Portfolio, Hazem Bassal. hazem.bassal@gmail.com Selected works; 2009-2020
S
ocial injustice in the pub influences the architect that’s architecture to which
Social injustice alters how be made to feel as if your imagined, restrained and d across the street, from your
As such, with public space inclusive. As, the more unin like the only place you’re we a window through which yo
Contents
The Iconic Mosque .................................................................. A Architectural competition - Architecture. The Research Campus ........................................................... B Academic project - Architecture. Museum of Technology ......................................................... C Academic project - Architecture. Mixed-use Complex ................................................................ D Academic project - Architecture. International Bank ................................................................... E Academic project - Architecture. Urban Park ................................................................................ F Academic project - Urban Design. The Prayer Routine ................................................................. H A Personal Study - Research.
blic realm goes beyond the physical boundaries of what’s public, and tural experience as you draw comparisons between the safe haven h you retreat and the outside world that then becomes out of reach.
we experience and perceive the outside world. A world that you can intruding on. A world you can only comfortably engage with in an desaturated capacity, as you watch that neighborhood park from r window or from your computer screen. An approximation of reality.
being something you share with others, it has to feel welcoming and nviting this public outside world seems, the more your home will seem elcome, as it transforms into a prison you willingly retreat to with only ou figuratively and imaginarily trespass on what’s rightfully yours.
[Table of Contents]
01 Iconic Mosque | Architecture International Competition; “Dubai Creek Harbor Iconic Mosque” Dubai, UAE. Individual work 2018
Challenging a typology associated with an age-old religion in modern setting that questions the function and purpose of the components that make up this typology and therefore the image.
*(Honorable Mention Award) Architecture Masterprize™ 2020, Architectural design - Cultural Architecture Category. architectureprize.com/winners/2020_hm.php *(Third Award) Rethinking the Future Architectural Awards™ 2021, Cultural (Concept) Category. awards.re-thinkingthefuture.com/category/rtf-awards-2021-runners-up/ *(Bronze Winner) International Design Awards™ 2020, Architecture - Conceptual Category. idesignawards.com/winners/ *(Finalist) World Architecture Festival™ 2021, Competition Entries - Future Projects Category. worldarchitecturefestival.com/future-projects-competition-entries-shortlist-2020-2021 *(Shortlisted) The Plan Award™ 2021, Public Space - Future Category. theplan.it/eng/award-2021-publicspace/contextual-and-cultural-identity-for-the-grand-dome-of-iconicmosque-hazem-bassal
Dubai Creek’s pearking history
Pearl diving in the Emirates is a tradition that goes back a 1,000 years. Much before the gulf was known for its oil. Men would be gone for the summer months when the water wasn’t freezing. The women would be left behind, with a designated man to look after and protect them. At Dubai Creek in the early 20th century there were about 300 pearl diving dhows with over 7,000 sailors on board.
Divers made very deep dives, with only a nose clip, leather finger protectors, a basket made of rope, a stone weight to pull them down and a rope to raise them to the surface again. Men were inducted into the pearling business at age 9 - when they had to pry open oyster shells with knives to get to the pearl.
Emarati Vernacular Mosque 1. minaret; when present, it’s a stout shape 2. Simple geometrical form. 3. Mihrab; is articulated in the facade (protrudes). 4. Spatial sequence; Sahn>Riwaq>Prayer hall).
Mihrab
Prayer Hall Riwaq
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Mihrab
Prayer Hall
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Challenging the mosque typology Historically the mosque comprised different components, some of which are mandated by the technical requirements of islam. • • • • • • •
Minaret; high point prayer callers ascend (superceded by speakers) Dome; sound amplification inside prayer hall/ ventilation Sahn; congregational outdoor space/ had fountains for ablution Riwaq; (Arcade leading to prayer hall)/ transition between outdoor and indoor. Abltion basins; which are superceded by modern-day indoor facilities. Muqarnas; geometric patterns that adorned the inside of domes and mihrabs Mihrab; Niche in wall facing Qibla which worshippers have to face. Prayer hall; where prayers took place
Prayer hall
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Dome
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Riwaq
Ablution basin
Muqarnas
The quintessential mosque comprises a minaret and a dome as the main architectural features that lend the mosque it’s recognizable image. However, in a setting dominated by tall slender buildings that Dubai is known for and not to mention the project’s main feature which will be the tallest spire in the city, the minaret as a functional landmark standing out to give a mosque its presence becomes an obsolete gesture unable to stand out, especially taking into account the close proximity of the mosque site to the feature tower. As such, the aim becomes to arrive at a
form that compliments the project’s main feature tower instead of competing with it, thus the minaret was omitted and all that’s left is a grand dome as a contrast to the vertical forms it’s surrounded by, which helps it stand out.
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Subway line
Subway line
Vehicular circulation Roads network
Vehicular circulation
With the starting form being a dome, it began to morph as it became influenced by the contextual and cultural identity of the site, the city and the country, which culminated in the influence of the mihrab in the traditional Islamic architecture where its the ornamented semicircular niche in the mosque’s wall indicating the Qibla’s direction, the sea shells as the influence of the site’s location on the waterfront, and finally the country’s historic pearling industry and Dubai’s designation as “the pearl of the gulf”. The resulting form is a reaction to all these inspirations standing as a tribute and an icon.
