i am a passionate 24-year-old architect that believes in the power of architecture and its ability in changing the world. I believe that architecture has an indirect impact on people’s everyday life and that architects do not just design spaces; they design lives. I have the ability to make meaning out of everything i do and i strive to find purpose in my work. I want to create an architecture that tells a story and designs that make people wonder and leave them in awe. I can work with anyone, on anything because i know how to deal with people. I am a fast learner that can get anything done under any circumstances, when i put my mind into it. I am very responsible and fundamentally trained to solve problems. I have a thing for details, i am very organized and i work better with deadlines.
A User-Driven Design Process
In other words, Voicivis respects the duality between the government (local administration) and the people of Dar El-Salam. In order to fully understand the project’s language, I started by translating my concepts into abstract models. This resulted in having a list of design guidelines that inspired the design of the project.
Voicivis
POWER STRUGGLE It represents the buffer zone in between using architecture to materialize the relationship of the community and the government.
The Voice of the Community
Location: Dar El-Salam, Maadi - Cairo The project is intended to work as a representation of the fundemental role of civic centers in the city and how it should empower people to voice their demands and to prepare the government to listen, accept and work with its people to implement them. The main purpose is to merge between the lost role of civic centers and the striving role of community service centers. In other words, the project is supposed to Enable the local youth of the community and define their role as community builders through the creation of a new civic platform through an architecture that shows the complexity of the relationship between the government and the citizens.
TERRITORIALITY, SENSE OF BELONGING AND OWNERSHIP From Hopeless to Limitless - Civic institutions are the foundations of a civil society and the cornerstones of democracy.
ENGAGEMENT VS. CONTROL The youth as a motor of transformation while challenging today’s civicness.
ARCHITECTURE AS THEATRE The architect’s role- An invisible choreographer of forces, he brings order and relation into human surroundings where he forms an image of the surrounding environment.
CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS The drawing on the left is an abstract representation of the relationship of the stages where architecturally, they are supposed to have a smooth transition and a visual connection to make the journey through the spaces more enriching. The other drawing is a stack of the materials used in the project; concrete to reflect the rigidity of the government, the brick to relate to the context and hence the people and the glass to break the barrier between both parties. 7
The Situation on site Today
Design Process Sketches
After a lot of research, it was concluded that the poor quality of living is a result of the lack of local administrative support.
The transition from the rural areas to the urban setting is the major factor in the creation of conflict in the city.
Proactive Approach - Handmade Urbanism It consists of finding a way of providing urban change carried out by local residents in their own environments and communities with their own hands and means. However, in order for this approach to be successful, a partnership with the government had to take place while putting into consideration the communication barrier between both parties.
Citizen’s Right to be Heard
Government’s Responsibility to Listen
3D Structure
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The Stages’ Conceptual Collages
Ground Floor Plan
The process started with the design of conceptual sections to create the feel of each stage that will enforce its main objective. Then, the materials, the openings and the human activity were added to the layers of design which gave the spaces a 3D feel. After that, plans were extracted from the sections and the design was felt and better experienced then. In this drawing, the wall is highlighted to show its importance. In the design, the wall is made of concrete to represent the government. However, it is broken, titled and has openings to be more inviting and transparent. The structure is also highlighted as a way to express the importance of having a naked structure for the people; hence explicitness between the people and the government.
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Echo
Main Entrance Elevation This elevation is highlighting the entrance to the reception with the shaded seating along the slanted wall. There is a lot of traffic in this area because it also has the entrance to the Symposium where the people meet with the government’s representatives talking about projects and initiatives in a space that has as objective developing a positive relationship between the people and the government.
“The People� Elevation There is Al Qahwa, the main attraction for the people, where a familiar setting is designed as a meeting space where the people have their normal daily conversations.
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Echo
Section A-A The casual meeting room surrounded by timber is connected to the working space where they can be visually connected. The Symposium is underground because hypothetically, both parties find a new common ground and meet to discuss important topics.
Section B-B There is a connection between the Symposium and the offices of the government officials for easy access. The other bubble shows the intimate discussion spaces in Al Qahwa where people gather to talk more privately in a familiar setting
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Echo
Section C-C The Symposium from another angle showing the structure of the space.
