City of Folk Art and Culture

Faculty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University in Alexandria

Project idea

City of Folk Art and Culture aims to revive the lost history of Assiut by establishing a narrating museum, bringing the forgotten stories of this place to life by designing immersive museum exhibition spaces, and craft manufacturing workshops, which adds a unique experience to tourists interested in famous Assiut crafts such as kilims, tulles, and pottery.
Through the use of innovative exhibits and engaging storytelling techniques, visitors will uncover the rich history of this region and gain a deeper appreciation for its unique cultural heritage
Creating a one-of-a-kind experience that connects people with the past and inspires them to preserve these crafts and pass them on to future generations helps spread Assiut culture in particular and Upper Egypt in general to become an international culture and not a local one.
The tower sweeps up to the sky, shining its light across both the lake and sea. Standing as a beacon of hope and inspiration for all those who call this great city home. Visitors are allowed to look at the craft complex that was established in the past and produced great pieces of art that made Assiut crafts into international crafts by selling them in all international markets and wearing them by the most famous artists and actors in the most important annual events in the world.
This hub serves as a platform for creative expression and innovation, promoting engagement and learning in these fields. Its diverse range of programming provides a unique and dynamic space for visitors to connect, explore, and collaborate.

Project description

The project is divided into three parts. The first part features a narrating museum that revives the history of art and crafts in Assiut, in addition to a global catwalk hall to display international Assiut fashion shows, and also adapting the creation of a new form of flexible theatres that merge into a lighthouse that includes an exhibition floor, the shape of which was inspired to have flowing lines inspired by the existing lines in the weaving of tallis and kilims, as well as the shapes of pottery
The situation is different in the second part of the project, which includes restaurants, cafes, cinemas, and entertainment places, in addition to craft workshops, in an organization that respects the axes and entrances of the land.
The third and final part of the project is the landscape, and the design was designed to create a plaza at a high level with water underneath it to indicate the symbolism of water being one of the most important reasons for the creation of the crafts. In addition to creating places for open gardens in an attempt to increase the proportion of green places within the city, this center is considered a platform for creative expression. and innovation, enhancing participation and learning in these areas.

Technical information

The mega structure is made of several construction methods as each form needs a unique construction method.
The part with flowing lines is made of steel columns and space truss, in addition to making a layer of internal and external insulation, then placing GRC panels, as they are low-cost panels and have a high ability to thermal insulation.
The other part of the project is made of post-tensioned slabs in a structural system known as flat slabs
In an attempt to reduce the building’s temperatures, because the governorate suffers from high temperatures in the summer as it has a continental climate, Tesla Blocks were used because they are made of soil and compacted without heat, which reduces carbon emissions that affect the environment and because the soil has a high thermal mass, which helps To reduce temperatures inside the building