WORK ON PAPER
17’
/ BY MOSTAFA YOUSSEF
Art / Architecture
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CAPTAIN_TSUBASA FROM SCALE 1:MOLE PROJECT
RESUME
ABOUT_ME
Mostafa Youssef [Cairo, 1989], an architect with master degree in comic design from LUCA School of Arts in Brussels. He currently works as an instructor at the Architecture and Urban Design Department at The German University in Cairo. With a grown interest in storytelling, he founded Bureau MiniMax “minimal drawings, maximum stories to tell”. He tells, through graphic narratives, stories of architecture emphasizing on its impact on the society and its emergent archetypes as in “IALU, THE FIELD OF DREAMS” his first experience in comic design published in 2016 that was awarded the best published graphic novel in Cairo Comix Second Edition in the same year.
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EDUCATION
06’11’ BSc. of Architecture Misr International University, Cairo, Egypt 10’11’ Joint Degree MSc. of Architecture Architecture Design Theory Program University of Liechtenstein, Vaduz, Liechtenstein 14’15’ Master of Arts [with Honors] Comic design and story-telling Program Luca School of Arts, Sint-Lukas Campus, Brussels, Belgium
RESUME
WORKING_EXPERIENCE
12’14’ Worked as Teaching Assistant In German University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt Faculty of Architecture and Urban Design Visual Design Department 13’ Workshop [Organiser] Democratic Urban Space In Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany In collaboration with German University in Cairo 15‘ Worked as Art Director In Hani Mahfouz Design Studio, Cairo, Egypt 16’ [Current] Worked as Instructor In German University in Cairo Faculty of Architecture and Urban Design Visual Design Department Taught Courses – SS16 Visual Design Course - Contextual Re-Establishment SS16 Design Studio Course - Town House East WS16 Freehand Drawing and Modeling Course - Own-Line WS16 Pre Master Elective Course - Lost Tales From Promised Futures SS17 Visual Design Course - Freeing_From_Norm SS17 Design Studio Course - Un-Realized Presence Workshop [Organiser] Learning from New Cairo In German University in Cairo In collaboration with - Film Makers Daniel Kotter and Constanze Fischbeck Assoc. Prof. Vlatka Seremet BTU Cottbus Senftenberg Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design As part of Lost Tales from Promised Futures Course Workshop [Organiser] 22 Secs Clip Urban Life a Short Visual Manifesto At German University in Cairo In collaboration with - Assoc. Prof. Vlatka Seremet BTU Cottbus Senftenberg As part of Lost Tales from Promised Futures Course Guest Speaker “Dreams Manipulated” Lecture Featured “DESERT VIEW“ Film in Production By Daniel Kötter and Constanze Fischbeck In collaboration with Goethe institute Cairo, Egypt
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PUBLICATIONS
14’ Publication “Capsular City” Drawings Series “WE LIVE IN MODEL” Author Sasha Cisar and Nicholas Lobo Brennan Published by Kommode Verlag, 2014 Publication Vierves in Shorts Indpendently Published by LUCA School of Arts Students, 2015 15’ Publication Architecture Liechtenstein Magazine issue 12 “Self-Suffieceny” Published by University of Liechtenstien Architecture Department, 2015 Exhibition in Vorarlberger Architektur Institut, Dornbirn, Austria 16’ Publication Ialu, The Field of Dreams Graphic Novel - Arabic Language Published by Dar Toya Press, 2016 Publication 28 Illustrations Series All Roads Lead to Hell by Mustafa Shuahib – Arabic Language Published by Dar Toya Press, 2016 Online Publication IALU, The Field of Dreams Published on Koshk Comics Mobile Application
EXHIBITIONS / FESTIVALS
14’ Exhibition “Capsular City” Drawings Series In Café Babel, Stuttgart, Germany 15’ Featured Culture Maison Comic Festival In Culture Maison, Brussels, Belgium 16’ Feautred Cairo Comix Festival Second Edition In American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt Exhibition Outside of The Fridge Ialu, The Field of Dreams Graphic Novel “Get In” and “Lunch Time” Short Narratives Organised by by Koshk Comics American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt 17’ Exhibition ”Paper Trail” in collaboration with Adsum Gallery and Gypsum Gallery 12 Movie Miniatures Drawings Series In Gypsum Gallery, Cairo, Egypt Exhibition “Man Made Tree” Drawing Series In LALA Studio, Cairo, Egypt
RESUME
NO_BIRD_RESIDENCE FROM THE CAPSULAR CITY PROJECT
AWARDS / HONORS
10’ Honorable Mention/Exhibition Paper City Studio – Two Stories Below Project Outstanding artist award In Vorarlberger Architektur Institut, Dornbirn Austria 16‘ Award Winner of Best Graphic Novel Award Ialu The Field of Dreams Published by Dar Toya Press Cairo Comix Festival Second Edition In American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
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ON PAPER
TABLE OF CONTENTS Work On Paper - This is a compendium of my work of art and architecture inspired by a passion for paper and a tactile pleasure of using illustrations, words and images to tell stories on those printed pages. And remember do not take paper for granted!