Section D-D The Library showing the structure of the timber and glass roof as well as the connection between the ground and the first floor.
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Echo
ECHO Perspective Section E-E A perspective drawing showing the structure and the activities occupying the space in this stage. Echo is a common stage between both parties; the government and the people. It is very essential for both of them as the citizen enters as an actor from Al Qahwa and becomes a viewer when he goes through the exhibition and have the final stage seen at the end of the corridor. As for the government, the state representative enters from Al Qahwa as well, in this case, the cafeteria, and develops a self-reflection sense while going through the exhibition as well. In this stage, the architecture is set in place to enhance the experience. where there are noise reflectors in the ceiling, the ramp sees visually the main auditorium where the last stage; voicing/ listening to demands, takes place and the connection with the ground floor is a timber roof where as the user goes through the exhibition he can listen to discussions taking place in the seminars and workshops.
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Restaurant Layout It was important for the client to maintain the feeling of rustic interior in the restaurant. So, the design was a mixture of both styles.
Eatery Restaurant Location: Zamalek - Cairo A location on the nile was chosen for a new branch for Eatery and i was chosen to do the layout design. i went there, took the measurements of the existing building, drew the layout and then started applying the client’s commands while adjusting/desiging the new layout. The design is inspired from the Commissary for Brunch in the Line Hotel in Los Angeles. It is an indoor space embraced by a glass and steel envelope enabling the user to be a part of the outdoor environment. The use of wood and greenery added a natural feel to the dining space which made it more cosy and appealing.
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Longitudinal Sectional Elevation
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Design Concept Creating a more humble space around the idea of bringing people together where the law exists, for the people.
Design Influences An open space for the people was mainly influenced by the heritage of the site; reviving the Azbakeya; putting in mind the story of the bookshops and the water pond where people used to gather around and socialize back in the day. Therefore, the main idea of the design was to revive the street into the site; hence, there is no fence and the shaded social spaces in the site.
Re-establishing Order Location: Adly Street, Downtown - Cairo A Courthouse, an Office Building and a Community Service Center were designed with the intention to communicate Respect, Trust, Hope, and most importantly, Faith in Justice, Equity and Fairness.
Public buildings often accurately reflect the beliefs, priorities, and aspirations of a people. For much of our history, the courthouse has served not just as a local center of the law and government but as a meeting ground, cultural hub, and social gathering place. — Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Courthouses traditionally were found in te center of a town; inside one found public notices, public records, and trials, where passerby sometimes watched the law in action; outside the public picnicked, celebrated the fourth of july, set off fireworks in surrounding parks. Historically, courthouses were not office buildings. — Justice Stephen G. Breyer
The design had to have specific characteristics in order to send its message to the user and to make them experience it as it was intended.
Accessible: provide equal access and flexibility Aesthetics: understanding the language and elementsofdesign Operational: account for functional needs Functional: ensure appropriate products/ systems integration Productive: assure reliable systems and pro vide comfortable environment Secure/Safe: ensure occupant safety People Oriented Respects the cultural background of the site Responds to the surrounding environment Group Project
Layers of Activities
Concept Collage 25
Layout
Street Grid - Solid and Void Analysis
Street Rhythm
Ground Floor Plan
Environmental Analysis - Wind Catcher and Atriums The Design Abstracted - 3 Buildings Connected by Activities In order for the design to break the monotony of the street, we added the 45 grid to make the site more dynamic. Also, this grid is beneficial, this diagonal axis contribute to a better shade distribution and supports the dynamic movement of air in the direction of the egyptian prevailing wind; north-east.
Activity Map and Circulation
The site is open to the public, where the rhythm of the circulation of the users is concentrated along the main spine where there are bookshops, cafeteria and shaded seating areas.
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Elevations and Sections Courthouse
Eastern Elevation
Section b
Office Building
Eastern Elevation
Section b
Community Service Center
Northern Elevation
Section a
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Intermediate Design - The most adequate
Street Elevations
Inspirations
Only a small portion of the building was redesigned.
