The Grand Museum of Egypt & the Challenge of Sustainability

Home , Egyptian Museum, Grand Egyptian Museum

The Grand Museum of Egypt & The Challenge of Sustainability

Dr. Walid A. Moneim Dr. Zeinab Shafik Dr. Yasser Mansour

Introduction The approach to museum design has undergone a substantial change in the past few decades. Museums were previously established to store artifacts safely and allow interested visitors who are usually members of a high culture in the society to encounter them. Museums were buildings constructed with a philanthropist mentality whose basic objective was preservation and safe keeping of irreplaceable items. The idea that the artifacts displayed represent a country’s heritage or a nation’s pride justified even more this philanthropist approach. With the increase in the extensive variations in the typology of museums based on the artifacts displayed and with the variations in the size of museums, the goal of building a museum faced a substantial change. Museums are now established to serve different groups of visitors with variations in the level of their sophistication and intellectual background.

Museums have become more democratic while addressing different user groups with different intentions and orientation. Museums also respond to the needs of special user-groups such as the handicapped, the visually impaired and the children. The discrepancy and variations in the user groups that museums serve together with the type of exhibits displayed control and direct its design and provide guidelines for its operation after construction.

Thus, museums developed like any other building type directed to serve members of the community. With this orientation the concept of the museum as a philanthropist act has also developed. With the advancement in economic sciences, marketing strategies and business oriented feasibility studies, museums are thought of as institutions which can be revenue generating, self sustainable and even profit making structures. Accordingly the initial program of the museum building is based on activities and spaces which can bring in an income to that institution.

The added activities are usually selected to suit the main purpose for building the museum, which at the same time provide an alternative way of enjoying the premises. The Grand Museum of Egypt was based on a program that intended it to be an International Cultural node, which not only focuses on ancient Egyptian artifacts, but also perpetuates and enriches the cultural life of Egypt today. It represents a gateway leading to an experience of understanding the form of life that existed in Egypt thousands of years ago and a window open to everyday life sustained in Egypt today. It is a two fold objective that pulls the ancient legends to the essence of “Egyptianess” as it is lived in contemporary Egypt. In its own philosophical approach the GME sustains the culture that exists in the Egyptian context by linking it to its historical roots and perpetuating its greatness via different activities and facilities that are offered in a building of a world class standard.

Display Galleries The Grand Museum of Egypt proposes an unprecedented amalgamation of different display galleries. When visiting the GME one would have stepped into the trail of ancient Egyptian civilization. The entire Egyptian heritage is accessible via the GME ready to be understood and its meanings deciphered at any level of communication. The GME provides the rites of passage

1 into the ancient Egyptian Culture; physically in its halls, galleries, gardens, and extending landscape; and virtually via the telecommunication links which connects the GME to other artifacts distributed in museums around the world and by the reconstruction of archaeological sites that are inaccessible to the visitors at the time. (Figures 1, 2)

Educational Facilities The GME is an educational institute whose objective is to keep the ancient Egyptian Legends alive by opening them up to interpretation by understanding their meanings and implications. Educational programs are directed to a wide spectrum of audiences. The Egyptologists, archaeologists, historians, and theoreticians distributed all over the world will find common grounds in the information offered to them via the channels of the GME, this provides an opportunity to excel and further navigate into the meanings withheld in the ancient Egyptian culture (figure 3). More importantly, the educational programs target the general public by raising the awareness of the layperson to the greatness of the heritage they withhold. The younger generation represents the target customer for the different educational programs, which is based on providing a hands-on experience in the children's museum, which is endorsed by the excitement delivered in the virtual galleries and the IT links, this allows the eager younger client to mix the pleasures of the scientific imaginary world of the virtual reality with the facts of history that anchor the Egyptians' roots to the land of the Nile.

