Biennale venezia 2016 ( competition entry ) ( HONORABLE MENTION )
Introduction
The battle frontiers in Egypt are countless whether against hunger illiteracy or corruption. Basic human needs and rights are not met in this age but the force to move in the right direction is getting stronger and stronger. Egypt is starting to gain a sense of vitality which was absent through years of developmental oppression due to corrupted systems. Although the magnitude of the different movements may vary they derive their strength off the fact that they are progressing and not off the amount of the accumulative progress. But the trait all frontiers have in common is the direction they are advancing in, driving towards a better life for the individuals of this great nation.
1. Letting architecture speak
The challenge of the concept lay in translating the battle and hardship of the Egyptian people into architectural vocabulary and prose. Letting architecture speak for the people is our aim, instead of just housing their everyday lives and trade here it endeavors to enact all the glory of the old age , the perseverance of the revolution , and the mysterious but bright future.
2. The Labyrinth:
The Translation of the transition phase into architectural speech was to transcribe the contingency of everyday life into lines and masses. Converting the fluctuant and indecisiveness into enclosure and direction. The Labyrinth, a system of intricate passageways and blind alleys is the perfect depiction of the experience of the transition phase. The idea was to create a maze which is not only made of barriers in the horizontal plane but also unexpected two dimensional obstacles in occupying all three dimensions of space. Through this the user is meant to experience the divergence the Egyptian people were experiencing throughout the revolution and their uncertainty but at the same time they had to move on to meet their destiny
3. To the unknown
4. Sanctum Sanctorum
The Challenge in designing the heart of the exhibition lay in conveying the hopes and aspirations all Egyptians share. The key lay in reviving the old Egyptian architectural character found in the symmetry and hierarchy as well as the massive columns and the monumental sanctum sanctorum, while indicating to the future. The Egyptian style is simply the addition of Egyptian inspired columns and decorative motifs to the interior that are similar to the ancient Egyptian architecture in proportion and form. Scholarly interest in the archaeological discoveries of ancient Egypt early in the 19th century led to the development of Egyptian-themed architecture. The style attempted to recreate the appearance of Egyptian temples, especially with the use of massive columns that resemble sheaves of sticks tied at the top. The ceiling refers to ancient Egyptian symbols—the hierarchy and sunrays with a distinctive path. This used to represent eternity and the afterlife. Here it is meaning to represent the brightness of the future. The materials used are not the materials familiar to the ancient Egyptian style this is a mean of contrast to distinguish between the past and the future, where the glory is analogous but the means are divergent.
5. Future Symbol
Connecting between ancient history and great civilization represented in Pyramids , and impact of Modern History represented in skyscrapers and how the generations in Egypt accumulated in the form of small rocks which built this civilization.