Martina Mina- Student Architecture Portfolio

Martina Mina Architecture Portfolio Graduated Spring 2019 BSc Architectural Engineering martinanaeim@aucegypt.edu linkedin.com/in/martina-mina-509a0818b/

Celebration of the Monument Magra el Oyoun From a symbol of strength, wealth and innovation to an abandoned, insecure, informal area

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Philosophy The logic and order of celebrations can generate an experience that has a phenomenological depth to celebrate and revice the monument, strengthening its social, culural and economic aspects

Spring 2019- Design Fall 2018- Research Thesis Individual research and design

Concept Creating a ceremonial architecture of nodal activities that celebrate the monument, focusing on the social, cultural, and economic aspects of the place leading to a place of celebration of the monument

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Rigidity vs Fluidity Following the fluid sequence of the festival and the purpose of the aqueduct- water- yet responding to the rigid structure and flow of the aqueduct and the context of Magra el Oyoun.

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Section A Cutting through the aqueduct, the start of the market along the aqueduct with its shops and qahwas, and the cultural node: the workshops and the central gallery/showroom, and the work-live studios, furthest away from the aqueduct, for the existing locals with their shops located on the ground level in respect to the existing topography in the site.

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Connnectivity to the Site Architectural elements from the existing buildings enriched the project and increased the element of familiarity with the place for the existing locals. Wooden louvered structures are originally used for drying the leather; they were reused in shading devices and sheds creating social spaces in the residential buildings. The idea of the arch was worked into the project through its diassembling into semi circle part and vertical planes, alternating between the rigidity and fluidity in architecture.

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Section B Cutting through the aqueduct, the continuation of the market along the aqueduct with its shops and qahwas, and the social/cultural node: the outdoor stage, the cultural center with its museum, the public garden and continuation of the work-live studios, furthest away from the aqueduct, following the same typology.

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The Rigidity of the Aqueduct The Informality of the Site An Integration

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Festival Analysis

The Starting Point of the Festival: Al Hakim Mosque Vendors are concentrated in the area.

Urban Pockets in front of Al Hakim attracts the people in.

Going through the Street: Different Scenes Cafes and restaurants where social interaction occur.

Photographers with costumes are dispersed along it.

The Ending Point of the Festival: Qalawun COmplex Urban pocket allows for crowding.

Performances, depending on the event, take place on the stage located in front of the complex.

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Generating the Plans - Driven primarily by the aqueduct grids, responding to the shifts of the wall and its opneings.

- The main function of the aqueduct was to transfer water from one point to another and through this, a curved flow, inspired by the fluidity of the water and the arch’s semi circle part, penetrated the site.

- With the penetration of the interlocking circles, social nodes were created, flowing into the main node: the outdoor stage where the festivities take place. Supporting activities encompass the stage, with the stage as the source/focal point. The curved paths moving away and towards the aqueduct create an interesting experience Page 10

Connnectivity with the monument Attracting the people closer to the aqueduct, creating an interactive space rather than the people’s view of it as a barrier that separates them from the outer world was a challenging aspect in the project. The idea of fluidity and playing with curvilinearity rather than rigid planes created an experience along the aqueduct for the user during his walk between the shops and qahwas, breaking down the huge structure as an idea.

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Nodes along the Path of Festivities Inspired by the built environment of Magra el Oyoun with its clusters and randomness, and the created nodes and vibrancy along the street of celebrations, social nodes are designed and interconnected with cultural nodes of the workshops leading to the celebration street, integrating locals with visitors. An interconnection between the three zones in order to create that integrative experiential learning and an inclusive community instead of the current isolated one.

Program Inspired by the idea of Harraniyya model of an integrative experiential learning; the zones are supported and fed by the locals; they have their own workshops in their studio buildings and they offer and organize workshops for the outsiders as well as exhibit their products and crafts in the market. The rented studios welcome outsiders who are into crafts as they are an essential part in this festive crafts city, interacting with residents to create a more vibrant community. Being a place of history with its events, festivals, exhibitions and the museum of the water systems that encompasses the outdoor stage create an attraction to the outsiders and tourists; markets and qahwas give them a grasp of the community in the place where they can also take place in the offered workshops, attempting to integrate between locals and outsiders.