Leisure and Pleasure The leisure and pleasure is an integral part of the experience provided in the GME, it provides its own agenda of activities and events and has reserved an extensive area of the program to support such functions. The gardens of the GME stretch out into the landscape offering an uninterrupted view of the pyramids which are pulled into the landscape of the museum parks. The parks are part of the navigation journey into the past. They represent the outdoor, open air life of ancient Egypt with its climatic conditions, the presence of the desert sand, and the reconstruction of the ancient pattern of agricultural land that sustained thousands of years of change. Life developed along the banks of the Nile and moved from one level of intricacy and complexity to the other, the Egyptians' experience, added knowledge and developed traditions produced layers of wisdom that created the most sophisticated civilization ever known. The life springing out along the valley survived gracefully through political changes, climatic disasters, administrative and oppressive rulers; it sustained itself miraculously under adverse circumstances. This story of a life experience of a culture is told in the gardens of the museum and its everydayness is reincarnated in its landscape design. The leisure parks revive the old wisdom but do not deny the lived reality by offering theme parks and equipped parks accommodating the most innovative facilities and equipment used in contemporary landscape. Thus, historicity and the values of tradition mixes with luxuries offered by the most developed technologies of the time. (Figures 4, 5)

Commercial Facilities The GME is a life structure situated on the edge of the urban developed fabric of the Giza governorate; accordingly it belongs to this fabric and is designated to serve it. Its location on the border of the urban structure holds it back from moving onto the lands of antiquity, accordingly, the museum is a buffer zone and a control mechanism to limit urban development. By being part of an urban fabric, the GME provides its residences with commercial services, a market place which offers different types of merchandize and shopping opportunities, an I-Max cinema, a promenade area, etc. The ‘I-Max’ cinema moves the viewer into a virtual world of ancient Egypt. The fitness center, the cafeterias and restaurants responds to the users' body being and physical needs. By being a buffer zone it offers all its services in a manner that tunes them to the cultural message of the

2 museum. Shopping and other commercial facilities are not addressed as a typical mall with fast food restaurants. Commercial services are used as icons transmitting values and symbols of ancient Egyptian culture. The music, the aroma, the atmosphere, the genius loci all represent tacit messages which are used as educational instruments acting on the consciousness of the general public towards the sustainability of the cultural message of the GME. (Figures 6, 7)

Architectural Solutions for Sustainable Development Despite the services and facilities housed in the GME, the fact remains that its mere presence will definitely influence the surrounding environment. With such irreplaceable neighbor as the Giza Plateau which is declared as world heritage by the UNESCO, the input that the GME brings to its site must be carefully planned and controlled. Managing the museum facility when it operates will have to include the management of the surrounding urban environment. The Jury’s report concluding the first phase of the GEM competition specifically pointed out the importance of dealing with the site characteristics in a sensitive manner, and linking the site of the museum to the Pyramids in an intelligent urban design solution. The importance of employing ecological responsive design solutions was recommended for the preservation of the urban-scape of the region. The projects presented by the twenty competitors who participated in the second competition phase responded to this plea by applying alternative approaches in addressing the design of the GME. (Figures 8, 9)

In the second phase of the competition more restrictions were placed on the designs by the competitors themselves. Opposite to the daring solutions of the first phase which in some situations emphasized the GME building despite its reflection on the setting and surrounding site. The second phase entries were more conscious of the limitations and constraints evolving from the location of the museum. The height and vertical extension of the museum building were cautiously addressed. The need for a multi-storey structure was resolved by placing part of or the entire museum underground. The desert environment surrounding the building was addressed and reflected on the design. The connection to the pyramids was a requirement that was consciously responded to in the twenty final projects. The importance of the ecological environmental solutions was implemented to reduce dependency on energy generating approaches and the employment of passive systems for environmental control.

Height Control All competitors decreased the building heights in a noticeable manner, nothing more than two or three floors above the ground level were suggested. Many emphasized this aspect and dignified their magnificent and proud neighbors by burying the GME completely underground. Such an approach posed the problem of opening the interior space of the museum to the outside environment and of visually connecting the museum spaces to the pyramids. Courtyards, gardens, open air streets, paths, and passages, light wells were excessively used to link the indoor space to the outdoor environment and allow natural light, sun rays and a view of the blue sky to enter the museum's underground structure.

