ARCHITECTURALANALYSISSPAT I A L A N A L Y S I S P L A C E M A S S T E X T U R E S U R F A C E R H Y T H M BASUNA MOSQUE -DAR -SOHAG,ARAFAEGYPT 2019 GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM -HENGHAN PENG ARCHITECTS -GIZA, EGYPT 2021 AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN -ABDELHALIMCAIRO IBRAHIM -CAIRO, EGYPT 2008 ADRERE AMELLAL ECO LODGE -DR MOUNIR NEAMATTALLAH -SIWA, EFYPT 2001 BIBLIOTECA -CAIRO,-ABDELHALIM-CDCARAB-CAIRO,-SNOHETTTAALEXANDRIAOFFICEEGYPT2001ADMINISTRATIVEDEVELOPMENTORGANISATIONOfficeIBRAHIMEGYPT2003 Name: Haya Arafa 963493 Professor: Luka Skansi Tutor: Michele Porcelluzzi History & Theory of Contemporary Architecture Masters of Architecture: Built Environment Interiors 2020-2022 Politecnico Di Milano
This building by Abdelhalim Ibrahim, houses the major headquarters of the Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO). Abdelhalim respected the stylistic convention of the building typologies by using perforated, precast reinforced-concrete screens that act as a contemporary language of the Islamic Mashrabiya (Widow carved with latticework). It was very interesting to explore the relationship between rhythm and form. First, the repetition of the geometric elements on the façade, the rectangular and squared shape windows that are placed horizontally and vertically in an organized manner created a visual rhythm. It also acts as a strong solar radiation and sun shading which was needed in some parts of the building.
Secondly, stepping back to examine the bird eye view of the building, we recognize another type of repetition that is manifested through different 3-dimensional rectangular forms. Although the volumes are not identical in terms of height and size, they create a complex scenography. It also responded to formulating the concept requested by the client to include rentable office spaces without compromising its corporate identity image. That led the architect to split the plan internally, resulting in an organized movement in space.
Cairo, Egypt; 2003 H Y T H Y M
Building facade showing the contemporary language of the Islamic Mashrabeya Building facade showing the contemporary language of the Islamic Mashrabeya Ground Floor Plan
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Octagon shaped atrium inspired by the idea of crystals geometry in the slanted roof.Section drawing of the ARADO Elevation showing the Volumetric Rhythm
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http://www.cdcabdelhalim.com/arab-administrative-development-organization.html
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BIBLIOTECA ALEXANDRIA S U R F A C E
Remarkable blend of the building texture with the natural surrounding. Remarkable blend of the building texture with the natural surrounding. Close up of the facade writing The glass facade blend with the granite wall shifted from the ground creating a dynamic movement
Located in the historical center of Alexandria. Snohetta designed the 11-story library as a hub for intellectuals in addition to the library facilities. By analyzing the architecture, we can see that the building is very subtle alongside Alexandria’s ancient harbor, yet, at the same time, it creates a strong architectural statement through the façade carvings and the geometrical shape of the building. We look at the building in terms of a skeleton that is covered with a tectonic Granite material that communicates with the sun, creating interesting negative and positive shadows through the engravings and their extrusions. The idea of creating a statement through the monotony of the façade treatment. The Granite wall was taken from Aswan (South of Egypt) where they were cut, curved, and engraved with sandblast. The individual letters on the granite surface are conveyed to manifest the stories of different languages, cultures, and civilizations. A monolithic treatment to manifest learning and attaining knowledge. The calligraphy gives the architecture a rigid perception that is related to knowledge. The surface led to creating a character to the building and its structure, resulting in a sequence of movement and an interesting visual experience. Alexandria, Egypt; 2001
Local trades inspired by the traditional building techniques.
Remarkable blend of the building texture with the natural surrounding. Salt Rock Translucent Ceilings & Walls Salt rock & clay texture Beautiful textured walls made out of Clay.
An example of the kershef texture— a mix of salt rock and clay which added beauty to the interior design in addition to acting as good insulators.
Adrere Amellal eco-lodge blended within the mountain and within the surrounding landscape. Created by Dr Mounir Neamattallah. Adrère Amellal means White Mountain in the Berber tongue language and refers to the massive limestone that the hotel sits beneath. My motivation to analyze this piece of architecture stems from the natural association of minimalism in contemporary architecture with the clean lines of Bauhaus and the Modernism movement. Built with local traditional material from the oasis, including salt rock and clay, the architecture portrays itself as a well-crafted sculpture that connects intimately with the natural environment and derives from the landscape. It is a space with no electricity, no technology, and utter rawness. What triggered my interest to associate this architecture with the theme of texture was the idea of how an architecture space can emphasize nature instead of competing with and crowding it out. In a nutshell, the architect used organic building materials and traditional structure techniques to sustain the aesthetic quality of the local surrounding and complement it. Furthermore, the idea of the texture here bridges the gap between interior and exterior by blending both in order to manifest the richness of the context. Everything is minimal yet in harmony, starting from the walls that are made from clay through to the sandstone bathrooms. When talking about texture it is also very important to highlight the salt rock translucent ceiling and some parts of the walls that transmit light through to every corner of the space to overcome the lack of electricity in the ecolodge. Finally, the window cuts that capture the natural sun light in a beautiful linguistic moment with the wall texture is another element to observe and admire.