10 - 27 Architectural_Narrative Two_Stories_Below
72 - 79 Illustration Ar_Type_Challenge
28 - 41 Graphic_Novel Ialu
80 - 83 Illustration AL-Mag
42- 45 Short_Narrative Get_In
84 - 87 Illustration Scale_1:Mole
48 - 51 Short_Narrative Lunch_Time
88 - 92 Mapping Forgotten_Scapes
53 - 61 Mapping 239_Rue_Royale 61 - 66 Narrative The-Capsular_City 68 - 71 Narrative The_Man_Made_Tree
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TWO_STORIES_BELOW
ARCHITECTURAL_DESIGN_THEORY
/ ARCHITECTURAL NARRATIVE
BOOK PROJECT
TWO STORIES BELOW PAPER CITY STUDIO – A theoretical design process through a book which is then developed to an architectural programmatic project. The stories and concepts of the designed book are based on literature and architectural theory books through which we were exposed to 20th century’s famous theories and how much they are related to the architecture of today. The aim of the project was to use literature as a mean of developing the design, writings and resulting proposals that could lead to a change for a better city and a better life.
PAPER_CITY_STUDIO
The studio was based on Italo Calvino’s “THE INVISIBLE CITIES”
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TWO_STORIES_BELOW
TRACING VENETIAN_ESSENCE
/ ARCHITECTURAL NARRATIVE
In Italo Calvino’s novel, he describes imaginary cities, each of which has its own distinguished qualities that say something about his hometown, Venice. Therefore, an abstract map of Venice was traced to better understand the contextual qualities of the city, hidden networks and structures. “Two Stories Below” book visualizes Calvino’s invisible cities, Isaura. “THE CITY OF THE THOUSANDS WELLS”
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TWO_STORIES_BELOW
CHAPTER ONE MANIFESTATION
For centuries, the wells have been an essential element in the Venetian daily life, an actual tool of living that is located in the middle of plazas and courtyards granting them the real type of water they need to survive, from the underground world that lies beneath Venice, that nobody is fully aware of how it is working or whether it is present or not. That underground world solves the fact, which not many know about, that all the water in Venice cannot help them to live. Wells, with its crucial role that goes back to its historical value and importance, should maintain more concern as a source of their life, thus these wells should be placed in a valuable place and be changed from just a silent artifact to a vital activity.
/ ARCHITECTURAL NARRATIVE
WE NEED THE INVISIBLE TO LIVE THE VISIBLE AND THE VISIBLE TO BELIEVE THE INVISIBLE.”
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TWO_STORIES_BELOW
CHAPTER TWO THE WELLS IN A CLEAR INFRASTRUCTURE
/ ARCHITECTURAL NARRATIVE
As if by their departure they have captured the spirit of the city leaving a lifeless body that by time turned darker and darker. Life’s emptiness filled out the touristic island Venice after the Local Venetians had left to inhabit another islands, one of them was the island of Giudecca where the project lies. Down from the sky, the cascading rain falls down into a basin which then transports this glistening fresh water to the water fountains, the suspended fresh water clusters and most importantly to the vast unknown: the underground world. Embraced with water all around through this transparent structure, people are able to view the mechanism of transferring water from down to up and up to down changing their perception of water as being only an element for survival.
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TWO_STORIES_BELOW
Trasnparent water clusters showing the dynamics of the glistening water flow between the upper and the underground world.
/ ARCHITECTURAL NARRATIVE
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TWO_STORIES_BELOW
CHAPTER THREE WATER AS NEVER CLOSE AS BEFORE
/ ARCHITECTURAL NARRATIVE
With water streams permeating everything even their own souls, they feel all the freedom and fun to play with it and use it in all means of their life. It now plays a crucial role in their daily lives unlike in the past when it only acted as a basic element; existent with no interaction or engagement.