“The Sunken Museum and landscape recall both monumental and archaeological qualities of ancient history. The Black Stone Roof points toward the future and the continual cataloging of historical artifacts. The GEM, creates a database, which displays artifacts and provides virtual catalogues, accessible to visitors and scholars with a 1 greater quantity of information reached at a faster pace.” (Figure 10)

3 The appearance of the museum site will not be significantly altered by the project. The project has minimum visual and environmental impact and respects the ecosystem and landscape of the place. (Figure 11)

The visitors should experience the discovery of the works of art as archaeologists, and so the museum is similar to an archaeology site.2

The GEM is the “edifice of a footprint”. It reveals the remains of a monumental complex, half buried and partially destroyed. The site comprehension requires continuous referencing between architecture and archaeology, the building and the remains, the mass and the void, the visible and the invisible.3 (Figure 12)

View to Pyramids The pyramids still needed to be viewed from the museum, this was accomplished by means of special design features, such as an observatory tower which points out from the middle of the desert-scape towards the pyramids, an underground passage that is oriented towards the view of the pyramids in an east-west direction, the landscape that extends in the upper plateau of the site and thus offers an uninterrupted view of the pyramids from the museum parks only, or the circular rim of the roof of the underground structure that turns sharply to provide a vista view of the pyramids. (Figures 13-16)

The Desert-Scape The form of the designed buildings responded to the desert scape of the surrounding site. The print of the sand dunes on the roofs of the proposed designs was intended to provide complete integration with the contours of the site. The viewer standing on the Pyramids Plateau looking at the GME will not identify a foreign structure within the desert sand, but only a perpetuation to the natural formation of the ground surface of the site. The wavy smooth lines of the contour of the site are translated into smooth lines forming the roof structure of the many of the proposed buildings. (Figure 17)

The building form responds to the site topography. It nestles in the contours to occupy the most strategic location in the site and strengthen its characteristics. The topographic relief-like structure of the curved roof is in a continuous changing play of shadow and light.

The building structure itself reacts outwardly to the topography and to the high stacking of the terrain, thus symbolically forming, with its complex shape, the cyclic changing 4 orbit of the sun. (Figure 17)

The Ecological Consideration Burying the museum building under the ground surface does not only preserve the characteristics of the site, and minimize the interruption of the building to the context, but also maintains the environment necessary for preserving the artifacts by placing them back in climatic conditions similar to those from which they were excavated. The underground structure provides an easier control mechanism to climatic variations such as differences in humidity, heat, light, and pollution which might influence the deterioration of valuable treasures. The use of local building materials, which is reflected in the emphasis on using stones and bricks or alabaster as a cladding material, the use of wall bearing structures to sustain the seismic effects common in the area, the selection of the beige and yellow sand color of the desert added to the harmony between the

4 proposed building(s) and its site, and promote the preservation of the ecological balance in that sensitive location. (Figures 18, 19)

Environmental Control Approaches In recent architectural practice, the environmental studies are integral part of the overall design concept. It is almost inconceivable to design a museum, or any building for that matter, without assessing its environmental impact. With the aim of formulating a purpose-oriented hypothesis for the museum, environmental compatibility, analyses and studies should be conducted relating to the conditions and the physical characteristics of the museum site. It is focused principally on the best integration with the environment and also at identifying guidelines of possible techniques or the adoption of eco-compatible approaches which can contribute to the organization of the project in terms of environmental interference and adaptability.

Further investigations and studies permit the formulation of activities to be carried out in extreme bio-climatic environments, as well as principles and devices that should be taken into consideration for a correct design process. For instance, the reduction of the thermal load inside the building is of particular concern, as well as the control of natural lighting and the prevention of direct sun rays from reaching the displayed objects. To ensure a process of assessment of the possible impact due to the implementation of the museum structure, an analysis and estimate procedures are to be formulated. It aims at prefiguring, on the one hand, the results of the transformations due to the project, and on the other, the measures for reducing the negative impact on resources.

Some principles and criteria for a climatically responsive design include the following; The Control of solar radiation; The Control of Natural Cooling, Reduction of Internal Gains; Passive Climatic Control. (Figures 20-21)

The Control of Solar Radiation The orientation of the building, and even the shape and the general organization of the built environment can have a direct influence on the bioclimatic comfort of indoor and outdoor spaces. The creation of shadow on external spaces can help either to acclimatize the spaces between the buildings, or branches of the same building, or to avoid the over heating of the external paving and of the buildings’ walls.