Design Abiding with the Context
The aim of this elevation design is to create a sense of harmony between the old features, the brick, and the new modern elements, the curtain wall. At night, the curtain wall is transformed into a narrow strip of illumination that act as a mediator between the building skin and the street.
Redesigning Facades The main idea behind the elevations design is to abstract the buildings’ features in the rest of the street and create a harmonious feel between the old and the new additions through using the concept of layering; the historical background of the area, the cultural influences, people’s needs and comfort in the street. The design alternatives to the northern elevation all try to create a visual connection between the inside (the building) and the outside (the street), establishing a sense of relationship through exposure. The glass windows and the curtain walls allow daylight to penetrate the office building’s open plan.
Design Defying the Context The shops on the ground floor are self-shaded as they are recessed in the building. This gives opportunity for vendors to have more space presenting their products for customers without needing to put any informal additions to ruin the building’s facade. The transparency in the building skin has expanded the visual angle of the users. This responds to the concept design trying to enhance the relationship between the people in the building and the ones in the street.
This is a detail plan of how the layers of the walls would be put. This is the curtain wall connection with the brick wall. 31
Conceptual Statement The design of this extension revolves around the idea that a good architect has a sense of connectivity to the outside world in order to design for the people. This can be met through a building that would serve as a mediator, by achieving Hierarchy between its different spaces along with its Exposure and Openness to the people and to the surroundings.
Hierarchy
Architecture Department Extension The brief of the project was to analyze the already existing architecture department in auc and design an extension that responds to the unmet needs of the students.
Connectivity
Openness and Exposure
Form Generation
Design Sketches
Labs and Studios Courtyard View
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Environmental Design Considerations
Ground Floor Plan
Solar Pipes - Solar Tubes
Filter out infrared heat bearing waves in sunlight - filter coatings on 3 panes and 3 mirrors. There are Three ways to bring sunlight in and two ways to spread it around. - First developed by early egyptians - Double-glazed crystal dome - 99.7% reflective tubes - Energy Saving up tp 88% The Length of the pipe can go up to 6 m along with flexible tubes yet more light loss because of the bends in the pipe. Lighting According to the “The sustainable Laboratory� paper, it is recommended to promote the new lighting standards of 200-300 Lumens/m2 in order to reduce the demand. (Lumens x no. of Lamps x 0.6 x 0.8)/Area= 300 lux No. of Lamps = 20 Lamps
Axonometric Floor Plans 35
Western Elevation
Section A-A
Section B-B Northern Elevation
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Gradual Pixelized Disposition Design Concept Echo of the combination of the nile silhouette and the pixelation of the urban tissue. The main idea is to create a mixed use urban city that acts as a connecting point to the surrounding lands due to its strategic location. The design is inspired by a grid that is solely influenced by the ring road which acts as the main connection point to the island. from the grid comes the pixalization effect, which guides the whole design by having different units with different modular sizes combined together to create the pixel-like city. the design is influenced by its main goals and so it acts as an open area to the nile by having massive gateways which emphasizes on the purpose of the island, while providing view points in and out of the city.
Group Project
Hierarchy
Buildings to street studies
Connectivity
Buildings on top of streets as gateways
Modularity
Stacking Modules 39
Layout
The skyline of the project is irregular, however some kind of modularity was managed by making the heights of the buildings on the edge of the land starting off high and gradually getting lower then high again. The modules mostly consist of 10 m high and some having 20 m. The overall height of the porject does not exceed 80 m. There is a variation in height throughout the project. However, modularity can be seen as the overal height gradually decreases and the increases again at the convention center as the project’s climax.
Land-USe
Visual Corridors Skyline and Hierarchy of Building Heights
Visual corridors are created throughout the whole project in order for the users to enjoy the outer and inner views of the project. Also, the visual corridors can also work as air corridors aiding in air circulation. 41
Design Layers
The views consist of an outer view, which is of the nile and an inner view including various gardens and parks.