A. Dome
B. Shell no. 1 (Mihrab)
C. Shell no. 2
Base form is a grand dome, that’s then sliced perpendicularly to the Qibla direction and at a vertical angle that corresponds to the sun’s highest position for solar control from noon till dusk.
The sliced dome creates the first hollowed shell that encompasses the rest of the building. This largest shell points towards Qibla the same way a traditional mihrab would.
A section of a smaller dome forms a second layer acting as the second biggest shell and rotates slightly as a step to encompass the building.
D. Shell no. 3
E. Shell no. 4
F. Roof
A section of an even smaller dome forms the third shell and third layer.
A section of the smallest dome forms the fourth and inner-most shell to form the building’s heart which comprises the main prayer hall.
The inner-most shell/ space is then roofed to provide an exposed roof prayer area as required for specific 2 prayers (Eid prayer) according to Islam.
01 Iconic Mosque | Architecture International Competition; “Dubai Creek Harbor Iconic Mosque” Dubai, UAE. Individual work 2018
Ground Floor
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Main male entrance Secondary male/ staff entrance Female entrance Ablution/ ceremonies entrance Ablution Toilet Staff offices Storage Daycare center Gift shop Male prayer hall Female prayer hall Imam apartment Imam assistant apartment Staff lounge Visitors’ lounge Entrance porch Male access to meditation area
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Female access to meditation area Male library Female library Male classes Female classes Ceremonies hall Female prayer hall Emergency exit Visitors’ roof elevators Roof prayer hall Escalators to parking below Outdoor prayer area Meditation garden Reflecting pool Stairs to parking level below Stairs to First floor and roof
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Main Entrance piazza The main piazza has an outdoor prayer area and leads to the main two entrances for male worshipers and also leads to a side entrance for the ceremonies hall.
Female worshipers’ Experience The female worshipers’ entrance is tucked away between two of the shells that create a layered facade which in turn creates a walkway that’s lined with shrubs. All that provides a sense of privacy while making the entrance evident at the same time as it’s situated on the path to the secondary male worshipers’ entrance and the staff entrance around the corner.
Female staff Male staff Female worshippers Male worshippers Visitors of all genders
Riwaq
Prayer Hall
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Between every two shells of floor plan level, entryways are various means of accessing ing users gracefully in and ar On a section level, the space shells acts to move air upwar effect both helping with vent tion as air is continuoulys p the shells.
Prayer Hall
Riwaq
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Layered form ›
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f the building, on a e formed leading to the building, leadround the building. between every two rds using the stack tilation and insulapresent in-between
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Layered form › Between every two shells of the building, on a floor plan level, entryways are formed leading to various means of accessing the building, leading users gracefully in and around the building. On a section level, the space between every two shells acts to move air upwards using the stack effect both helping with ventilation and insulation as air is continuoulys present in-between the shells.
Layered form Between every two shells of the building, on a floor plan level, entryways are formed leading to various means of accessing the building, leading users gracefully in and around the building. On a section level, the space between every two shells acts to move air upwards using the stack effect both helping with ventilation and insulation as air is continuoulys present in-between the shells.
›
THE PEARL
THE PEARL. From across the creek the dome stands grand with its spherical silhouette posing as a pearl in a tribute to the city’s deserving status as the pearl of the gulf, but also as a hommage to the city’s historical pearling industry.
THE MIHRAB
THE MIHRAB/ THE COMPASS. The sliced dome points towards Mecca like a mihrab would, announcing the Qibla direction from afar and giving a sense of direction sought after in a mosque. Acting as a guide for anyone with a view of the building looking to find the qibla direction to offer prayers whether you’re seeing the building from the window of your bedroom, your office, or anywhere else
THE SEASHELL
THE SEASHELL. Influenced by mesmerizing patterns of seashells, the various layers of the building gracefully and gradually cascade in a manner that transforms the building into an elegant sculpture.
THE SANCTUARY
THE SANCTUARY. The entire backyard of the site is a meditation garden with views of the waterfront, lying in the shade of the building as a haven tucked 4 away from the bustling district, creating a peaceful experience for the visitors.
02 Research Campus | Architecture Undergraduate thesis project. A research campus with supporting facilities, Hurghada, Egypt. (student’s choice) Individual work. 2012.
Recognizing the gap in distribution of higher educational facilities in some parts of Egypt, namely the Red Sea Governerate, and the subsequent trend pointing to an increase in the number of students choosing to work in tourism realted jobs instead of pursing a college education.
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Educational Injustice in the Red Sea Governerate The Red Sea Governerate (shaded on map) is one of 27 other governerates that from Egypt. Its capital and largest city is Hurghada. It spans along the western coast of Egypt all the way to the southern border. It has always been neglected when it came to higher education facilities. The students residing in this governerate have to move across the country to get a college education, which is why most opt to work in tourism or adopt a nomadic life instead. The government has realized the importance of addressing such shortage especially with the increase in population in the recent decades and a long-term plan has been established to start a new school in the area which will in the future serve as the heart of a new university. In light of this plan, establishing a state-of-the-art research campus in the area will help create the perfect learning hub that would offer services that measure up to those offered in the central cities like Cairo and Alexandria. The goal is to create a hub that would be a destination to scholars from allover the world, which will eventually encourage other universities to start schools in the area which will address the scarcity of educational institutions in south of Egypt.