One of the most efficient ways of avoiding solar irradiation of the external walls of a building can be provided by the use of permanent or mobile screens or light protection structures or by well designed vegetation. These mobile shading devices may help to resolve problems of over heating which are more severe in hot climates. The use of mobile protection can give good bioclimatic performances, allowing for better adjustment to daily and seasonal variations. The efficiency of such protection is greater externally, as it stops and/or filters the radiation before it reaches the glazing surfaces. (Figure 22)

The museum structure is placed almost completely underground and is signaled by the three structures that emerge from the desert and form a system of panoramic reference points. Natural light illuminates transit areas; artifacts are artificially illuminated in addition to the natural diffused light that surrounds exhibition areas. Vertical openings allow natural light into the temporary exhibition. The “hypogenous” design leads to the simplification of the air-conditioning system; since underground floors keep constant temperatures in all seasons.5 (Figure 23)

5 The Control of Natural Cooling: In some situations, internal air reaches temperatures beyond the comfort limit, in spite of the protections and various preventive measures, excessive heat must be eliminated by ventilation. In addition to the ventilation required for the minimal renewal of state air, ventilation can be increased as much as possible in a natural way to cool internal spaces. For this purpose, the use of a temperature gradient can produce an interesting stack effect, by creating high openings for the evacuation of hot air, which as it raises pulls up cool air from lower openings. This phenomenon can be accentuated by increasing the temperature difference so that it can be evacuated more rapidly. This could be achieved by taking air from shaded and therefore cooler zones, or by exploiting the ascending air circulation through a space subject to a considerable solar heating effect such as greenhouse, or glazing. Wind pressure can also be put to use, by creating flows running through the building which are produced by pressure differences between the facades that are exposed to wind and the protected facades. When local winds are irregular, one can use deflectors and vegetation shields to channel the air flows. In order to ensure adequate ventilation, the dimensioning and positioning of the openings have to be carefully assessed in order to avoid exposing the occupants to excessive draughts. (Figure 24)

To supply the central museum areas with ventilation and air conditioning, a system has been planned utilizing de-central air conditioning units placed in the mounting of the gems to avoid long supply distances. The fresh outside air is conditioned and supplied through ducts in the double wall to each level. The thermal mass of the building structure is utilized for radiant and connective cooling. It is planned to integrate water-cooling tubes into the concrete structure of the ceilings. In the hall, the low e-effect of gold surfaces of the gems is utilized to create a high thermal comfort for visitors by reflecting 6 the thermal IR radiation of the cooled ceiling and cold-water surfaces. (Figure 25)

“The formal solution for the museum depends on an extraction process - subtracting from the existing dune – where a central courtyard is proposed, which is interpreted as an extension of the Nile Valley, necessary for finding subtle relations of scale with the Pyramids through the understanding of its negative form. The intersection of this intervention scale with an Islamic urban matrix results in a spatial complex similar to a little city. It is inserted in an urbanistic context of a wide network and connected with roads to distant places. It is searching for maximum proximity relations with near-by settlements and looking for affirmation as a central urban pole”.7 (Figure 26)

Reduction of Internal Gains: The heat gain through walls and roofs, particularly in hot climates, can produce uncomfortable conditions on the inside of the building at certain times of the year. Though usually used to reduce inverse thermal exchanges, good wall insulation is the first way to prevent external heat flow from penetrating the envelope too rapidly. By playing with the color and nature of the material of the surface of the building’s external skin it is possible to increase its characteristics of reflection and emission to minimize the transmission of solar radiation inside the building. In order to reduce the gains by transmission it is possible to benefit from thermal inertia which allows to reduce the entering heat flow by delaying its emission into the interior and by re- emitting part of it back to the outside, this ideally occurs during the night time if the thermal inertia is sufficient, when the external temperature has dropped and the wall is able to release heat and cool down. (Figures 27, 28)

Special reflecting or absorbing glazing can reduce the transmitted fraction. Intelligent grazing is beginning to appear as an effective element, which adapts its optical characteristic to the

6 surrounding conditions, and may offer a solution when the utilization of the shading devices is undesirable.

