A GRADUATION PROJECT THESIS

CAIRO UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT
GRADUATION PROJECT
“PLATFORM FOR DEVELOPMENT”
A GRADUATION PROJECT THESIS submitted to
Dr.Aly Gabr in partial fulﬁment of the requirements for
the ﬁrst phase of design project
PREPARED BY :
MOSUTAFA HAROUN ISMAEL
SUPERVISED BY :
PROF/ ALY GABR
ENG.FADY SHERIF
ASWAN ASTRONOMY REDISCOVERY VENUE
AARV

AARV : Graduation Project Thesis May 2017
Department of Architecture. Faculty of Engineering • Cairo University 2
ASWAN ASTRONOMY
REDISCOVERY VENUE
Thesis for Graduation Project
Faculty of Engineering , Architecture Department
Cairo University
+2 02 111 11 11
+2 02 111 11
Moustafa.Haroun94@eng-st.cu.edu.eg
May 2017

Table of Contents
1.INTRODCUTION .............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.1. Introduction...................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2. Astronomy , all over the history....................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.. Astronomy in Egypt ........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.4. Problem Definition........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.5. Research Objectives .....................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.6. Research Methodology .................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.BODY ............................................................................................................7.
2.1.THEORETICAL ............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1.1Local ......................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1.2Regional ................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.1.2Global.....................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2NEEDS ASSESSMENTS ...............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.4PROGRAM - Function ............................................................................................. 10.
2.5 Astronomy and Architecture..........................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
APPLICATION....................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
In relation to .........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
in relation to Site............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
in relation to Community...............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
On levels of .........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Form...............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Circulation................................................................................................................ 13.
Solid and Void ..............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Skylines..........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Form...............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.NUBIA , land of gold ....................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.1 Location ................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.2 Climate..................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.3 Nubian Pyramids...................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.4 Old Nubian Architecture.......................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.5 Relation the site with the NILE ............................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.6 Architectural character of the Nubian buildings...Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.5.2 Meanings in Nubian Architecture.........................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.6CONCEPT + DESIGN....................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.7IMPACT of the Project ...................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.8BRANDCING CITY ‫ﺳ‬ASWAN‫ﺴ‬ - NUBIA....................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.CONCLUSION......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1Genes of the project.................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.1Conclusion...............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.REFERENCES .....................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

1.Introduction
1.1.Introduction :
If you look at the Nile on a map of Egypt, you don’t think it has moved very much, but
the river is very violent and has moved over time.
A PLATFORM for development can be defined as the place where ‘Multi-use’ public
and semi-public facilities could be occur there. It’s responsible to facilitate the easiest , most
progressive and most effectiveness types of development required in Nubia region.
In the South of Egypt, the Universal Astronomical Exploration Platform (AARV) along
the river Nile in Aswan will be the fi rst Platform in Upper Egypt locally and in north and
middle Africa regionally. The project represented the development in many aspects. Its
architecture and urban design landscaping not only refl ects the Nubian character and cultural
values but it also reflect the contemporary ideas of Astronomy and using the high-tech
technologies in the design , and it is well adapted to the existing climatic and topographic
conditions as the site is located in a high steep contours land on island in the heart of the Nile.
The (AARV) celebrates the culture and civilization of the Nubian region of Egypt from
prehistoric times to the present. It is located in the city of Aswan, on the eastern bank of the
Nile, 899 kilometres south of Cairo. The (AARV) is a low-rise building with an outdoor
interactive area. It is a community building with an education section that organizes trips,
lectures and workshops for schoolchildren, and cultural events for the public at large related to
astronomy of ancient Egypt and civilizations and also contemporary astronomy and travelling
to space. The OBJECTIVE of the project is to create an influence intellectual , educational ,
research , observational and touristic complex around a Global Heritage centre of Egyptology
for deeper and further interacting with Ancient and Contemporary Civilization. The research
deals with the study how Architecture and Astronomy come together to achieve some
common goal and giving an understanding how the astronomical aspects have regulated the
architectural design. It also includes the study of earliest surviving astronomical architecture
examples. However it is limited to the overview of such observations rather than exploring
them in details. The study also extends to relevance of Vaastu which is stated as the indirect
relation between architecture and astronomy. It is very clear that rather than exploring vaastu
or its principles, the study is directed towards the understanding of its relevance with time and
place.
Key words
EXPLORATION , OBSERVATORY ,
RESEARCH , CROSS-CIVILIZATIONS ,
COSMOS , UNITY
fig(1) arieal view of Aswan
resoucre : ahmed abd el gaber , egyptian photography

