Dr. Khaled Asfour Memory Book
ف َ ب ض َر َ ألَ ْم تَ َر َك ْي َ َ ّللاه َمثَالً َك ِل َمةً َط ِيبَةً ش َجر ٍة َط ِيبَ ٍة َك َ صله َها ثَا ِبت أَ ْ ع َها فِي َوفَ ْر ه آء* س َم ِ ال َ ت ه ْؤتِي أ ه هكلَ َها هك َ َّ ين ِب ِإ ْذ ِن َر ِب َها ِح ٍ َويَ ْ ض ِر ه ب َ ّللاه ا ِ األ َ ْمثَا َ َّ ِللنَ ِ لَ َعلَ هه ْم يَتَ َذك هَر َ ون*
Contents Students and Alumni Memories Professors and Doctors Memories Prayers Thoughts
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
-------------------------------------------------------------------------I literally haven’t seen you since graduation, so why am I crying so hard? I asked myself yesterday, why am I am still crying? I ask myself today. I thought I'd have time to see you once more, have a cup of tea with you, I regret I didn’t do it, I envy all those who were close to you. I wasn’t the only one to weep for you as I stood at your burial yesterday, I saw the old, the young, all weeping for a great man, for a precious river that has gone dry... I always debated with my friends why a man of your stature, why an MIT professor with a great mind who could’ve taught in greater cities abroad, would choose to teach a bunch of silly kids, irresponsible, and immature. But that was one of your greatest superpowers. You believed in change, loved your country and your people, you saw between the layers, saw potential in each one of us. --If you ask me about the most impactful person in my life, my answer would be Dr. Khalid Asfour. He literally left a footprint so deep into my character that shaped the way I think for life. (My brother Abdullah Heal, teases me someti mes saying Asfourek! As I would sound like him sometimes. (And I like the sound of that every time). During my graduation case study research, we all had one parliament building to study, mine was The Reichstag building in Germany designed by Sir Norman Foster. After I finished my research, Dr. Khalid told me to criticize his work! I thought to myself, what! me? who am I to criticize such a great ar chitect! what have I ever accomplished! But that was just it, He gave us the power of confidence to defy and challenge the strongest!! (He was our great Gandalf) knowing that he was in our corne r, that we’re under his wings, I can do anything, we all can. He was hated and loved! The complexly you find in a father and a visionary who is trying to create change, cultivate talent and shape o ur future. He didn’t just dig deep behind thoughts, ideas and concepts, he did that with every single one of us. He had a brilliant grading system that I didn’t understand until I graduated years after. A system that was designed for the brave ones, it was meant to challenge you into digging so deep within you, in it you discover what you can/can’t do, your real potential. He would gather us and offer grades for everyone who can criticize the project of his fellow colleagues, and he would laugh at how eve ryone was so desperate for a plus 2 on his/her cover sheet. We used to hate each other for it, like, snitches get stitches right? mm. He knew how we wouldn't understand it yet, how silly we were.... - He loved debates and welcomed challenges, If you had something to say or add he’d be thrilled! - He taught us to dig deep beyond words. - He taught us that words are powerful, to be intentional in using the right ones. - He encouraged, rewarded positive initiatives, and punished the lazy and seldom. - He brilliantly lightened the mood with sarcasm and dad jokes. - He apologized when he was wrong with grace and decency. - He believed in quality over quantity. - He was the concept and keywords guy. He was our guy…… His analytical mind was so special. I never felt bored at any of his lectures, I felt excited about the way he criticized, analyzed ideas, expl ained mistakes, delivered information, we were on alert! anything can happen, like an action movie you don’t want to miss anything. -I feel like it isn’t just us that we lost him, but generations to come and the whole world lost a precious soul, I’m extremely lucky to have been taught under him, I feel a great responsibility to spread his values instilled in me to others. To my spiritual father: No one will outshine you in my sky, I will forever look up to you my great mentor, you live on within me, within all of us. We won’t let your fire fade away, we will tell your stories to strangers, to our friends and families, to our kids before they go to sleep. I’m personally a fan of flash and batman as my comic superheroes, and I naively believe in what they stand for, but you weren’t fiction t o me you were my real hero. Rest in peace our good doctor. I love you...