Economic and ecologic suitability is achieved by the use of reinforced concrete and masonry. Passive energy and passive solar technology is accomplished by the underground placement of the structure and the use of inner courts. Natural lighting through double height spaces is used as a basic concept for the project. Natural ventilating systems such as wind catchers provided by double height spaces together with 8 sun-shading devices are used with updated technology. (Figure 29)

The Dilemma of Urban Development Even when all the elements of the building(s) fall under the control of scientific proficiency and efficiency of selection of building materials, and accurate decision making in design solutions, one factor remains unchallenged which is the human factor and human behavior in the premises. No matter where the structure is placed above or underground it will always act as a vehicle of accelerated urban development. The building is designated to receive 15’000 visitors daily. The human presence will inevitably alter the nature of the environment in the area irreversibly. The manner in which the presence of the museum will impact the surrounding environment poses planning questions which need to be addressed and carefully challenged.

“The logic of sustainable development is known to imply planning decisions that aim at maximizing the degree to which future generations will be free to organize the territory”9

“The sustainable urban development plan employs a strategy not only to strengthen protective constraining measures, but rather to “take advantage” of opportunities of “controllable” urban transformation, such as the realization of important projects with the participation of international bodies to introduce upgrading elements that can irradiate to the surrounding territory.”10

The selection of the location of the museum was based on the fact that it belongs to a larger archaeological site which includes the Hassana Dome, the Pyramids Plateau, the Sakkara archaeological site, Abu Rawash and Abu Sir. The Grand Museum of Egypt belongs to this broader archaeological development zone. A feasibility study was carried out to set the criteria for selection of the location of the GME. The approach adopted in the feasibility study aimed to avoid the extension of the museum to the Pyramids’ Plateau. On the other hand, the location was selected in a manner that allows each of the two foci (the Pyramids and GME) to maintain its individuality, while at the same time engage in a dialogue which stresses the sense of belonging to a larger master plan. (Figure 30)

History of the Urban Development Plan; Based on the Master Plan for the Development of the Greater Cairo Region published in 1989, the site selected for the museum falls within the proposed zone of a “green belt” extending at the Western part of the Greater Cairo Region. The green belt is a zone designated for recreational activities with uninterrupted continuity of expansion in all directions. The “green belt” has been entrusted to the first desert strip, the archaeological strip, where the Grand Museum of Egypt is sited. In 1991 the Ministry of Culture declared its intension to build the new museum together with recreational, tourist, and cultural facilities thus making the 1989 master plan official. This was followed by a detailed quality planning for the vulnerable areas of the green belt, archaeological areas, the areas neighboring the Ring Road and the surviving agricultural land. A study was produced in 1994 by a joint-work group (GOPP-IAURIF), which aimed at improving the urban planning of new urban settlements and also the efficiency of public transport that links

7 these new settlements with the centers of existing cities. The wider objective of this study was to remedy the negative perception of the desert satellite cities in the public opinion to encourage the relocation to new cities. This objective was to be accomplished by the preservation of the green belt along the Ring Road and the reorganization of areas with special strategic importance in terms of their position and vocation such as the archaeological areas. This objective coincided with the intentions of the “Upgrading Archaeological Map”.

The Upgrading Archaeological Map The objective of employing the Archaeological Map is the regeneration of a broader plan that aims at protecting and enhancing the whole archaeological strip between the delta of the Nile and the Western desert which covers an area of roughly 30 kilometers along the North-South line from Abu Rawash archaeological site to that of Dahshur including Abu Ghorab, Abu Sir and Saqqara. This large area has almost entirely been classified by UNESCO as a “World Heritage Site” identified as “Memphis and its necropolis with the Pyramids Field”. (Figure 31)

The function and the location of the Grand Museum of Egypt help to establish a privileged relationship with the monumental area of the pyramids and of the Sphinx, as well as all the other archaeological sites.

The Origins of the Urban Development Plan Around the 1950s Cairo City began its hectic westwards expansion invading the valuable agricultural land of the Giza plane up to the border of the desert plateau, starting from the first archaeological strip where many necropolises and isolated funerary pyramids have survived for several millennia. The urban agglomeration of Cairo in the valley of the Nile in Giza opens up possibly the most invasive breach in the imaginary line that separates the city from the archaeological area of the first western desert. The green belt then is thought of as the natural border for the urban expansion of Greater Cairo.