[Distribution of universities in Egypt]
We have no access to higher education!
He needs to go to college, I mean, BAAA!
A basic torus shape is used to accommodate an inner court that provides central views and aid with the stack effect ventilation and cross-ventilation.
A twist is added to the cross-section of the torus inspired by the winding seashell forms covering the Red Sea shores resulting in a mathematical form known as Mobius strip.
The final form encompasses a garden and a reflecting pool that act to create a micoclimate addressing the arid climate shortcomings and provide outside views from all vantage points of the building. The skin also has openings that correspond to favourable solar orientation.
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A basic rectangular form is used to minimize the eastern and western exposure, for reduced solar radiation.
The form is then sheared to encompass an entrance piazza.
The roof is faceted and modified to mimic the mountainous silhouette of the red sea mountains in the backdrop.
The western and eastern exposures are fitted with gardens on the second floor on top of a podium acting as a thermal mass to reduce heat gain and aid with better ventilation. The roof features skylights that allow ample natural light to seep into all the spaces inside.
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Main Campus Entrance Main Campus Building Auditorium (to be designed later) Research Buildings Access to Underground Parking Skylight for Underground Parking Perimeter Road (Parking/ Service) Water feature Cascading water feature
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Campus Library Mosque Sunken Commons Court Restaurant Wind farm Future residence halls and recreation Secondary Campus entrance Service entry to loading docks Main Quad
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Dean of Students Department Student Council Office Student Disability Services Student Conduct Code Office Career Development Office Student Conduct Services Director Campus Director Student Disability Services Director Counseling and Wellness Director Meeting Room Learning Assistance Program Director Dean of Students Vice President Dean of Students Assistant Dean Secretary Restrooms Service Elevator Electrical Room
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Fire Stairs Mechanical Room Head of Campus Security Assistant Head of Security Office Campus Security Department Executive Director Assistant Director New Media Director Public Relations Director Creative Director Communication Development Director Marketing and Communication Department 31. Post Office 32. Student Life Department 33. Student Activities Director
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Student Housing Director Student Life Assistant Dean Diversity and Inclusion Director Student Life Dean Kitchenette Enrollment Division Vice President Enrollment Division Assistant Vice President Enrollment Division Associate Vice President Registrar Director Education Abroad Services Education Abroad Services Director International Program Director Bursar Director Financial Aid Director Enrollment Info Systems Director
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Admission Director Registrar Workroom Financial Aid Office Admission Office International Students Services New Student Services Enrollment Department Department Vice President Department Assistant Vice President University President University Vice President Personal Assistant Conference Room Power Generator Water Tanks Storage
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Lecture Hall Bathrooms Janitor Electrical Mechanical Kitchenette Faculty Lounge Full-Time Instructional Faculty Office Full-Time Research Faculty Office Classified Staff Meeting Room Director’s Office
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Associate Director’s Office Assistant Director’s Office Assistant’s Office Visitor’s Lounge Student Achievements Hall Lab Supervisors’ Office Library Librarian Back-room Book Sorting Station Open Lab Space Lab Office Lab Support
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Facade panel size according to orientation
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The facade panels are of uniform size, however the openings in each panel have been sized according to the exposure of each facade to sunlight, with the eastern and western facades having the smallest openings, and the northern facades having the biggest opening. Using parametric modeling software (Para 3d) the sun has been setup as a magnet controller and using the sun path the controller was moved from the east to the west with the panels reacting to the controller in each position and therefore each facade.
Inspired by Ken Yeang’s use of vice cores as thermal buffers t duce heat gain and filter early m ing and late afternoon sun in Me Mesiniaga Tower in Malaysia western and eastern expos have 2-story high podiums se as sky gardens. The gardens a a social gathering space but allow western wind to br through the length of the buildi
In the main building, the panels follow the winding exterior skin surface as it transforms from wall to roof. However, to avoid thermal gain and to utilize the high angle of the sun, the panels that face south or the ones on the roof are equipped with photovoltaic panels instead of glazing.
Wind influence The red sea region is ideal for wind power applications with its prevailing “low pressure wind” sweeping in from north/ northern west direction, all which influenced the aerodynamic character of the used forms to better interact with the wind as opposed to blocking it. As such, the forms were tested using CFD simulation to boost their aerodynamic qualities.
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f serto remornenara a, the sures erving act as also reeze ing. Given the site’s location where there’s low pressure wind that’s suitable for wind power applications, an on-shore wind farm is established using a type of wind turbine that doesn’t cause noise or vibration, unlike conventional rotator turbines.
Main Building’s Atrium › The main building is in the shape of a torus/ Mobius strip which leaves the interior with a negative space that serves as an atrium. The atrium has a reflecting pool to aid with arid climate control, and a central garden for the view. The central garden island is surrounded by openings that provide ventilation and sunlight to the below grade floor. The external skin’s form with it’s winding cross-section leads the cool wind towards the center of the building inside the atrium where it then seeps into the interior spaces for a maximum connection with the natural surroundings.