1.2. History of astronomy :
Astronomy is the oldest of the natural sciences, dating back to antiquity, with its origins
in the religious, mythological, cosmological, calendrical, and astrological beliefs and practices of
prehistory: vestiges of these are still found in astrology, a discipline long interwoven with public
and governmental astronomy, and not completely disentangled from it until a few centuries ago
in the Western World (see astrology and astronomy). In some cultures, astronomical data was
used for astrological prognostication.
Ancient astronomers were able to differentiate between stars and planets, as stars remain
relatively fixed over the centuries while planets will move an appreciable amount during a
comparatively short time.
1.2.1 Early history :
Early cultures identified celestial objects with gods and spirits. They related these objects
(and their movements) to phenomena such as rain, drought, seasons, and tides. It is generally
believed that the first astronomers were priests, and that they understood celestial objects and
events to be manifestations of the divine, hence early astronomy's connection to what is now
called astrology. Ancient structures with possibly astronomical alignments (such as Stonehenge)
probably fulfilled astronomical, religious, and social functions.
Calendars of the world have often been set by observations of the Sun and Moon
(marking the day, month and year), and were important to agricultural societies, in which the
harvest depended on planting at the correct time of year. The most common modern calendar is
based on the Roman calendar, which broke the traditional link of the month to the phases of the
moon and divided the year into twelve months, alternately comprising thirty and thirty-one days.
In 46 BC, Julius Caesar instigated calendar reform and adopted what is now known as the Julian
calendar, based upon the 3651∕4 day year length originally proposed by the 4th century BC
Greek astronomer Callippus.
Science age in the Renaissance :
During the Renaissance, great advances occurred in geography, astronomy, chemistry,
physics, mathematics, manufacturing, anatomy and engineering. The rediscovery of ancient
scientific texts was accelerated after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, and the invention of
printing which would democratize learning and allow a faster propagation of new ideas. But, at
least in its initial period, some see the Renaissance as one of scientific backwardness. Historians
like George Sarton and Lynn Thorndike have criticized how the Renaissance affected science,
arguing that progress was slowed for some amount of time.
Humanists favored human-centered subjects like politics and history over study of natural
philosophy or applied mathematics. Others have focused on the positive influence of the
Renaissance, pointing to factors like the rediscovery of lost or obscure texts and the
increased emphasis on the study of language and the correct reading of texts.
1.2.2.Astronomy in the Renaissance :
The astronomy of the late Middle Ages was based on the geocentric model described by
Claudius Ptolemy in antiquity. Probably very few practicing astronomers or astrologers actually
read Ptolemy's Almagest, which had been translated into Latin by Gerard of Cremona in the 12th
century. Instead they relied on introductions to the Ptolemaic system such as the De sphaera
mundi of Johannes de Sacrobosco and the genre of textbooks known as Theorica planetarum. For

the task of predicting planetary motions they turned to the Alfonsine Tables, a set of
astronomical tables based on the Almagest models but incorporating some later modifications,
mainly the trepidation model attributed to Thabit ibn Qurra. Contrary to popular belief,
astronomers of the Middle Ages and Renaissance did not resort to "epicycles on epicycles" in
order to correct the original Ptolemaic models—until one comes to Copernicus himself.
Sometime around 1450, mathematician Georg Purbach (1423–1461) began a series of
lectures on astronomy at the University of Vienna. Regiomontanus (1436–1476), who was then
one of his students, collected his notes on the lecture and later published them as Theoricae
novae planetarum in the 1470s. This "New Theorica" replaced the older theorica as the textbook
of advanced astronomy. Purbach also began to prepare a summary and commentary on the
Almagest. He died after completing only six books, however, and Regiomontanus continued the
task, consulting a Greek manuscript brought from Constantinople by Cardinal Bessarion. When
it was published in 1496, the Epitome of the Almagest made the highest levels of Ptolemaic
astronomy widely accessible to many European astronomers for the first time.
The last major event in Renaissance astronomy is the work of Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543).
He was among the first generation of astronomers to be trained with the Theoricae novae and the
Epitome. Shortly before 1514 he began to explore a shocking new idea that the Earth revolves
around the Sun. He spent the rest of his life attempting a mathematical proof of heliocentrism.
When De revolutionibus orbium coelestium was finally published in 1543, Copernicus was on
his deathbed. A comparison of his work with the Almagest shows that Copernicus was in many
ways a Renaissance scientist rather than a revolutionary, because he followed Ptolemy's methods
and even his order of presentation. In astronomy, the Renaissance of science can be said to have
ended with the truly novel works of Johannes Kepler (1571–1630) and Galileo Galilei (1564–
1642).
1.3.Egyptian astronomy :
Egyptian astronomy begins in prehistoric times, in the
Predynastic Period. In the 5th millennium BCE, the stone circles at
Nabta Playa may have made use of astronomical alignments. By
the time the historical Dynastic Period began in the 3rd millennium
BCE, the 365-day period of the Egyptian calendar was already in
use, and the observation of stars was important in determining the
annual flooding of the Nile. The Egyptian pyramids were carefully
aligned towards the pole star, and the temple of Amun-Re at
Karnak was aligned on the rising of the midwinter sun. Astronomy
played a considerable part in fixing the dates of religious festivals
and determining the hours of the night, and temple astrologers were
especially adept at watching the stars and observing the
conjunctions, phases, and risings of the sun, moon and planets.
1.3.1.Ancient Egypt :
Egyptian astronomy begins in prehistoric times. The
presence of stone circles at Nabta Playa in Upper Egypt dating from the 5th millennium BCE
show the importance of astronomy to the religious life of ancient Egypt even in the prehistoric
Fig (1) Nut, Egyptian goddess of the sky,
with the star chart in the tomb of Ramses
VI
Resource : www.pinterest.com