Students And alumni Memories
I spent the last few days, scrolling down my phone, to find more and more tributes and stories about you, reading all the stories your friends and students wrote about, and I never wanted it to end.. I searched for our old correspondence on different platforms, and I’m trying to relive it all or find anything to cling to, something to remind me that you’re not gone. Because you were always there whenever we needed help, support or even to chat, loosing you was like we were struck by thunder. You were always a part of our future, that I’ll call anytime to chat about something I’m going through at work , that I’ll always go to you to know how would you reflect about this or that. All of a sudden you are not in this future any more. There is this unexplained void. We thought you were a constant, one can’t go to campus unless you’re there, it never crossed our minds that there will MIU without you there. There are never enough ‘’thank you’’ s , for all the things we have become, and all the things we are still perusing, Thank you for all the times you pushed us out of our comfort zone Thank you for teaching us to never settle Thank you for pushing us to always be sceptical, interrogative, and critical Thank you for all the sleepless night and hectic days, for stretching our minds and souls, broadening our horizons to what we will meet in the future, so we won’t be معييز او بياعين فجل Thank you for all the laughs and jokes, Thank you for the long fruitful debates, and quirky funny arguments, and side talks you had with every one of us. Thank you for all the negative scores, in class roasting and all the memories we giggle at now. Thank you for always teaching us to be loud, bold and always original Thank you for teaching us that nothing good comes for free, Thank you for raising a generation of architects who stood out in a brutal and ruthless job market. Thank you for digging deep into us, helping each to find their real virtues and merits. We can’t be thankful enough, but that’s all we can afford to say now. Till we meet again. Khaled Asfour
Students And alumni Memories
This photo means so much to me. I remember that day so well. It was taken on the 3rd of July, 2017 the last jury I attended before I left MIU. Sitting there with two of the most influential mentors in my life, I remember the conversation in detail. Dr. Adel Yasseen was telling Dr. Khaled about the first day he saw me as a young student in his class, and how my eyes would light up with excitement every time he talked and how I was so intensely and passionately focused on absorbing every single word that was being said. Dr. Khaled replied with his own experience with me in the beginning, how hard-headed and stubborn I was 😅, how I had challenged him that I could design an anti-gravity building while I was just a kid msh fahma haga, and how I had figured things out more year after year till I started teaching. I remember feeling so proud that I had passed under such brilliant minds, and that they remembered my first baby steps up to that day. My relationship with Dr. Khaled was such a dynamic one, so complex yet so simple. I once told him, ma ehna tool 3omrena 3andena love hate relationship ya Dr 😂 I remember he laughed on the phone and said laa mafeesh hate wala haga. Starting off in 2010, which was mostly infuriating 😅, with lots of phone calls back and forth complaining to Dr. Adel Gaballah 😅. It slowly turned into admiration, and a ping pong game of opinions and support. The times I enjoyed him