An Overview of the Project Elevation, After Accessing the Site through the Aqueduct

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Overview of the Festive City Respecting the monument, the buildings height respond to its presence to ensure visual connectivity; as you get closer to the monument, the heights decrease.

The outdoor stage is the central node, showing how it connects to the surrounding.

Wooden structures on the studio buildings are visible, creating social spaces inside for the residents. Also elevated roofs with louvered wooden shutters serve as wind catchers.

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Detailed Sections

Details of the Wooden Structures

Showing the connection of the wooden louvered sheds to the RC slab and the brick wall, as well as the connection of the louvered shading devices to the wall

Recycling and Materials

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Forgotten History of the City Rashid

A non-evident layering of history; the progression of eras are missing unlike Islamic Cairo; we are left only with the Ottoman and the modern-day architecture.

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Spring 2018 6 Weeks Design with Hadeel Koura, Sara Seyam

Analyzing the City of Rashid Strengths

Interesting geographic location, waterfront on Nile.

Resources, and monuments availability: touristic aspects.

Weaknesses

No job opportunities for locals.

Pollution of water, affecting the fishing industry.

Neglected monuments.

Opportunities

Connectivity to surrounding cities.

Expansion of farming, enhancing the economy.

Potential of theraputic activities.

Integration of the historic layers.

Threats

High ground water.

Illegal immigration for job opportunities.

Pollution and unhealthy environment, leading to diseases.

Philosophy Reflecting the built environment of Rashid in terms of the building blocks forms and magnets. These magnets lure people in to fully experience Rashid and its essence. Translating the idea of ‘luring in,’ main elements in Rashid were considered in terms of how locals perceive these elements as well as hows they make Rashid seem what it is. These elements were translated into the building materials of the hospital design.

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Layering and Harmonization For the hospital requirements, the general hospital is meant to serve the people of Rashid with a capacity of 150 beds, and with all specialties. Designing a hospital with all its technicalities while respecting a context as that of Rashid where its history, culture and resources is somehow hidden was the challenge.

Accordignly, we focused on the context, creating a form that responds to the surroundings; social nodes are created, responding to the surrounding buildings as to attract the locals and create a bridge between the designed building and the community. For the materials, local materials are utilized as to enhance the economy of Rashid and to be familiar with the locals.

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Technology and Context Utilizing the palm tree leaves in the louvers.

Responding to the brick industry of Rashid, bricks are utilized but with an innovative technology where the air is purified from any pollution before entering the building.

Hospital Elevations West elevation, showing the outpatient zone and the emergency entrance. Pollution-filtering bricks are used in response to the brick industry and its pollution, with braided palm leaves louvers, reflecting the essence of Rashid. The brick screens create an enclosure for the people, to be used for social activities.

East elevation, showing the main entrance and the inpatient zone, overlooking the Nile river. Bricks and louvers are used as well, in addition to the fabric which is inspired by the locals’ use of fabrics as sheds in the alleys of Rashid, changing its orientation to vertical instead of horizontal.

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Connectivity and Nodes

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A Street Intervention Al Gamaliyya

The Overshadowing of the Street’s Cultural and Historic Identity by the Commercial Activities

Vision

The street as an urban museum highlighting its historical and cultural elements and identity, while maintaining the vibrancy and ethnicity addition by its users and activities.

Self sustainable for locals, attraction for visitors.; maintain its mixed use urban structure.

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Fall 2017 Research and Design with Sandy Esmat, Nardeen Sawiras

Reviving the Street With the numerous historic and heritage buildings which are neglected, the idea of turning that stretch into an open museum was generated.

With the renovation of Wikalet Qaitbay into an hotel, touristic attractions should be created in order to upgrade that area, but without forgetting its locals; something that can serve both the tourists, locals and the workshops.

“Al Saha” in-front of Wikalet Qaitbay The intervention is in the first zone, directly after entering from the gate, making use of its location and its social potential, turning it into both a cultural and a social node. With the connection to the locals, and the outsiders /tourists who reside in the hotel that is currently Wikalet Qaytbai, this can upgrade al-Gamaliyya and its culture.