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TWO_STORIES_BELOW
CHAPTER FOUR PUBLIC BATH IN THE UNDER-GROUND WORLD
/ ARCHITECTURAL NARRATIVE
As the water leaps through the water columns from the basin located above into a pool, the water streams reflect the glimmering sun rays coming from above providing light to the spaces underneath. And by the first drop of water touching the ground of the pool, the whole underground structure comes to life and starts to function introducing to the Venetians the underground public bath which will change their perception towards water. A core of mirrors within that pool is designed as a connection with what is above the ground, working like the periscope of the submarines transferring what is happening above to below which emphasizes the idea of co-existence. On the other side lies another pool that is directly connected to and receive its water from the upper water clusters. The wells existing in the upper world act as a reference beside which exist the channels [gates] transporting the Venetians from above to the underground world.
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TWO_STORIES_BELOW
/ ARCHITECTURAL NARRATIVE
A lively functional underground public bath run by the water coming from the upper world. As the water permeates the underground through the reflecting mirrors, people start engaging with the underground world.
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TWO_STORIES_BELOW
Outstanding Artist Award Exhibition incorporated projects with the most architecturally challenging and daring content. Participants were selected by an international jury of 50 submissions throughout Austria in addition to the University of Liechtenstein, The jury was comprised of Professor Professor Professor Professor
Wolfgang Tschapeller Hugo Dworzak Andrea Hofmann Matthias Stocker
The Architectural Design Theory Studio at the University of Liechtenstein Paper City Studio projects were nominated to that award and got an honourable mention at the event. Besides, the projects were published in the exhibition’s forum magazine publication [ARCHITEKTUR & BAU FORUM]
/ HONOR AND EXHIBITION
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/ NARRATIVE
GRAPHIC NOVEL
THE FIELD OF DREAMS AWARDED - BEST PUBLISHED GRAPHIC NOVEL IN CAIRO COMIX FESTIVAL SECOND EDITION IN 2016
In a city where there is no place for any of spontaneity, not even for dreams, nobody questions or wonders what goes on except for Ialu. The city reshapes itself everyday where the remains of the previous day are disposed, and dreams of people are swept away by the dream sweepers before they get up. Ialu, a citizen in the city of Phantasma, works as a dream archivist. Living alone in his house, something accidental happens to him, and he starts to dream. His dreams make him aware of things that he once thought they were normal. Writing down his thoughts and folding them into paper planes, he throws them away hoping that they can change someone’s life, and they actually do.
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IALU_THE_FIELD_OF_DREAMS
AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN WORD MEANS THE FIELD OF DREAMS.
/ NARRATIVE
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IALU_THE_FIELD_OF_DREAMS
/ NARRATIVE
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IALU_THE_FIELD_OF_DREAMS
/ NARRATIVE
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IALU_THE_FIELD_OF_DREAMS
/ NARRATIVE
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IALU_THE_FIELD_OF_DREAMS
/ NARRATIVE
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IALU_THE_FIELD_OF_DREAMS
/ ILLUSTRATION
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GET_IN
GET IN
/ NARRATIVE
He heard a distant voice coming from inside the house as the door swung open. He looked around and stepped in following the fading voice which echoed in every corner. He caught glimpses of old memories formed on the dilapidated walls of the house.
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GET_IN
/ NARRATIVE
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LUNCH_TIME
NARRATIVE
LUNCH TIME VIERVES IN SHORTS
/ NARRATIVE
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LUNCH_TIME
/ NARRATIVE
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LUNCH_TIME
/ NARRATIVE
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VISUAL DIARY
239
RUE
ROYALE #WALK_THROUGH_BRUSSELS
/ MAPPING
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239_RUE_ROYALE
EGLISE_ROYALE_SAINTE_MARIE
/ MAPPING
CAFE_LARDIN
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239_RUE_ROYALE
LA_BRASSERIE_DE_LALAING
/ MAPPING
EMIRDAG_KOFTECISI
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239_RUE_ROYALE
PALAIS_BAR
/ MAPPING
L’ ANE_FOU
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239_RUE_ROYALE
CAMPIO_REINE
/ MAPPING
#WALK_TRHOUGH_BXL TOTEBAG SEREIS 239 RUE ROYALE VISUAL DIARY INDEPENDET PUBLICATION_2016 LIMITED EDITION
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NARRATIVE
THE CAPSULAR CITY
BUILDING_WITH_AMBITION
/ NARRATIVE
CAPSULAR_TREE HOMEGROWN_TREE
We live in a capsule city. As the notion of exclusivity is becoming more appealing, each one is entrapped inside a bubble. Not only does that bubble effect alter the way we interact with each others, but it also extends to our surroundings; the nature, the houses, the trees, the public spaces and even the fresh air becoming exclusive to a certain category of people, thus, becoming capsules themselves. On the other hand, the people who are lucky enough not to allow themselves to be controlled by capsules are viewed as a minority. Those people pertain the real essence of the society because they are left to understand, communicate and engage freely with all what the society offers them without setting any standards they would have to abide with one day.