Research Building’s Atrium › The interior features an atrium along the length of the building with 4 double staircases that contribute to the ease of movement between all the floors, also they bridge the 2 sides of each floor when the double stairs share one landing. There are 2 main scenic elevators for maximum accessibility. The grand skylights bathe the interior with natural light obviating the need for artificial lighting. With the floors unencumbered by perimeter eastern nor western walls efficient natural ventilation is possible with air traveling along the length of the building from the western garden end to the eastern garden end.
Skin. Forming the wall and the roof, fitted with panels corresponding to the sun exposure of each orientation ranging from the biggest opening on the northern (glazed) and southern orientation (fitted with PV panels) to non-existing on the east and west orientations.
Supporting Structure. The supporting structure follows the form and in exposed from the court side contributing to the architectural aesthetic.
[Top] The underground parking is lit with skylights bathing the sunken garden courts with light creating a well lit parking space with lush green views. [Bottom] The commons court contains an indoor dining hall with an outside seating area that has cascading water features while providing access to the shore as it bridges over the service perimeter sunken road.
Walls and Floors. The building’s round form allows for a central court to exist, a court that includes a reflecting pool to aid with arid climate control and a garden to provide a view that provides a connection to the outside.
Roof. Faceted and fitted with skylights that let in ample natural light.
Beams. Beams supporting the roof and skylights and transferring the load to the structural skin.
Columns and Stairs. Slanted columns supporting the floors and stairs that provide horizontal and vertical connection between the floors.
Skin. Structural skin supporting the beams, fitted with paneling of various sizes corresponding to the amount of direct sunlight to minimize heat gain.
Walls and Floors. An atrium runs down the middle of the building with two gardens at each end (east and west) resting on two podium that act as thermal masses to reduce heat gain.
03 Technology Museum | Architecture Academic work. Museum of Technology. Ismailia, Egypt. (student’s choice) Individual project. 4th year, 2012.
A museum to celebrate the abolishment of forced labor during the construction of the Suez Canal after the change in laws and the introduction of new technologies that utilized custom-made heavy machineries to continue the digging process that was started by the handheld shovels and pickaxes of the peasants.
*(Nomination) CGarchitect Architectural 3D Awards™ 2014 Non-commissioned Images Category. https://3dawards.cgarchitect.com/contests/4-3d-awards-2014/gallery/1-image
Site Selection; Suez Canal construction, from forced labour to state-of the-art machinery The chosen site for the museum is loacted in Ismailia city which is one of the three cities that lie on the Suez Canal. The site has been selected to celebrate the city’s old history of innovation in constructing the first human-built canal that links the Eastern and Western worlds. The Suez Canal has always had great historical significance. It has been initially dug by the Pharaohs in ancient Egyptian times and then later unearthed and revived in the 1800’s during the French colonization, to serve as part of an important global trading route that was pivotal in the global trading industry.
Forced Egyptian labour was used till 1863.
Digging the Canal required enormous labor which initially comprised (corvée) or forced labor. Egyptian peasants had to work for minimal pay, threatened with violence. In the late-1861, tens of thousands of peasants used picks and shovels to dig the early portions of the canal by hand. However, in 1863, the Egyptian ruler Ismail Pasha abruptly banned the use of forced labor. Faced with a critical shortage of workers, Lesseps (the French developer of the Suez Canal) and the Suez Canal Company changed their strategy and began using several hundred custom-made steam- and coal-powered shovels and dredgers to dig the canal. The new technology gave the project the boost it needed, and led to rapid progress during the last two years of construction. Of the 75 million cubic meters of sand eventually moved during the construction of the main canal, some three-fourths of it was handled by heavy machinery.
Dredges and elevators at work during the construction of the Suez Canal.
Now an iconic American monument, the Statue of Liberty has interesting connections to the ancient world and the modern history of the Middle East. Its sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi visited Egypt in 1867 and proposed that the Egyptian government build a giant statue and light beacon in the form of a woman holding a torch to be erected at the entrance of the Suez Canal. Titled “Egypt (or Progress) Carrying the Light to Asia,” it was to symbolize industrial and social progress in Egypt. The Suez statue was never built, and the project was later reconfigured as a gift from France to the United States to celebrate the centennial of American independence. Fulfilling Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi’s intentions of celebrating the Suez Canal project as a technological feat, the museum of technology will pose as a monument to technology while overlooking and celebrating the Suez Canal. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi’s concept sketch for the proposed statue.
Ismailia’s historical layer analysis
Site?
Historical railway Historical base for the city Historical fresh water canals from the Nile Roads and urban development Cargo ships sea routes
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Linear path to Helix The initial form is a helix to give the typical linear path of a museum program a vertical component fitting of a beacon and a monument. Intially with a uniform cross-section, half of the form is to be underground to act as foundation providing structural support.
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Scale The cross-section at the end of the helix is increased in size whilst tapering down the other end to reduce loads and counter the structure’s cantilevered portion.
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Twist Opposite twists are added along the length of the helix to add rigidity against inertia.