most were his lectures, especially Theories class, jotting down every single word and absorbing everything he had to give. The experience became so much more intense when we taught together, he was always guiding me and praising my small successes. He was always there to support my professional and academic endeavors, weird ideas, and even my personal life sometimes. He still gave us deadlines, even surprising us with presentations we had to submit an hour later once, yet it taught us alot. I will never forget our conversations and long brainstorming sessions, discussing options and methods of teaching, and him actually listening to my different points of view. Most of all, I am grateful for the past 3 months, when I called to tell him about my master's thesis topic and how he had had a huge role in my awareness on it, and how i'd love to discuss with him the milestones i'd reach. He was so excited, told me I was working towards something so important, so big, and we kept in contact since then. I remember giving him so much credit and respect, and telling him how much I valued his opinions, standards and school of thought, and how I would work on that same level. I cannot be more grateful that I got to express this before it was too late. I still cant believe he isnt there anymore, but since his funeral so much of his legacy began to shine, through generations of his students. No matter what our experience with Dr. Asfour was, or how much we saw things differently sometimes, his role in all of our lives was a core. He taught us how to think and how to design with awareness, he pushed us beyond our limits so we'd take anything. He raised our standards and raised generations of critical thinkers who do not follow the crowd, and that in itself is such a huge achievement and legacy to leave behind. I hope that one day I can have a fraction of his effect on people's lives, taking in his school of thought that I whole heartedly believe in and really creating change. May he always be remembered for his greatness, dedication and faith in his students, as well as his constant support for us to succeed. This is a tribute. 🍃
Students And alumni Memories
It hit us so hard ya Dr. It hit us all. Students, TAs, Drs..all of us. I've got so much to say and it's raging inside like a mad sea. So full of feelings that I've been trying to process things for the past few days. It hit me so hard at the funeral, looking at people's faces seeing their uncontrolable tears, so sincere, flowing and flowing and flowing. It's so strange how all the conflicts melted away and the only thing that stayed is pure sincere love. Our love for you is true. It is true. I know you know now. The heartburn I felt on knowing about your departure cannot be put into words. So many questions. Regret. Words untold. Fear. "Should I have done something that I did not do?" Is the question that bumped into my face. All I can remember is that I prayed for you on January 27th, 2020. Is it enough? I know our prayers do not go in vain. It was so real that day. It was as if you were standing right infront of me and I was talking to you. Awakening. I really hope we had the ability to deliver that one thing we live for - the truth. Thank you. Thank you for choosing your battle. Thank you for choosing the hardest one - shifting youth's minds. You taught us to CREATE. We were born to create and you showed us the way through. You gave us the recipe to changing the world. Changing the world. You've got so much insight that we appreciated back then