period. The annual flooding of the Nile meant that the
heliacal risings, or first visible appearances of stars at dawn,
were of special interest in determining when this might
occur, and it is no surprise that the 365-day period of the
Egyptian calendar was already in use at the beginning of
Egyptian history. The constellation system used among the
Egyptians also appears to have been essentially of native
origin.
The precise orientation of the Egyptian pyramids
serves as a lasting demonstration of the high degree of
technical skill in watching the heavens attained in the 3rd
millennium BCE. It has been shown the pyramids were
aligned towards the pole star, which, because of the precession of the equinoxes, was at that time
Thuban, a faint star in the constellation of Draco. Evaluation of the site of the temple of Amun-
Re at Karnak, taking into account the change over time of the obliquity of the ecliptic, has shown
that the Great Temple was aligned on the rising of the midwinter sun. The length of the corridor
down which sunlight would travel would have limited illumination at other times of the year.
Astronomy played a considerable part in religious matters for fixing the dates of festivals
and determining the hours of the night. The titles of several temple books are preserved
recording the movements and phases of the sun, moon and stars. The rising of Sirius (Egyptian:
Sopdet, Greek: Sothis) at the beginning of the inundation was a particularly important point to
fix in the yearly calendar. One of the most important Egyptian astronomical texts was the Book
of Nut, going back to the Middle Kingdom or earlier.
1.3.2Arabic-Islamic Egypt :
Following the Muslim conquest of Egypt, the region came to be dominated by Arabic
culture. It was ruled by the Rashidun, Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates up until the 10th
century, when the Fatimids founded their own Caliphate centred around the city of Cairo in
Egypt. The region once again became a centre of scientific activity, competing with Baghdad for
intellectual dominance in the medieval Islamic world. By the 13th century, the city of Cairo
eventually overtook Baghdad as the intellectual center of the Islamic world.
Ibn Yunus (c. 950-1009) observed more than 10,000 entries for the sun's position for
many years using a large astrolabe with a diameter of nearly 1.4 meters. His observations on
eclipses were still used centuries later in Simon Newcomb's investigations on the motion of the
moon, while his other observations inspired Laplace's Obliquity of the Ecliptic and Inequalities
of Jupiter and Saturn.[clarification needed (not the title of any work by Laplace)] In 1006, Ali
ibn Ridwan observed the supernova of 1006, regarded as the brightest stellar event in recorded
history, and left the most detailed description of the temporary star. He says that the object was
two to three times as large as the disc of Venus and about one-quarter the brightness of the
Moon, and that the star was low on the southern horizon.
The astrolabic quadrant was invented in Egypt in the 11th century or 12th century, and
later known in Europe as the "Quadrans Vetus" (Old Quadrant).In 14th century Egypt, Najm al-
Din al-Misri (c. 1325) wrote a treatise describing over 100 different types of scientific and
astronomical instruments, many of which he invented himself.
Fig (2) Plan of a stone circle at Nabta, Egypt
Resource : www.google.com