Reinforce Final form’s cross-section comprises a spine (orange) tapering down towards the top supporting frames and bracing that run along the form to support the skin and floors
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Entry Plaza and Outdoor Display Entrance Lobby Ramp to Auditorium Gift-shop Information Desk Storage Visitors’ Elevator Service Elevator Security Bookstore Visitors’ Restrooms Water Features Amphitheater Visitors’ Parking Bus Parking Staff Parking Ramp to Loading Dock Below (-2) Stairs to Staff Entrance Below (-1) Sunken Staff Entrance Area Stairs to Floor Below (-2) Administrative Restrooms Administration Workroom Administrative Assistant Museum Director Meeting Room Supplies Room Visitors’ Auditorium lounge
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Auditorium Projection Room Stairs up to Floor Above (-1) Staff Lounge Staff Locker Rooms Elevator to Storage Floors Below (-3) Workshop Staff Lounge Staff Restrooms Work Room Workshop Auditorium Electrical Room Collection Storage Restaurant Storage Service Elevator Staff Elevator Loading Dock Service Yard Ramp to Ground Floor Electrical Mechanical Main Exhibit Secondary Exhibits Audio Visual Hall Bar Kitchen Restaurant and viewing deck
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Visitors’ Entrance Bus Parking Visitors’ Parking Amphitheater Staff and Service Entrance Staff Parking Service and loading dock area (-2) Bridge to Staff Entrance Sunken Staff Entrance Area (-1)
Approach Experience
Site integration.
You enter the building through a circular court embraced by the spiraling building itself where you interact with and experience the building even before you enter inside.
The form gracefully rises from the grass appearing as if the sculpture on display whilst evoking the sense of being an in
Amphitheater Shell.
Back of House
The outdoor amphitheater is influenced by the main form’s sculptural quality and is sunken into the site to act as an extension to the main form that rises from the ground. The form is curved to create an acoustic shell and create an immersive experience.
Given the variety of users and services the program dictates building through a sunken court on the (-1) level after using a the service yard that’s located on the (- 2) level. The service and a generous maneuvering area for easy service access.
entire building is a ntegral part of the site.
s, the staff accesses the a bridge that spans over yard has a loading dock
External Skin The inward facing side of the form is glazed to provide expansive views of the site as visitors move through the building.
Structural Support Bracing the building into a single structural unit is a series of frames and bracing following the form.
Floors and Walls Floors spiral up following the form with continuous stairs connecting them.
Tapering Spine Acting alongside the structural framing and bracing to create a form that behaves like a single structure.
04 Mixed-use Complex | Architecture Academic work. A mixed-use complex; residential, retail and business. Cairo, Egypt. Individual project. Fourth year, 2012.
Introducing a new residential experience in the congested urban context of Cairo through a typology that borrows from the openness of the low-density row houses used in other parts of the world to achieve well-being in a high-density setting .
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Residential social well-being
ROOF PENTHOUSES APARTMENTS
The residential units were arranged in a way similar to row houses and they’re accessible through an access gallery in a layout that promotes openness as opposed to the typical introverted apartment buildings with the enclosed hall/core typical of the overcrowded Cairo city. This layout also promotes the highly-valued sense of privacy, since no units overlook each other. And, since higher altitudes provide better views, the building’s roof accommodates a communal terrace for all the residents. Program separation
BUSINESS CENTER HEALTH CENTER RESTAURANT RETAIL
Given the functional requirements of each program, users are separated into 3 categories; •
Residential; Tucked away towards the back facade are the two residential entrances (pedestrian) on the ground floor on both ends of the site so as to not interfere with the other programs.
•
Business; Off the side road, a free-standing core with stairs and elevators give direct access to the 2 floors of the business center.
•
Retail and leisure; The form highlights the retail’s entrance as the main entrance, directly accessible from the main street.
LEISURE SUPERMARKET PARKING Path planning for different users
Orientation towards view Form footprint follows plot shape with longer side facing the waterfront for maximum expansive views.
Vehicular interaction The footprint is arced to create a drop-off area for retail access. An entrance ramp and an exit ramps are placed on the ends of the plot.
Pedestrian paths and vegetation Two Residential pedestrian access paths are placed on both ends of the arc along with two fire escapes. A separate access for business use is placed off the side road.
Commercial/office podium A podium hosts 6 retail floors, 1 restaurant floor, 1 health-club floor, and at the top 2 business floors accessible from a free-standing access core. A portion of the greenery is reclaimed on the top.
Articulating greenery The podium greenery is split into 3 levels, top level on top of the business center, mid level on top of the retail, lowest level on the -1 leisure floor as 2 sunken courts, all to make up for lost greenery.
Residential functions 9 floors are added on top of the podium 7 of which are apartments with expansive views, and the top 2 floors are double floor penthouses.
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Retail entrance Residential entrance Office entrance Vehicle access to underground floors 5. Vehicle exit 6. Retail 7. Offices reception 8. Residential reception 9. Elevators to retail floors 10. Access to lower retail floors 11. Fire stairs
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Residential stairs (fire) Office stairs (fire) Restrooms Fast-food outlets Staff back area Staff Restroom Private dining rooms Restaurant staff rooms Administration Reception Pool mechanical room Freight elevator
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Storage Pantry Kitchen Sky Garden Changing rooms Pool Bar Cardio area Aerobics classes Massage and spa Weight training Gym Staff offices
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Multi-purpose halls Leas-able office space Residential access gallery Residential access from below Apartments Penthouses lower floor Penthouses upper floor Communal penthouse terrace Box office Refreshments bar Movie theatre Projection booth
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Mechanical room Electrical room Bowling alley Bowling reception Hypermarket Movator to lower floor Screen service area Entrance ramp from floor above 56. Exit ramp to floor above 57. Access ramp to floor below 58. Access ramp from floor below
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7th floor (Health club)
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Section of the typical residential floor
Row house › An access gallery acts as a walkway leading to the apartments creating an open environment that promotes the sense of community and grants maximum privacy whilst providing openness and expansive view of the city, in a contrast to the typical congested confined core characteristic of the apartment buildings.
