CONTENT | Selected Work
URBAN DESIGN PROJECTS
01 Peri-Urban Infills.
The constant decline of the rural population and the concurrent rapid growth of megacities beyond a conceivable order is a phenomenon that apparently requires a new knowledge and infinite optimism if it comes to providing its inhabitants with adequate and equally affordable living and working experience. Modern western thinking tends to separate conditions, yet the enduring trend of increase in urban population and the subsequent expansion of metropolitan land calls the artificial divide into questions. The peri-urban area around Gizah district Al Haraneya becomes the testing ground to challenge current practiceof parallel existence, promoting much needed 21st century designinterpretations of a rural-urban blend. The studion is invited to imagine a construct ideas of a rural metropolois, to embrace the pace and scale of current urbanization while simultaneously boosting performance for greater effeciency and sustainability of source and production to grow, rear and distribute food close to the consumer in unprecedented ways.
Expexted Expansion
URBAN SETTLEMENTS Green Rooftops Workshops Ground Floor Outlets
Streets Network
Urban Pockets Formation
AGRICULTURAL FIELDS Animal Farms Crops Farming Crops Packaging and Storing Transportation of Crops Green Pockets Formation
2017
2021
2024
MARKET Workshops Products Fruits and Vegetables Animal Products
2017 2021 2024 2027
2027
Phases of system implementation
02 Barcelona_Shaping a New Center Placa De Les Glories. Proposal for reconnecting Barcelona. Bachelor Thesis in Urban Design. Prof. Rita Pinto De Freitas. Escola Tecnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona Barcelona, Spain Spring 2017 The analysis of the city starts by mapping the expansion of the city and how Cerda’s grid of streets disperses from the old city outwards to the surrounding agglomerations, whereas it was noticed that the grid discontinues when it reaches Glories. So the initial idea was to continue the grid of the city inwards in Glories to insure continuity and connec- tivity to the rest of the city. The geographic location of Glories, after the opening of the Diagonal to the sea, confers it a condition of centrality that is reinforced by the fact of being a meeting point of the main urban axes or circulation arteries from the city.
As a result of the noticed discontinuity of the grid at Glories, a study of the three main squares and centers of the city (since Barcelona is a poly-centric city) Catalunya, Espana and Glories is made to elaborate the reasons of con- nectivity and activation of the other two squars unlike Glories.
The 3 scales of connectivity were compared in the three squares which are: Main axes, Grid infrastructure and the Pedestrian routes. The comparison showed that Espana works as a bypass , Catalunya is a destination itself due to its’ connection to La Rambla and Passeig De Gracia in addition to the old Gothic Quarter. Whereas Glories, is not active at all when compared to both squares. It is found to be well connected on the main axes
The “Diagonal� passes through Glories splitting the site into two zones, the ed- ucational zone and the cutlural zone; the former being on the north side and the latter to the south. During the process of designing the masterplan, the styles or themes of both these zones were took into consideration so we can implement them into the final design. As for the cultural zone, there were existing cultural buildings such as the theater, the auditorium and the flea market. So, the market zone was extended into Glories and integrated with a transportation center. For the education- al zone, there were existing schools and universities in this area, as a result, an agricultural school integrated with urban agriculture that links with the green-themed pedestrian axis. An Art School was also introduced that integrates with an open exhibition space using the ruins of El Clot district. Finally, we intro- duced a Dance and a Music school were constructed that lie under the cultural complex.
The Historical Axis is the main element of
the design. It resembles the historical Rec Comtal (a canal) that existed in the site long ago. The axis is a linear park, that acts as the main public space of Glories. Cars can only pass by it with an identified low speed and only in certain places to give more comfort to the pedestrians. Several materials are used: Old stones as a main material, Saulo for the bike, running lanes that extends through the whole path and green spots which are composed from the removal of a group of stones together. Urban Furniture is introduced like seat- ing elements which also are composed of the extension of a row of stones upwards forming the linear seatings that are formulated with the same concept. We break the lineality of the pedestrian path making cuts in their surface.
03 Reside MUMBAI International Competition. Koliwada’s spatial identity is identified by the irregular paths between the buildings that act as the public space for the area. Inspired from this, we decided to design the voids instead of the masses. Making the main element of the proposal, an economical spine connecting the religious buildings, reviving Worli Fort and changing the perception of the Kolis of the fort, to become a religious core instead of a symbol of the british occupancy. The Spine acts as the main public space of the area, in which most commercial activities take place.
Types of Voids
Masterplan
The use of exterior staircases in the new typology of housing units encourages more social interaction between the inhabitants, somehow breaking the segregation and strengthening the sense of community. Shared Terraces are used as workspaces, answer to the need of variation in Public Space. The Open Ground Floor integrates the productive spine within the housing, and provides felxible space for different facilities such as: Educational facilities, workshops, enclosed market outlets.
Introduced Housing Typology
Proposal Overview
Housing Courtyards
Worli Fort - Religious center
Recreational Zone
Productive Spine
Competition Panel
ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS
04 AL-Fustat Vocational Center.
Based on a real on going project located in Al-Fustat, close to Old Cairo, the project was to design a buiding for a vocational school for professions like plumbing, carpentry, tailoring, painting etc. which provides young people with abilities and skills that are needed in the local labor market. This project in specific has a strong focus on construction and technology, incorporating materiality, technical systems and environmental prerequisites.
Concrete Panels: Inspired by Tadao Ando’s construction technique using concrete, however in this project, it is only used as cladding.
Detail 01 In the glass facades, double glazed glass panels are used, to increase the thermal resistance and reduce the U-value of the building.
Detail 02
Detail 03
Louvers: In the Eastern facade, vertical louvers are used due to the steepness of sun radiations coming from the east. The louvers help in reflecting only a small amount of radiations while mainly reflecting sun light.
05 Townhouse East _ I Deform. “Conceptual Approach”
I Deform is a central townhouse in New Cairo that consists of four zones with different usages gathered around a core element which is the showroom of the client. The showroom is the base at which the deformation occurs, it is also the expression of the client’s character. This deformation shows in the walls of the showroom, the living space, the working space, the landscape and the enterance plaza. The base of the design is a rectangular grid that deforms too.
06 01 Ascending to the Unknown | Museum. Analysis Of AL-GHURI Mosque. The design concept mainly focuses on the sudden change in the gradients of light. The design contains three sets of stairs, which are all open to the air. In contrast to the indirect light entering the museum that gives it a darker sense than the open stairs, this creates a heirarchy in the sensation of the visitors circulating the museum. The freestanding walls define the spaces, deflect the light entering the building and help in the circulation of the building. The reception is located separately in another mass, to give the visitors the mysterious feeling of not knowing how the main building would look like. The facades of the obelisk’s exhibition area are designed to have two openings in two corners to allow light to enter diagonally, to match the main scenario of our design.
Model Photos testing the light effect.
Ink Sketches
Enterance
Reception
Statue - Tomb
Obelisk - Terrace
Courtyard - Boat
07 Analysis of “Al-Ghuri� Mosque | Old Cairo Sketching Analaysis Project. Al-Ghuri Mosque is a historical mosque located in Old Cairo. This project concentrates on the analysis of the builidng, including light control, circulation, enterance design and ornamental details.
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