(Title)
‘Ghiya’ - Waste Recycling Facility [Competition]
(Year)
2020
(Area)
TBD
(Type)
Tinker Competition Submission
(Location)
Manshiyet Nasser, Cairo
(Firm)
KAL
(Role)
Project Co-Lead Architect
(Awards & Mentions)
First Place Winner
‘Ghiya’, the Arabic name for the predominant, colourful and strikingly beautiful pigeon farming towers that soar high above the tallest buildings within Egypt’s slums, is the epitome of creative and cultural expression, wealth, beauty and empowerment. Taking inspiration from the existing skyline of Cairo’s slums and particularly Manshiyat Naser, and by repurposing the most common building materials used such as simple red brick, recycled wood and steel, ‘Ghiya’ was visualized as a striking and optimistic continuation to an otherwise monotonous and often overlooked skyline. Crowning the various accessible and public rooftops with a Ghiya-like addition, some of which actually function as pigeon farms, repurposes a creatively unique and extremely relatable architectural element to a building aimed at mimicking the existing typology with a purposeful enjoyment.
The form of this project aims to mimic the existing vernacular skyline of Manshiyat Naser as well as their most dearly held values. The varying vertical heights, with the additions of outdoor pockets of greenery, terraces and public roofs aim to accentuate the collective beauty of the existing developments without sacrificing the need for beauty and order. Additionally, the community in Manshiya are all strongly connected through their struggles and lifestyles, making connectivity and openness a main feature of their way of life and ultimately this project. All buildings within this facility are linked through a series of stairs and bridges from the ground floor to the highest levels to create a feeling of continuity. Ensuring the roofs were incorporated as a functional asset was a priority since the people of Manshiyat Naser carry out their most liberating activities near the roof, such as flying their kites, farming pigeons and even resting and sleeping in the hot summers. Rather than feeling like an intervention, this project is designed to feel like a continuation of the neighborhood they’ve built by hand and called home for decades.