Retail Access › The retail access is highlighted by the main form, shining as the main function for a perfect experience without interference from the business or residential functions of the building. Access is through a bridge floating over a sunken garden, which provides light and ventilation to the floors below.
Office & Residential access › The residential access is tucked away on the back facade of the building for added privacy away from the commercial bustle. The business access is through a freestanding core that connects to the main building through a sky-walk on the two business floors for added isolation from the other programs of the building.
[Title page]14 D
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Re En Re Fir Bu Ve Ve Sk Su Dr
etail/ Commercial ntrance esidential Entrance re Egress usiness/ office Entrance ehicular Access Ramp ehicular Access Ramp ky Gardens unken Gardens (-1 floor) rop-off area for Retail
Communal roof (open to public) Penthouses (2-floor units)
Row houses (1-floor units)
Business Center
Health Center Restaurant
Retail
Leisure Supermarket
Parking
05 International bank | Architecture Academic work An international bank. Cairo, Egypt. Individual work. Third year, 2011.
Exploring a solution halfway between transparency of glass of an office building and the opaqeness of the monolithic materials of the bank used earlier in history that lends it its secure and affluent image. Using deeper curtain wall mullion profiles at close intervals, the glazed parts of the facade varies in appearance from transparent, to translucent, to solid depending on the viewing angles. The mullions also double as vertical sun louvers while allowing for ample daylight to enter the office spaces.
Solid
Split
Peel back for entrance
Solid vs Translucent Core (thermal shield) vs Offices
Sky garden
Located in the new desert city of New Cairo, this proposal explores ways of getting rid of the bank’s corporate image. The proposal aims to explore the relationship between transparency needed for an office building and opaqueness which evokes a sense of security suitable for a bank. The facades appear solid to further emphasize security almost like a treasure box, except for when the facade parts like a curtain to reveal an entrance. The facade of office spaces is clad in curtain wall comprising closely spaced mullions to create a monolithic feel whilst still providing translucency necessary for letting ample daylight into an office building. All while offering tiny glimpses of the building’s interior spaces with varying vantage angles.
Staff Parking lot
Staff Access
Secure Access to Basement
Secure Access to Basement
Secure Access to Basement
The bank had to offer openness through being an integral part of the community. This is possible through the communal services the bank offers, as it has community center comprising a public cafe and an auditorium among other facilities that are open to public.
Staff Parking lot Community Center
Bank Footprint
Fire escape
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Service Core
Staff Parking lot
Sky court
Typical Office floor planning
Secure Access to Basement
Secure Access to Basement
Staff Access
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Secure Access to Basement
Ground Surface
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Bank Footprint
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Bank visitors Entrance Visitors Vehicular Access Ramp Visitors Vehicular Exit Ramp Service Vehicular Access Ramp Service Vehicular Exit Ramp Access to Staff Ground Parking Entrance to Community Building Staff Entrance to Bank Entrance to Cafe and Restaurant Sunken Gardens (-1 floor) Accessibility Ramp from underground drop-off
UP
planted garden
planted garden
Fire Escape 216
Staff Entrance Hall 222
Changing Room
Service Staff Room
102
101
Rake Room
Money Receving
Security
109
115
113
Female Restroom
Work Room
215
114
Reception Hall 217
Male Restroom
Service Entrance
214
105
Tree planter
Storage 103
Vault
Vault
112
130
Lifts Lobby
Reception Hall/ Atrium
202
201
302
Marketing Office
Archive
213
Office
110
111 Kitchen
Male Restroom
108
Vaults vestibule
Loading Dock
106
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221
Mechanical Pantry
131
107
Work Room Janitor's
116
Office
205
210
Office
Office
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212
Male Restroom 203
Storage 104
Female Restroom
Safety Deposit Boxes
220
129
ATM Hall 206
Entrance Vestibule 207
Female Restroom
Safety Deposit Boxes Reception
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Reception 117 Security Room 208
Restaurant Hall 219 UP
Sunken Garden 132
UP
UP
Public Parking Plaza 133
Basement Floor
Ground Floor
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Office
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Office 529
Office
Work Room
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Office
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Trading Hall 405
Tellers Backroom
Open
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Main Banking Hall 312
Office 525
Secondary Vault
Secondary Vault
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Office
Office
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Open 539
Open 426
Open 321
UP
UP
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Stock exchangedepartment
Office 409
Ablution
Male Restroom
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Reception
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Reception 425 Office
Open
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Open
Reception
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Female Restroom
Financial Marketing
Lifts Lobby
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Hot Desks
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Lifts Lobby
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Office
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Lifts Lobby 316
Storage 423 Prayer Hall
Office
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Training Hall
Front Desk
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Bridge
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Office
Male Restroom
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Male Restroom
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I.T office
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Meetings Room
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Female Restroom
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Kitchenette
Meetings Room
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Female Restroom
Office
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Kitchenette 504 Storage 515
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Training Hall Meeting Room
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Auditorium Office Storage
Office
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Storage
Office
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Training Hall 538
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First Floor
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Third Floor
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Underground entrance Adding to the feel of monumentality while maintaining human scale, the entrance to the building is through a drop-off under the ground level leading the visitors to rise up to the building. After the drop-off, the visitors are greeted with a sunken garden, a set of stairs and a ramp for added accessibility.
