Waleed Arafa established his firm Dar Arafa Architecture in Cairo in 2006. Besides specific commissions, his design activity focuses on the definition of a contemporary Islamic architecture. In his words, his approach “searches for possible strategies to reconnect to the tradition, often a discontinued one, of those countries holding a rich heritage in terms of architecture of … [Read more...]
Ebtissam Moustapha hopes to increase design awareness in Egypt
Egyptian architect and recipient of Tamayouz Excellence Award’s Rising Star prize for Women in Architecture and Construction, Ebtissam Moustapha, hopes to increase design awareness in Egypt through her design and research practice Encode Studio. Established in 2011, Encode is an Alexandria-based practice that offers architecture, interior and product design services … [Read more...]
‘Sheltainer’ housing project combines hope with humanity in Cairo
UAE-based architects Mouaz Abouzaid, Bassel Omara and Ahmed Hammad propose housing solutions to solve Cairo’s cemetery housing phenomenon for low income families using shipping containers. ‘Sheltainer’ is a project which has a deep vision that targets an important human aspect, solving a problem specifically for low-income families, students and refugees with simple yet … [Read more...]
H2R Design reimagines the historic Alamein Hotel in Egypt with a fresh approach
Taking cues from the 1960's nostalgia and charm of the historic Alamein Hotel, H2R Design has recently completed the large scale renovation of the property. The up and coming design studio, which has recently created successful commercial and hospitality spaces in the region, collaborated with Emaar Hospitality, who spearheaded the restoration project. Located in Egypt's … [Read more...]
Preliminary details unveiled for megatall skyscraper in Egypt
Not many specifics are known so far about the obelisk-shaped megatall tower concept Oblisco Capitale Tower by Cairo/Dubai-based firm IDIA.Design, but the promotional material hints at a structure taller than the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, currently the world's tallest building. The tower’s architecture is inspired from both the Pharaonic and Art Deco styles. The proportions of … [Read more...]
Egypt is building a new capital city from scratch
Egypt is the latest country to build a new capital city from scratch, with ambitions to move parliament away from Cairo as early as summer 2019. With nearly 24m people living in Greater Metropolitan Cairo, the current Egyptian capital suffers from severe congestion and overcrowding – problems which the government claims the new capital will resolve. Egypt joins more than 30 … [Read more...]
12 African cities predicted in the world’s largest megacities by 2100
https://youtu.be/OksiAQqsAZs Throughout the course of human history, the biggest cities have always seemed impossibly large. For many millennia, it was almost unfathomable for a city to sustain more than 1 million residents. In fact, it wasn’t until the 19th century that the largest cities globally, such as London and Beijing, were able to consistently hold populations … [Read more...]
Could Zaha Hadid’s Nile Tower still become a reality?
In 2007 Zaha Hadid drew up plans for the ‘Nile Tower’, a 70-storey skyscraper intended to be Africa’s tallest building. Planned as a landmark structure for Cairo, the development was to be built on the banks of the Nile, offering sweeping views towards the country’s famous pyramids. At its base, the scheme features a glazed atrium housing communal programming, with a hotel and … [Read more...]
Design for the new Grand Egyptian Museum
The world’s largest museum of Egyptian art and culture is being designed by Atelier Brückner. The Stuttgart scenographers won the competition for the design of the exhibition. The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) has a total floor space of more than 90 000 square metres, including about 40 000 square metres of space specifically for exhibitions. The complex is currently being built … [Read more...]
Historical Egyptian architecture informs mixed-use project in Mahala
The Teela Residences, designed by Vilalta Architects, are located in the city of Mahala, a secondary city in Egypt that has evolved from agriculture to the textile industry. The mixed-use programme includes commercial and retail spaces on the lower levels, 10 residential floors and community spaces on the roof. The preexistences of the city and the historical architecture … [Read more...]