double height ceiling for the lobby gives an inviting feeling and spacious space - The wooden strip let the visitor view what’s beyond the space which also gives a feeling of space and lets the

Use of desert like colors and materials inspired by the nature and surrounding environment (marble)

Solar Blossom Pop Up Art Gallery Powered By the Sun "Outdoor art galleries can do more than just house beautiful creations. They can also be a way to promote sustainability and renewable power. DeMarco Architecture came up with the Solar Blossom, a proposal for a pop up art gallery that is powered by solar and is inspired by the Bluebonnet flower. With a subtle curve that creates a lovely space for visitors to view art, as well as a surface area that collects sunlight and powers lighting systems and multi-media displays for the viewers.

EcoFriend notes that the proposal for Art Week Austin is intended to educate patrons on the potential of solar power. Inspired by a local native flower, it also hopes to reconnect the urban space with its natural surroundings.

The Solar Blossom can display wall mounted, suspended or free standing art. The slope also makes for great acoustics should it be used as a stage for an outdoor music event, making it a wonderfully versatile structure.

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Eman Aref

The designers plan for it to be built from recycled steel, and the thermoplastic panels are mounted to a substrate that attaches to the skeleton framing. Easy to set up and perfect for festivals and short term events."

L. REFERENCES A World History of Architecture http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/04/solar-powered-pop-up-art-gallerly-powered-by-the-sun.php http://en.wikiarquitectura.com/index.php/Unite_d%C2%B4habitation_of_Marseille http://web.ebscohost.com.library.aucegypt.edu:2048/ehost/detail?hid=12&sid=66a6956a-d77d-4aaf-ada5 -3c53547a4a9f%40sessionmgr15&vid=1&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#GoToAllQVI http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/04/solar-powered-pop-up-art-gallerly-powered-by-the-sun.php Ask magazine, April 2010, p. 24 Vanke Product First, SML http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/7476/oma-the-interlace-residential-complex-singapore.html http://www.dysturb.net/2008/mvrdvs-sky-village-winning-skyscraper-competition-entry/ 2009 Architectural Competition Annual book, Archiworld co, ltd, p.116 http://www.architecture-view.com/2010/05/18/ellis-park-house-set-standards-for-sustainable-altius-architecture-inc/ http://www.freshomedesign.com/2010/04/the-house-design-of-the-ellis-park-house-in-toronto/ Design apartments, 2007, h.f.ullman, loft publications

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