Permeability according to orientation The western and southern-west orientations are the least permeable to reduce thermal gain. while the north orientation has maximum permeability. The first floor extends over the staff parking providing shade and creating a cooler zone for cool air supply for the building.
30 cm compro
SUMMER SUN @ 83°
Office 509
Entrance Vestibule 207
Safety Deposit Boxes 129
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
- Terrazzo slanted skirting (20cmx20cmx2cm) - Terrazzo tiles (25cmX25cmX2cm) - Mortar (2cm) - Sand (4cm) - Slopped ordinary concrete slab (8cm) - Thermal isolation - Honey comb (4 cm) - D.P.C (2cm) - Reinforced concrete slab (15 cm)
Space truss (steel)
Polycarbonite sheets
Zinc, Copper, titanium alloy angle
- Polished slate stone skirting (20cmx60cmx3cm) - Polished slate stone tiles (40cmX60cmX3cm) - Mortar (2cm) - Sand (4cm) - Reinforced concrete slab (15 cm) Matte paint (white)
Store front curtain wall
- Polished slate stone skirting (20cmx60cmx3cm) - Polished slate stone tiles (40cmX60cmX3cm) - Mortar (2cm) - Sand (4cm) - Reinforced concrete slab (15 cm)
Matte paint (white)
grid spacing allowing for restricted viewing angles creating a translucency effect without omising natural light and transforms the mullions into vertical louvers for shading purposes.
- Polished slate stone skirting (20cmx60cmx3cm) - Polished slate stone tiles (40cmX60cmX3cm) - Mortar (2cm) - Sand (4cm) - Reinforced concrete slab (15 cm)
Matte paint (white)
- Polished slate stone skirting (20cmx60cmx3cm) - Polished slate stone tiles (40cmX60cmX3cm) - Mortar (2cm) - Sand (4cm) - Reinforced concrete slab (15 cm)
Tinted curtain wall glazing
Office Matte paint (white)
519
Acoustic tiles (60x60 cm) - Armstrong tiles
- Polished slate stone skirting (20cmx60cmx3cm) - Polished slate stone tiles (40cmX60cmX3cm) - Mortar (2cm) - Sand (4cm) - Reinforced concrete slab (15 cm)
Financial Marketing 408 Slate stone skirting
Matte paint (white)
Steel 900 mm pipe railing
- Polished slate stone skirting (20cmx60cmx3cm) - Polished slate stone tiles (40cmX60cmX3cm) - Mortar (2cm) - Sand (4cm) - Reinforced concrete slab (15 cm)
Office
Office
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508
Office
Office
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527
Hot Desks 303
Matte paint (white)
Trading Hall 405
Bridge 420
- Travertine skirting (20cmx20cmx3cm) - Travertine tiles (60cmX60cmX3cm) - Mortar (2cm) - Sand (4cm) - Reinforced concrete slab (15 cm) - Plaster (2cm)
Reception Hall/ Atrium 201
Marketing Office
Venetian plaster
Main Banking Hall
Dry mix (white)
Stainless Steel cover
312
213
Joint filler
Bridge
Isolation joint
315
Silicon
Reception Hall/ Atrium - Terrazo skirting (20cmx60cmx3cm) - Terrazo tiles (30cmx30cmx3cm) - Mortar (2cm) - Sand (4cm) - Reinforced concrete slab (15 cm) - D.P.C (2cm) - Ordinary concrete slab (edged) (15 cm) - Compacted soil
201
Polystyrene sheets
Vault 130 Dry mix (white)
131
Vault 112
Money Receving 115
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
Vaults vestibule
- Acid-washed marble tile skirting (20cmx60cmx3cm) - Acid-washed marble tiles (60cmx60cmx3cm) - Mortar (2cm) - Sand (4cm) - Reinforced concrete slab (15 cm) - D.P.C (2cm) - Ordinary concrete slab (edged) (15 cm) - Compacted soil
Work Room Dry mix (white)
114
06 Urban Park | Urban Design Academic work Addressing the shortage of parks in Cairo city. Cairo, Egypt. Group project; Fourth year, 2012. Role: Concept and design, site selection, concept development, sketches, diagrams, 3d modeling, main collage. Group’s role (2 person): data gathering, 3d model development and 3d rendering.
Seized by the government for a commercial development plan, the long-neglected island in the middle of the Nile is threatened with a commercial defacement that is currently eradicating the already scarce greenery and more importantly accessible and inclusive public space.