The result of the rapid agglomeration of the urban structure is the rapid deterioration of the archaeological sites and the change of the categories and characteristics of the nature of the urban fabric and its landscape which undergoes substantial modifications that with time will be very difficult to reverse (figure 32). This has resulted from the denial of the restrictions on the housing settlements, and the regulations which had been ignored and resulted in huge informal housing settlements in the area. In addition to this, and due to the development of the road systems that link between the new desert satellites and Cairo city, the prices of the land along these road networks has increased and attracted middle income and even luxurious housing settlements to grow alongside them. These housing settlements threaten to compromise permanently the site’s planning and environmental qualities, in particular with regard to the last remaining view of the pyramids against the desert background. The 1994 study gave some guide-lines for planning the archaeological site in Giza and its surroundings.

1. The preservation of the visual corridor of the Giza Pyramids and the view that can be enjoyed from the plateau, through planning strategies including specific constraints of land-use, the planting of desert trees, formal and landscape enrichment of the surroundings. 2. Improvement of the environmental quality of the area around the monuments with increasing the possibility of visiting near-by archaeological areas. 3. The Limitation of the initiative that might compete with the objectives of the new planned settlements such as the development of Hada’ek el Ahram private parceling and Al-Zohour settlement.

8 4. To encourage the environmental recovery and urban upgrading in the settlement of Nazlat El Semman and strengthen its function in support of tourism and safe-guarding its positive features.

The Role of the GME in enhancing the Archaeological Development Map The site chosen for the museum is crossed by the demarcation line between two typical landscapes in the Egyptian territory; the abstract and inhuman space of the desert, privileged spot for the city of the dead, and the hospitable and industrious environment of the river valley. It might be possible to consider integrating in a single archaeological-museum-recreational complex, the Giza necropolis and the area between them, considering the advantages that such an operation would have. Among the achievements of the GME are the following; (Figures 33-34)

1. The museum creates a solid core of urban quality, which could have a positive effect on upgrading neighboring and/or functionally similar areas. 2. Intercepting part of the tourist flow to the pyramids that would not have been interested in visiting the museum and vice versa. 3. Extending the advantages provided by the services set up in the museum for the visitors of the archaeological area such services include the cafes, restaurants, resting areas, parking areas in the shade, etc. These services would attract more potential users to the commercial areas. 4. The museum offers valid alternatives to autonomous initiatives to upgrade the Giza Plateau. 5. The possibility of extending the promenade of distribution of the museum spaces (Pedestrian Way) towards the archaeological area of Giza possibly even beyond the cut represented by the road to Fayoum, thus obtaining evocative points from which to observe the Pyramids. The inclusion of this connective piece of land and the addition of functions connected with the museum and good-quality architectural-landscaping work would be decisive elements in broadening the museum's urban effect and building an important part of the city. 6. The possibility of widening and re-designing the first section of the motorway to Alexandria, in compliance with the character of an urban avenue that it deserves, considering that the area is currently taking on the characteristics of a central area.

Conclusion The issue of sustainability in addressing museums and the Grand Museum of Egypt in particular is a crucial concern, considering the location of the GME and its relation to the Pyramid’s Plateau. The GME plays an important role in controlling and regulating the urban extension in Giza onto the archaeological site of the western desert “Memphis and its necropolis with the Pyramids Field”, which is part of the World Heritage. The involvement of the UNESCO and other international organizations that the GME would definitely attract will place this entire archaeological site at the center of the international attention which will render the efforts exerted for its preservation more serious and effective. The GME competition raised the awareness of professionals all over the world to the importance of considering eco-sensitive and environmentally sustainable solutions while addressing large scale complex structures such as the GME. The reservoir of valuable information and design approaches employed by 1575 entries who participated in the GEM competition only shed light on the awareness of the international and local architectural practice to the important issue of environmental sustainability. The development of museums as a building type and its involvement with the society and the responsiveness to the needs of the community they serve add to the central importance of sustainability of the operation of museum facilities as a developed building type.