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THE_CAPSULAR_CITY
CAPSULAR_CITY_STREET_VIEW
/ NARRATIVE
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THE_CAPSULAR_CITY
/ NARRATIVE
HOW_TO_BUILD_A_TREE?
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THE_MAN_MADE_TREE
NARRATIVE
THE MANMADE TREE And they decided “let’s build our own tree”.. The idea might have first seemed impossible, but they actually had what it needed. They knew it was also their right to have a tree in their neighborhood like others, and that they are even more worthy. They used to see how the people in the capsule cities control the spontaneity of their trees, only caring about trimming the leaves to fit inside the capsules and become uniform. And that was how the idea was initially triggered, why don’t they collect these leaves, and “build our own tree.” Although it is not a living tree and is made of scaffoldings which hold the leaves together, it represents a really important icon to them that they are always persistent to make it grow even bigger depicting their endless ambition.
/ NARRATIVE
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THE_MAN_MADE_TREE
TREE_UNDER_CONSTRUCTION
/ NARRATIVE
TREE_CONSTRCUTION
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AR_TYPE_CHALLENGE
ARABIC TYPE CHALLENGE ONCE UPON AN ARABIC ALPHAPET
أ
/ ILLUSTRATION
As words make up stories, and letters make up words, then stories are made of letters. The Arabic Type Challenge highlights the aesthetics of each letter treasuring the Arabic alphabet. Each letter tells a story inspired by its lines and curves. An adventure to follow of 26 letters with the members of Mr.“Abgad Hawaz� family featured for each letter. Going to work, spending a warm evening in the living room, going on a vacation and playing their favaorite sports are all tales through which the essence of each letter unravels.
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AR_TYPE_CHALLENGE
ب
/ ILLUSTRATION
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AR_TYPE_CHALLENGE
/ ILLUSTRATION
ح 77
AR_TYPE_CHALLENGE
د
/ ILLUSTRATION
ذ 79
AL_MAG
UNIVERSITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN
ARCHITECTURE
MAGAZINE ISSUE # 12
/ ILLUSTRATION
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In the 12th edition of al magazine, we are looking for the search, for those who reflect those values ​​ without which our present society can no longer afford to live. But it is not the renunciation that we want to focus in the focus, but the profit! How do we enrich our lives with the help of special habitats, through special life styles or in the way we deal with food and their production?
/ ILLUSTRATION
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SCALE_1:MOLE
PAPER_TRAIL_EXHIBITION
SCALE 1:MOLE MOVIES_MINIATURES
The passage of time has always been intriguing, being unchangeable and inevitable, and so, the aim of this project was to document things to have a memory of every day. Drawing miniatures reduced to ink dots was the way to keep those fragments of time. The idea of the first series started when I decided to watch a film a day, so I thought about drawing a miniature of an extracted remarkable scene. These small squares have no longer become about the scenes, but rather about keeping those frames of reality in which traces of time survive.
/ ILLUSTRATION
LALA_LAND MINIATURE 2X2
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SCALE_1:MOLE
/ ILLUSTRATION
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FORGOTTEN_SCAPES
MAPPING
FORGOTTEN SCAPES URBAN_ARTIFACTS_MINIATURES
/ MAPPING
Places bear endurance in the face of dilapidation with its stories and memories. They do not have to be places of perfection, they can be traces of a demolished wall, monumental ruins or destructed fields which may not be aesthetically beautiful, but they are all rich mines of life, death, memories and endless narratives. In fact, these forgotten scapes provide a different aesthetic to the overly-designed architecture we encounter daily that forces our bodies to experience specific programs and paths. Those places of margin evoke an aesthetics of disorder, surprise and sensuality, offering glimpses into the past and a unusual experience with space and materiality.
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FORGOTTEN_SCAPES
/ MAPPING
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CONTACT ME MOSTAFA YOUSSEF mostafa.a.youssef@gmail.com