Context; Commercial development vs accessible public space. Jazirit Al-Dahab (The Gold Island) is one of the many natural islands in the Nile river, albeit the least developed. Years of negligence on the government’s part has led to its deterioration. It became home to slums lacking basic services and infrastructure down to even water and sanitation. Recently, the government has seized this island for a commercial land reuse plan. In reaction to the government’s commerical
plan that would deface the area’s character, we propose that an urban park is built on this island to address the shortage of parks in Cairo. Portion of the island that‘s used for sparse agricultural activities can be used for the park. The Nile runs through Cairo with minimal interaction its inhabitants, and a park in the middle of the Nile will create opportunities for various recreational activities.
Special Access Currently the island is only accessible by boats, and keeping that as the only means of access is a way of ensuring that this island preserves its uniqueness. And encourages the visitors to experience the river and fully interact with it.
Ecological features. The Blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) was sacred to the Ancient Egyptians and is a symbol of the sun of creation and re-birth. The flowers close at sunset sink under the water, at dawn they rise and open again to greet the day with azure color and sweet fragrance. This water lily is endemic to the Nile river, and used to thrive in the ancient times prior to disturbing it’s natural habitat. As such, parts of the park will be planted with lotus to as to restore the lotus species and reduce introduction of other invasive alternatives.
serutaeF
Zoning Planting
Topography
Greenery Lotus Water Sand
Land cover Paving
Overlay
Access and traffic
Lotus is one of the flora species native to the Nile, therefore, lily ponds and patches have been used as an integral part of the design.
The main feature of the park is dancing fountain serving as a backdrop for the amphitheater.
The restaurant hill contains a restaurant accessible either from the ground level underneath a waterfall.
The restaurant is also accessible from the top of the hill through a series of steps leading into the center of the restaurant.
The view hill is the highest hill acting as the highest vantage point providing expansive views of the entire park.
Next to the entrance piazza theres an urban beach featuring water play for children.
The amphitheater is a hill sloping to accommodate the seats in a curve that encompasses a stage.
Sculptural bridges connects the two sides of the park that are split by the main water spine that runs down the middle which also is a path for the canoes.
07 The Prayer Routine | Personal Study A personal Study First-hand experience of a unique phenomenon. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Individual work. 2016, 2017.
Point (0,0,0)
of the Islamic World.
G
oing to the holy city of Makkah I didn’t know what to expect, I had gone for work, to join the project of the Holy Mosque expansion, the mosque that’s known as the point on the map Muslims face during each prayer. The further from that point you are, the more of a general direction it becomes. However, in Makkah, that direction materializes into an actual point that draws everything towards it, from the streets that lead to it, to the buildings that are oriented towards it, to the people that come for the sole purpose of visiting that point.
ABRAJ AL-BAIT TOWERS
The more time i spent living in this city, the more I felt that the whole city caters to this landmark that’s the mosque, and it became evident through various phenomena, one of which manifests daily with each prayer and becomes more evident the closer you get to the Mosque. Having my office on-site and spending most of the day on the premises, I got to experience this phenomenon first-hand. As the prayer call draws near, businesses close down, people get ready for prayer, and everything transforms to serve as an extension to the mosque, from surrounding squares to surrounding malls and hotel lobbies and even roads. Muslims eager to heed the prayer call encroach on public, semi-public, and even private spaces whose owners are happy to have their properties serve to extend prayer lines. Then, the moment the prayer is over, everything reverts to normal, Like a flash mob of the grandest scale.
SBG SITE OFFICES for the Mosque expansion project (where my office is)
KAABA point (0,0,0
RAWR!
*Often criticized as an eyesore, this tall one-eyed monster however stand as a landmark to a site of unremarkable verticality. The mosque’s minarets pale among the tall hotel towers of the city, however this tall monstrosity can be seen from almost most of the city neighborhoods. Prior to 2002, before this tower was built, an ottoman fortress used to stand on a hill overlooking the grand mosque. However, the saudi government tore the hill and the 18th century fortress down in favor of building this development.
*
MILLENNIUM TOWERS Spot chosen for the study
0) of islamic world
The extent of Holy Mosque’s effect
20
Mosque piazza
[3:10 pm] Regular activities.
Stores close
[3:26 pm] Right before prayer.
[3:36 pm] During prayer.
Makkah Millennium Towers Comprising retail uses on the first few floors and a 5-star hotel on the upper floors, the building is perched in the immediate vicinity of the Holy Mosque and witnesses its transforming power during prayer times.
The tower/ mall entrance overlooks the mosque’s prayer piazza (in white marble) and during prayer times transforms into an extension to the mosque’s piazza. An extention to the mosque’s effect.
3:10 pm (Regular hours) 3:26 pm (Prayer Call) People get ready for prayer, stores close. 3:36 pm (During Prayer) 3:51 pm (After Prayer) Late worshippers catch up, stores open up. 4:01 pm (Regular hours) Stores open
[3:51 pm] Right after prayer.
[4:01 pm] Regular activities resuming afterwards.
Cultural Park for Children 1989, Cairo, Egypt. The late, Prof. AbdelHalim Ibrahim, Sep. 1941- Oct. 2021,
.
Built in the derelict Sayyida Zeinab neighborhood of old Cairo, it managed to uplift the community and give the residents a sense of belonging.