3d Shots
A hierearchy of pedestrain paths is designed where the main spine goes through the middle and in between the market with 8 m. wide Whereas the paths branching off of it are 3 m wide. The korniche surrounding the island consists of one ground level and one on the water level, each 10 m wide. View and Orientation
Nodes, Edges, Hotspots and Magnets
Open and Public Spaces
Gateways
Pedestrian and Vehicular Circulation
Landmarks
The vehicular network is 25 m higher than the ground level. There are two gateways on either side of the complex and bridges from the main land leading to the gateways.
Sectional Elevations
Axonometric Analysis 43
Dynamic Setting The design of the topography of the land keep the residents from feeling the sense of a static form and environemnt.
Dancing Peninsulas A compound on the sea that aims to create a sense of security while maintaining two different views: the Waterfall and the Sea. The concept involves having a longitudinal form that adds to the idea of openness in the project. Dancing Peninsulas summarizes the form objective as it reflects on the diversity of it creating interesting relationships with the main natural features of the project. The island is functioning as the main beach for the project having half the clusters surrounded by the sea from both sides.
Sense of Security vs. Openness The design is entitled to make the residents feel both; a sense of security as the houses are facing inward and a feeling of openness as the houses have a view on the sea.
One with Nature The emphasis on nature is strong since one of the aims of the projects is to create a comfortabell environment in which the users can feel like they are secluded, but not too much in a way that reflects isolation or a scale or a sense of danger. The main natural elements include the waterfall which is overlooked by the clubhouse at the top, and the sea, which creates a feeling of peace and serenity. There are also an abundance of trees, as well as the creation of caves to contribute to the natural feel of the project.
Dwelling Units Group Project
Topography and Greenery
Water Features
Pedestrian Circulation
Vehicular Circulation
View and Orientation 45
Layout
Unit Plan
Unit Section
Project Section
Project Elevation
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Layout
Community Without Borders Luxurious housing project occupied by high income level residents. The project is meant to contain an upgrade system which will allow families to move into bigger units as their family expands. It is some kind of a long and short term rental system through an application process. The choice of unit is based on the personal status: single, newly married couple, family with one, two, three children, etc. As the country is developping, many compounds are being launched, targetting the high uncome level segment of the population. As a group, we believe that there is something absurd about the gated communities as it creates this rigid sense of separation between the different social classes in the community. Therefore, we decided to transform and redesign this land plot to design a whole region targetting this luxurious social class by creating this concept of “A Community Without Borders� creating a sense of privacy, richness and a sense of belonging without any kind of segragation.
Group Project
Axonometric View of the Design Layers 1 Bedroom Apartments 2 Bedroom Apartments 3 Bedroom Duplexes 4 Bedroom Twinhouses 5 Bedroom Villas Recreational and Commercial Residential Accessibility
LandUse
Units Distribution
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1-Bedroom Apartment
2-Bedroom Apartment
3-Bedroom Duplexe
4-Bedroom Twinhouse
5-Bedroom Villa
Elevations
Sections
Plans
3D Shots
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Floor Plan The grid of the plan reflects the concept on which the design of the spaces, in 2d and 3d, was based on. The walls, and the roofs are tightly encolsed around the spaces where most of the walls are curtain walls to create this feeling of transparency, open and common spaces where ideas and life experiences are being shared. The activities that are going to take place in this center are all based on creating a bond between these two generations.
An Elderly Day Care Center and a Cultural Awareness Center for the Youth The center is designed to integrate different Eras in an Embraced complex, where the feeling of comfort and contain is experienced and seen through the Architecture of the spaces. The project aims to create a healthy social and educational life for different generations. The main users are: - Elderly people that perceive themselves as a burden to their families - Middle class families that cannot afford day care for their older relatives - Orphans that need care, attention and personal development
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Section A-A
3D Shots
Section B-B
Western Elevation
Eastern Elevation
Invisible Interaction: the elderly’s private space that is overlooking the children’s playground
Shot from the Home Garden overlooking the Outdoor Seating Area 55
The Models
Colored Concrete
Concrete Grooves
Concrete Texture
Concrete Texture
Concrete Material Study Architecture of Light
It was required to choose a material, experiment with it and study it under the concept of “Architecture of Light.� I decided to challenge the rigidness of the material, its bulkiness, its absurdity and its firmness.
Concrete Composition
Concrete Silver Paint 57