Siwa, Egypt; 2000 https://www.adrereamellal.com/
ADRERE AMELLAL ECO LODGE T E X T U R E
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The new American university in Cairo campus consists of several gateways at the entrance of each building, starting from the main portal that the architect drew inspiration of the iconic arch structure in the old AUC Tahrir campus (downtown). Bringing a piece of the old campus to the university’s new home. Resulting a creation of a new individual architectural context inspired by the dense historical urban setting in downtown and at the same time avoiding the cliché’s Islamic architecture. The portal announces an appropriate tangible symbol for conventional knowledge. The portal is designed based upon simple methods. The structure of the main body is in concrete which acts as a frame to the openings in the façade. The portal depicts a type of monumental massing that creates a buffer between interior and exterior and the strategy of detaching the façade by extruding different volumes of the portal to create an identifiable image made it very interesting. Massing here is not only in the different volumetric elements in the façade but also the central mass acts as a point of movement. A volume where the intersection takes place resulting students to interchange variety of experiences. A volume that unites other volumes. A gathering spot that connects different spaces like the arcade resulting a usable intimate social space beneath the dome. Coming closer, the moment you arrive in the middle of the beautiful dome, the moment you lose the relationship with the landscape and start investigating different geometric shapes and patterns. it’s the minute you shift from a public to a more private dimension. The structure of the dome was left uncovered exposing the sky to symbolize the idea of “The sky is the limit” Besides the massing method, through a series of complex tectonics, structure and light were simple methods that the volumes were defined, emphasized, and explained.
http://www.cdcabdelhalim.com/american-university1.htmlSecatibe Egypt;
From the book "Architecture of collective memory" -People Interacting spaces -Gathering spots -Meeting points -Interactive spaces -Central points for movement -Connection to buildings & arcades
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Geometry of the dome with an open structure where "the sky is the limit"
Dense massing in the Main Portal of the American University of CairoConcrete structure construction work of the massing in the portal A S S
THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN CAIRO (AUC) Cairo,
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Furthermore, Through a 3-dimensional structure, the architecture is conveyed in a sense that the volume is coming out from its origins and connected with a visual perspective points/axes to the pyramid that we perceive by looking at the architecture from a different dimension. Additionally, the form of the museum substantially interprets the pyramid sculpture and at the same time gives dignity to the three Pyramids in the backdrop showing the monumental relational scale of the pyramids which communicates the idea that it has been made to give dignity to the surrounding.
MUSEUMEGYPTIAN Giza, Egypt; 2021
The largest museum in the world sends the message of greatness. The museum is derived from the same place the ancient Egyptian civilization stands which is 2km from the great Pyramids of Giza. By analyzing the architecture, we automatically capture the link between the design and the place through many aspects. Firstly, the design and the allocation of the museum creates a tectonic relationship between the structure and the topography of the desert due to the difference in levels of the desert’s plateau. It creates a new edge with a layered experience walking through the space through different moments. Hence, each visitor ascends to the plateau through a series of grand stairs where all the galleries are located and where you can see the grand pyramids from the interior’s plateau level aswell through the glass façade.
Remarkable blend of the building texture with the natural surrounding. Museum Bird eye view with the Pyramids in the backdropMuseum
StructureFacade.inscribed by a set of visual axes from the site to the three pyramids defines the framework within which the museum emerges.
https://www.hparc.com/work/the-grand-egyptian-museum
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The roof blocks are made out of sand and lime that insulates the exterior noise from the interior. The interior space seem to have been created as a dialectic relationship to connect the exterior with the interior spaces.
Interlocking forms of islamic art
You enter beneath the small dome and you find yourself in a transitional moment before entering the main hall but seeing it through an arch way that is leading you to something completely new. Once you enter you see the only window opening infront of you that ovelooks the grave yard which gives you the sense of the after life.
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To conclude, to fully grasp the essence of the architecture, it Is necessary to walk all around the building to explore each façade from different angles , the process occurs through the visitor experiencing different sensations generated by the environment.
Dar Arafa reimagined a 300 years old mosque in a densely built up residential area which was very challenging to interpret a new language of Islamic architecture and incorpate in a small village. The best aspect about the mosque that it does not force it’s way against the surrounding but rather it's being harmonious with it.
The visitor arrives at the Northern side of the building and perceives the strong massing of the main entrance of the mosque. A new proposal of non-traditional Islamic architecture, striking in it's contemporary features. Firstly, from the the Rhythm in the interlocking forms to the contradictions in the construction materials that the dynamic facade consists of; The traditional wooden lattice work (Mashrabeya) in the entrance and on the other hand the new interpretation of the tectonic islamic art resulting a new language.
A tectonic aesthetical independent object that drives your attention but at the same time communicates with the exterior. After you stand and ready for your prayers. You find yourself in a sensational moment as the light enters gently through the skylight creating a spirtual ambience with the sustainable functional aspect of the the natural ventilation of the roof openings.
Remarkable blend of the building tDome in the entrance
Main Entrance - Building north facade.
Sohag, Egypt; 2019
Wooden Lattice "Mashrabeya" entrance Window that overlooks the graveyard Beautiful shot showing the dome geometry with the roof skylight
Then the space forces you to turn right to stand towards the direction of praying looking at the "Mehrab".
Remarkable blend of the building t Remarkable blend of the building t The geometry & light in the Place where the person who leads the prayers stands Southern facade Remarkable blend with the surrounding Remarkable blend with the surrounding
Northern Facade Southern Facade Section Ground Floor Plan WalkthroughBASUNAMasterplanMOSQUE S P A T I A L A N A L Y S I S