and we do more now. How could this be your message here on earth? Shifting people's minds to THINK and CREATE. This is huge. You fought all odds and you succeeded. I guess I underestimated the opposition and the currents that met you. However, you chose to face them, to stand like a man and fight for us. Why would you? You do not even know us. You chose to. And you overcame. Thank you for pushing me beyond my limits. I complained thinking I could't bear it anymore. Yet, you stretched my capacity to endure. I stand in awe of your life motto, belief and purpose. I respect you. I honor you. I love you, Professor. I know you didn't really want to take this picture, and it makes me smile now. الحبوب و الحبوبة هيقعدوا في حتة الحشيشة قدام النفورة اللي العيال بكلوتات عندها و اللي هيعدي هيبص و يقول .""إيه الهبالة دي
Students And alumni Memories
في الحياة دي ك َّ مالعلم و المعرفة بيزيدوا ،ك َّ ما ك َّ حاجة فينا و جوانا و حوالينا بتتطور و ترتقي و مجا َّ النقاش فيها بيزيد و يكبر. زمان كان فيه نا ِ بتقرر ماتكملش تعليم و نا ِ تانية محرومة من إنها تكم َّ لظروف عائلية أو شخصية أو إقتصادية أو لظروف بيئتهم ..اللي اتربوا فيها ،او ..او ..او لحد ما بعد كده مع الوقت شهادة البكالوريو ِ مثالً بقت حاجة كبيرة و شهادة جديرة لفترة كبيرة من الزمن ..لحد وقتنا ده اللي الدراسات العليا فيه بقت هي فيص َّ في المرتبة العلمية و العملية و إنك تقدر تالقي وظيفة منصبها كذا و مواصفتها إيه و مرتبها كام... الدراسات العليا و الورش و الشهادات بقت بتزيد من التحدي و السباق و المنافسة على انك تقدر تالقي شغ َّ كوي ِ يليق بيك و تليق .بيهم .كالم كتير في موضوع مابيخلصش و مش هيخلص ب ِ لو إتكلمنا في عنصر من عناصر تقدمنا في هويتنا أو مهنتنا أو دراستنا كمعماريين ،فا إحدى العناصر دي هي د .خالد عصفور .و .الكالم ده مش مجرد كالم و خالص ،دي حقيقة بشهادة مئات و يمكن أهلوفات اللي اتعلموا منه و على ايديه د .خالد عصفور ،اتفقنا او اختلفنا معاه ،اإال إنك الزم هتالقي نفسك بمجرد مقابلتك ليه و كالمك معاه إنك إتعلمت منه حاجة أو إستفدت بنصيحة أو حتى إستمتعت ب ِ إلنك تكون حاورته في أي موضوع إلنه غير إنه مدر ِ شاطر أوي ،هو مثقف جداً في مجاالت كتيرة و .خبرته في الحياة كمان كبيرة بحكم عشرته للنا ِ و حواراته و معاصرته للمواقف المختلفة معاهم بالنسبالي الشخص ده أثر في حياتي جداً و باإليجاب كثيراً .في فترة في دراستي كانت صعبة عليا جدا و مريت بظروف كانت أو َّ مرة بامر بيها و هو كان أو َّ من تبناني دراسيا و طلعني من قلة الثقة بالنف ِ اللي كانت عندي و اللخبطة اللي كنت فيها .شجعني و علمني و نصحني و وجهني .عم َّ معايا حاجات كتير أهمهم إنه علمني أفكر إزاي و أتكلم إزاي و أدافع عن رأيي إزاي في الدراسة و التعليم و الشغ َّ .إختلفنا كتير و اتواجهنا كمان كتير ،ب ِ في ك َّ مرة كنت باح ِ إنه فعال بيخاف علينا و بيحاو َّ يشوف مصلحتنا فين ،حتى لو ب ِ كان بالنسبالي بمثابة األب اللي .وجهة نظره مش هي وجهة نظرنا ،ب ِ كان الزم ينصحنا و نعم َّ اللي نعمله بقى إحنا حرين كنت بالجأله في حاجات كتير و كنت لما أحقق أي إنجاز في الشغ َّ أو الدراسة كنت باتبسط أوي لما أروح و أحكيله و كإني باشكره .بطريقة غير مباشرة و باعرفه إنه سبب في اللي وصلتله أنا كنت مستنية إني أنجز حاجات كتير لسه في حياتي و أروح و أقوله أنا عملت أو خلصت أو قدرت على ده و ده .ربنا يرحمه يارب من .واسعة على ك َّ عم َّ خير عمله و ك َّ معلومة مابخلش بيها على حد الراج َّ ده لما كان بيكون مقتنع بحد او بحاجة كان دايما بيكون عايز أحسن حاجة ليه .و من ضمن القصص المفارقة اللي حصلت النهاردة إن مدير طارق (جوزي و طالب من طالب د .خالد سابقا ً) في الشغ َّ طلع كان يعرف د .خالد أيام ما كان بيدر ِ في جامعة الملك فيص َّ و حكى عن مدى إهتمامه و إيمانه بالعلم و الطلبة .حكى إن في سنة من السنين الطلبة كان الزم يقدموا بحث له عالقة بمدينة الرياض و هما عايشين في مدينة الدمام (المسافة بين المدينتين ٤ساعات بالعربية) .ساعتها د.خالد قرر يأجرلهم أتوبي ِ و أخدهم عالرياض يخلصوا بحثهم و غدَاهم و رجعهم تاني ك َّ على نفقته الشخصية و إليمانه الشديد بالعلم و المعرفة .خير من طبق جملة ".إطلبوا العلم و لو في الصين" فعالً .ربنا يرحمه برحمته الواسعة و يارب ك َّ طالب إتعلم تحت إيده يقدر إنه يكون سبب في إنتشار علمه و معرفته و توجهه .الحمد هلل ،ربنا يرحمه يارب و يصبر أهله