1.3.3. 20th
Century in Egypt :
In the 20th century, Farouk El-Baz from Egypt worked for NASA and was involved in
the first Moon landings with the Apollo program, where he was secretary of the Landing Site
Selection Committee, Principal Investigator of Visual Observations and Photography, chairman
of the Astronaut Training Group, and assisted in the planning of scientific explorations of the
Moon, including the selection of landing sites for the Apollo missions and the training of
astronauts in lunar observations and photography.
1.4. Research Objectives :
The study aims to provide an understanding of Development sectors and focus on the major
implementation of the hybrid function. Also the research aims to understand the environmental
approaches and their diverse terms. The study will investigate the Nubian social and urban
character and its reﬂection to the architecture.
1.5. Problem Definition :
A PLATFORM for development can be deﬁned as the place where ‘Multi-use’ public and semi-
public facilities could be occur there. It’s responsible to facilitate the easiest , most progressive
and most effectivness types of development required in Nuiba region
1.6. Research Question :
What is the role of Platfrom development project towards community? How can we customize
the meaning of Hybrid Platform into the local settings of Nubian community ? How can AARV
be of an added value to the historical rich site of project in Aswan?
1.7.Research Statement :
What we seek in this project , is to provide a place that serves the local people of Nubia and
Aswan during day and night time for social and recreational purposes as well as provide job
opportunities for them. Also this project tends to provide activities and carnavals for local and
global tourists in an interactive with nature environment,

2.BODY
2.1.THEORETICAL :
2.1.1.LOCAL :
the history of astronomy in Egypt ‘NUBIA’ all over the history starting from pharos , to
roman , to christians and islamic ,, then the Modern age. not only in EGYPT and NUBIA , but in
other civilizations. I don’t think the human race will survive the next thousand years, unless we
spread into space. There are too many accidents that can befall life on a single planet. But I’m an
optimist. We will reach out to the stars. ‫ﺳ‬Stephen Hawking
2.1.1.1. AARV brings the universe to Egypt :
Experts on economic development in Africa naturally concentrate on basic technologies:
clean water, energy for cooking, electricity, and improved roads. Even in South Africa, the
wealthiest country on the continent, millions of people lack basics. But space research is
expected to yield practical beneﬁ ts. One payoff can come from Africans building distinctive
satellite instruments, and thus spawning a globally competitive industry. Better ways to cope
with climate change also can come from space research.To be sure, South Africa’s push to join
the world’s technological leaders is not limited to space research. The country is also home to
thriving communities of scientists and engineers specializing in nuclear and solar energy,
software encryption, coal-to-oil conversion and even electric cars.‫ﺳ‬There are a lot of surprising
innovations coming from South Africa,‫ﺴ‬ says David Kaplan, an economist at the University of
Cape Town who specializes in tracking technological change. ‫ﺳ‬But the gap between esoteric
knowledge and economic applications remains large.‫ﺴ‬Closing that gap should happen more
quickly with the help of the international community. Not only does the world’s largest telescope
network ‫ﺳ‬belong in Africa,‫ﺴ‬ says Sune Svanberg, a physicist at Lund University in Sweden.
‫ﺳ‬Good forces also can join with the African scientist to create many small-scale projects in the
region that are realistic to operate.‫ﺴ‬
NUBIA : The heavens must have been smiling down upon Egyptian astronomy
enthusiasts this year with a Proposal for ASTRONOMY RESEARCH CENTER architectural
design . From the possibility of life outside our solar system to an enthralling real life story of a
space rescue mission, the lecture attendees were in for numerous treats. With the slogan ‫ﺳ‬The
Universe, Yours to Discover, the International Astronomical Union aims to stimulate worldwide
interest, especially among young people, in astronomy and science. ‫ﺳ‬The International Year of
Astronomy is to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the universe through the
day and night time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery, reads their
vision statement. ‫ﺳ‬New discoveries from Hubble Space Telescope and from complicated
computer calculations have revealed important facts about the universe that were not imagined
years ago, Williams stres
2.1.2REGIONAL :
Experts on economic development in Africa naturally concentrate on basic technologies:
clean water, energy for cooking, electricity, and improved roads. Even in South Africa, the
wealthiest country on the continent, millions of people lack basics. But space research is
expected to yield practical beneﬁ ts. One payoff can come from Africans building distinctive
satellite instruments, and thus spawning a globally competitive industry. Better ways to cope