Different Events, Different Uses Due to the vibrancy of this area during festivals and moulids, the sunken plaza/ amphitheare allows for gathering and celebration through tanoura dancers and different shows. Booths can be assembled and connect to opposite side, Wikalet Qaitbay (hotel).

And when it’s unoccupied, it’s the social node where locals can gather and catch up, and where kids turn the sunken plaza to a football court.

Section throught the redesigned Saha and Wikalet Qaitbay

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An Urban Ecotone Ain El-Sira Rehabilitation

A Rich in History, Culture, Resources, yet Neglected Area Overlooking a Lake The project targets the district of al-Fustat, specifically the areas around the lakes Ain EL-Sira and Al-Fustat. The project aims to upgrade that district and return it to how it used to be before as the capital of Egypt. It is a rehabilitation of a place that is considered to be dead now even though it is rich in history, culture and resources due to the high production of pottery.

The project acts as a connecting spine that attracts history, economy and nature along it, creating a vibrant urban ecotone.

Social Sustainability Shared office garden, children’s park and market, generated by water fronts.

Economic Sustainability Worklive in the form of offices, pottery shops, as well as farming.

Environmental Sustainability Water cleansing using plants as well as green roofs and shading techniques.

The diagram shows in blue the elements to be introduced through the master plan. This includes creeping the green edge into the site, redirecting vehicles to create gateways into the site, generating views, restructuring topography using cut and fill to create a water spine, and increasing pedestrian access.

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Fall 2017 Research and Design with Sandy Esmat, Nardeen Sawiras, Rawan Sohdy, Reem Desouky, Mirna Saadany, Injy Ashour

Nolli Map and Prototypes

Connecivity to Surroundings and the Lake

Public buildings open up through the site, creating an interactive waterfront.

Massing Analysis Creating an edge to the site throught the significantly high office buildings, corresponding to the opposite buildings. Respecting the lake, the height of the buildings decreases as you get closer to it to emphasize the idea of going back to the earth. Responding to the site and the lake, two mixed use-residential prototypes are designed. Towards the edge of the site, overlooking a main street, the existing informalities were upgraded, with the addition of bazaars to showcase local pottery; following the same form, but scattering the density in the horizontal rather than vertical level. Towards Fustat Park, the other prototype focuses on farming, utilizing the water frontage; building heights are lower to create an inviting gateway and to allow for visual connectivity to lake.

Fagnoun and hotel respond to the water nature in their massing, and are elevated for maximum connectivity to water. Masses fragment, closer to the lake, to respect human to nature relationship.

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ELite Social Club Businessmen Hub in Downtown A luxurious social club is designed in Downtown area; a way of bringing back the social clubs that once existed there during last century and the ones that are located in England and European countries. Targeting the high social class in Cairo, and in particular businessmen.

Restaurant and Lounge Mood Board

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Fall 2017 Design with Sara Seyam, Hadeel Koura, Yara AbdelGhaffar

Spaces and Materials

Lounge Sections

Users’ needs are met in essential spaces as smoking rooms, and their sophistication is reflected on the colors and materials; Use of high quality leather, expensive ornaments, luxurious seating and organization, and dark colors.

Restaurant Sections

Lobby Section

Lobby Elevation

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Social Cocoon Parametric Design

An Intervention in the Department for Extra Work Spaces, Focusing on Porosity and Light Penetration

Parametric Principles

Create a solid structural outer shell which supports inner lines that span between different points of the perimeter.

The inner lines define a ruled surface while the outer shell is a prism with an n-sided polygonal base.

Concept Inspired by the adaptability of the cocoon and the weaving of the silkworm.

Interplay with light according to function, using the porosity and density of the units; ranging from open to heavily-woven to completely closed.

Open Spaces for the group work, while the highly-porous spaces for individual to create a safe, non-distracting environment.

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Spring 2018 Research with Sara Seyam, Sandy Esmat, Nardeen Sawiras Individual Design

Fragmentation: Structure and Light

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