Bibliography and Notes

1 Y. Mansour, Z. Shafik, A. Attia, & W. Abdel Moneim, “The Grand Egyptian Museum: International Architecture Competition,” Ministry of Culture, Cairo, June 2003, p.10 2 Ibid, p.24 3 Ibid, p.20 4 Y. Mansour, Z. Shafik, A. Attia, & W. Abdel Moneim, “Technical Report on Second Stage,” The Grand Egyptian Museum International Architecture Competition, Technical Committee, Cairo, April 2003. 5 Y. Mansour, Z. Shafik, A. Attia, & W. Abdel Moneim, June 2003, p.24 6 Y. Mansour, Z. Shafik, A. Attia, & W. Abdel Moneim, April 2003 7 Y. Mansour, Z. Shafik, A. Attia, & W. Abdel Moneim, June 2003, p.40 8 Ibid, p.22 9 Bonifica SPA, “Feasibility Study of the New Museum System,” Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1999, p.130 10 Ibid, p.135

* Francisco Triadritti, ed. “The Treasures of the Egyptian Museum,” American University press, Cairo, 1999.

* Vittorio Magnago Lampugnani and Angeli Sachs, “Museums for a New Millennium,” Prestel, Munich, 1999.

* Gail and Barry Lord, “The Manual of Museum Planning,” Altamira Publishers, 2000.

* Arthur Rosenblatt and Stephen Kliment, “Building Types Basics for Museums,” John Wiley and Sons, 2000.

* Peter Vergo, “The New Museology,” Reaction Books Ltd., 1997.

* Eilean Hooper Greenhill, “The Educational Role of the Museum,” Routledge publishers, 1999.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 1: Functional diagram of all sections of the museum and their logical relationships.

Figure 2: Diagram of the display itineraries that provide diverse navigation routes inside the galleries.

Figure 3: Information management diagram that explicates the Egyptian Civilization.

Figure 4: Open interior spaces provide leisure activities within n controlled environment.

Figure 5: Open courts with leisure activities, design concept by Rocha de Aires Mateus, Portugal.

Figure 6: Michael Zimmermann, Germany.

Figure 7: Commercial and audiovisual proposal by Michael Gutheri, USA.

Figure 8: Greater Cairo map illustrating the museum's site and Satellite view of the GME site.

Figure 9: 3D models reconstruction of the site and its relationship to the Pyramids.

Figure 10: Coop Himmelblau(L) AU, Austria.

Figure 11: Ruben Verdi, Italy.

Figure 12: Rocha de Aires Mateus, Portugal.

Figure 13: The circular rim of the roof by Wolf Prix, Coop Himmelblau(L) AU, Austria.

Figure 14: Observatory towers by Ruben Verdi, Italy.

Figure 15: Courtyards, gardens, open air streets, and passages by Rocha de Aires Mateus, Portugal.

Figure 16: Physical and Visual Connection to the Pyramids Plateau by Hector Gani, Brazil.

Figure 17: The print of the sand dunes on the design proposed by Michael Zimmermann, Germany.

Figure 18: Alabaster Facade Wall.

Figure 19: The use of alabaster as a cladding material in the design proposed by the winning design scheme by Heneghan.Peng, Ove Arup and Buro Huppold, Ireland and UK.

Figure 20: Environmental analysis of the particular site for GME.

Figure 21: Environmental analysis of the site.

Figure 22: The lack of windows and openings provides high dependency on the use of artificial lighting in the exhibition spaces and constrains the reach of natural light to the interior, Design by Christian Rogner, Germany.

Figure 23: Ruben Verdi, Italy.

Figure 24: The control of natural cooling.

Figure 25: Design by Christian Rogner, Germany.

Figure 26: Nuno Mories Montiero, Portugal.

Figure 27: Example of an integrated passive system by Wolf Prix, Coop Himmelblau(L) AU, Austria.

Figure 28: Example of an integrated passive system by the winning design scheme by Heneghan.Peng, Ove Arup and Buro Huppold, Ireland and UK.

Figure 29: Rocha de Aires Mateus, Portugal.

Figure 30: Master plan of the greater museum region, General Authority of Urban Planning.

Figure 31: Surrounding region map indicating the archaeological sites.

Figure 32: Views of the existing urban structure and traffic.

Figure 33: Panorama to Cairo and the pyramids defining the edge between the valley and the desert.

Figure 34: Proposal for widening and re-designing the first section of the motorway to Alexandria while providing a pedestrian path directly to the pyramids plateau.