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Students And alumni Memories
Professors and Doctors Memories
Professors and Doctors Memories
Professors and Doctors Memories
Professors and Doctors Memories
Professors and Doctors Memories
تشرفت بمعرفة الراحل العزيز د /خالد عصفور منذ فترة طويلة على البعد أوال أثناء دراساتي العليا حين كنت أتابع بإنبهار مقاالته النقدية الدسمة بمجلة "معمار" حين كان يدرس للدكتوراه بمعهد ماسوسيتش للتكنولوجيا ،ثم ثانيا بعد تعاوني في تحرير مجلة "مدينة" والتي أضاف اليها رحمه هللا القيمة الكثيرة بكتاباته النقدية المتدفقة و حتي طلبنا منه تحرير عدد كامل متميز للغاية من المجلة كمحرر ضيف ،سعدت جدا بالمناقشات الممتعة معه على إمتداد يوم كامل حين زرنا معا مقر جامعة مصر للعلوم والتكنولوجيا بمدينة 6أكتوبر من تصميم أستاذنا االدكتور /أحمد رضا عابدين ،للكتابة عنه بالمجلة .ثم تشرفت للغاية بزمالتي له لفترة قصيرة وقت تدريسي ألحد المقررات الدراسية بجامعة مصر الدولية ،وتوالت لقائتنا غير المنتظمة بعد ذلك .ومنذ الوهلة األولي ساد عندي إنطباع راسخ بدماثة خلقة ورقي تعامله وتفانيه في عمله األكاديمي في البحث والتدريس ،وعلمه الغزير المتدفق وتواضعه الجميل -وهو الذي يعتبره الكثيرون ناقدا عالميا متميزا َ بدون مبالغة -مما أرسي بيننا مودة ومحبة من نوع خاص. وطوال تواصلنا غير المنتظم لظروف األنشغال والسفر ،أتيحت لنا فرص عديدة للتواصل الفكري ،أهمها محاضرته النقدية الرائعة عن توجهات العمارة المصرية المعاصرة بالندوة والمعرض الشامل بقاعة الهناجر الذي نظمه صديقي العزيز د /أشرف سالمة مع أستاذنا الراحل د /يحي الزيني رحمه هللا ،مقرر لجنة العمارة بالمجلس األعلى للثقافة ،والتي أثارت رؤي فكرية جديدة وربما صادمة ولكنها واقعية للغاية وقتها .والحقا ،أثناء قيامي ببعض مهام المراجعة الميدانية لمشاريع مرشحة بالقائمة القصيرة لجائزة األغاخان للعمارة ،أتيح لي وقتها اإلطالع على واألستفادة من التوجهات النقدية المختلفة لتقاريره الغزيرة للمراجعة الميدانية التي قام بها لمشاريع القائمة القصيرة التي قام بها للجائزة .وإستمرت أسهاماته الفكرية القيمة التي كان يعمل عليها في صمت وهدوء وبدون ضوضاء أو صخب. ومن أهم أعماله وأطروحاته الفكرية المهمة حول مفهوم "الهوية المعمارية في سياقات عالمية مختلفة" ،ضمن مشروع بحثي كبير بجامعة برلين في بداية االلفية ،و عمله المتفاني في تنظيم جائزة حسن فتحي للعمارة لدرورات عديدة ،وإهتمامه فيها بكل تفاصيل الكتيبات الصادرة عنها مع أستاذنا الدكتور إسماعيل سراج الدين وأستاذنا الدكتور محمد عوض والدكتور /صالح زكي سعيد ،بتنظيمه وتقديمه لها وبمراجعاته النقدية البسيطة البليغة لها .والتي أستخدم شخصيا بعضها كنماذج متميزة في تدريس مقرر النقد بجامعتي أحيانا .ومن خالل تحكيمه لمسابقات معمارية مختلفة خالل السنوات الماضية. ولكم كانت سعادتي البالغة حين صادفته رحمه هللا عند الروضة الشريفة قرب فجر أحد األيام منذ سنوات عديدة اثناء عملي بالمدينة المنورة ،ووجدت نورا غريبا يشع من وجهه مع بشاشته وتبسمه المعتاد ،وتحادثنا قليال مما سمح به المقام .إلى أن تصادف وأن تحادثنا منذ أسابيع قليلة ،لمصادفة تعرفي بإحد أقربائه أثناء مشاركتي في إجتماع بإحدي الجهات ،وتبادلنا التحيات التليفونية على وعد بلقاء قريب لن يتم. في كل يوم يرحل فيه أحبائنا وأصدقائنا يرحل معهم بعضأ من أرواحنا ووجدانا ..هللا يحسن ختامنا جميعا. اللهم ارحمه رحمة واسعه واسكنة فسيح جناتك وابدله دارا خيرا من دارة واهال خير من اهله واجعل مثواه الجنة اللهم باعد بينه وبين خطاياه كما باعدت بين المشرف والمغرب ،ونقه من الذنوب والخطايا كما ينقى الثوب األبيض من الدنس اللهم اجعل قبره روضة من رياض الجنة وانزله منازل الشهداء والصالحين.
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