with climate change also can come from space research.To be sure, South Africa’s push to join
the world’s technological leaders is not limited to space research.
The country is also home to thriving communities of scientists and engineers specializing
in nuclear and solar energy, software encryption, coal-to-oil conversion and even electric
cars.‫ﺳ‬There are a lot of surprising innovations coming from South Africa,‫ﺴ‬ says David Kaplan,
an economist at the University of Cape Town who specializes in tracking technological change.
‫ﺳ‬But the gap between esoteric knowledge and economic applications remains large.‫ﺴ‬Closing that
gap should happen more quickly with the help of the international community. Not only does the
world’s largest telescope network ‫ﺳ‬belong in Africa,‫ﺴ‬ says Sune Svanberg, a physicist at Lund
University in Sweden. ‫ﺳ‬Good forces also can join with the African scientist to create many
small-scale projects in the region that are realistic to operate.‫ﺴ‬
2.1.3GLOBAL :
The exploration and use of outer space ‫ﺫ‬ shall be for peaceful purposes and shall be
carried out for the benefit and in the interest of all countries, irrespective of their degree of
economic or scientific development. NASA has taken a ‫ﺳ‬follow the water‫ﺴ‬ approach to
exploration. A unique 3D printing technique harnesses the physics of water and its phase
transition to construct ICE HOUSE
With the slogan ‫ﺳ‬The Universe, Yours to Discover, the International Astronomical Union
aims to stimulate worldwide interest, especially among young people, in astronomy and science.
‫ﺳ‬The International Year of Astronomy is to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place
in the universe through the day and night time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of
wonder and discovery, reads their vision statement. ‫ﺳ‬New discoveries from Hubble Space
Telescope and from complicated computer calculations have revealed important facts about the
universe that were not imagined years ago, Williams stres.
It is believed that since the earliest humans walked the Earth, the tradition of looking up
at the night sky and assigning names and characters to them existed. However, the earliest
recorded evidence of asterism and constellation-naming comes to us from ancient Mesopotamia,
and in the form of etchings on clay tablets that are dated to around ca. 3000 BCE. However, the
ancient Babylonians were the fi rst to recognize that astronomical phenomena are periodic and
can be calculated mathematically. It was during the middle Bronze Age (ca. 2100 – 1500 BCE)
that the oldest Babylonian star catalogs were created, which would later come to be consulted by
Greek, Roman and Hebrew scholars to create their own astronomical and astrological systems.

2.2.NEEDS ASSESSMENTS
2.2.1. Choosing the function of the project :
as we mentioned above ,, the economic base for
Nubian people has depended on many sectors during
history. recently , as a result to many issues , the tourism
has no longer become the stablizer for econominc income
for local residents , so they need to create alternative for
the tourism and be a new magnet that creat permanent
and stable job opportunities for local community, not only
that , but also to get the most benefi t of the pure nature
there and the amazing and clear sky , so the
ASTRONOMY research center and museum will be hte
best suitable function for a platfrom for evelopment the
NUBIA
2.2.2. Choosing the location of the project :
the site in an isolated island in the heart of Nile is very suitable for astronomy exploration
and functions that is directly connected the Nature (near physcial element) refl ected in the Nile ,
and the Space (far metaphyscial element) , refl ected in the Sky and Universe.
2.3.PROGRAM
The program of ‫ﺳ‬AARV‫ﺴ‬ consists of all the required information
for the users’ needs in the form of elements , relationships and
areas.
After the site analyses and needs assessments , here is the
sequence that led to choosing the function of the project :
Needs of Nubian people , Areas , Bubble diagram and zoning ,
Relationships diagram and then primary design.
Main Components of the Project :
Orientation Hall
Research Center
Observation
Convention Center
Space Park
fig (4)local Nubian residents
source :www.google.com
fig (6) layout for nubian village
Source : www.googleearth.com

2.4.ASTRONOMY and ARCHITECTURE
Philae is the island in the river Nile on which an obelisk was found that had a bilingual
inscription including the names of Cleopatra and Ptolemy in Egyptian hieroglyphs. This
provided the French historian Jean-Fran?ois Champollion with the ﬁ nal clues that enabled him
to decipher the hieroglyphs of the Rosetta Stone and unlock the secrets of the civilisation of
ancient Egypt. And that's why when the spacecraft’s lander of European Space Agency’s Rosetta
comet mission, has been named ‫ﺳ‬Philae‫ﺴ‬.
The sky was important to the ancients. It told them when seasons were approaching,
when to plant crops, and when to harvest. Ancient cultures were keen observers of the cycles in

the sky. Cultures that were ‫ﺳ‬astronomically literate‫ﺴ‬ had a distinct edge over those who seldom
bothered to note the goings on overhead.Sirius was a key star for Egyptian astronomers. Identifi
ed with the goddess Isis, the Egyptian name for Sirius was Sopdet, the deifi cation of Sothis.
These astronomer-priests noted that Sirius rose with the Sun just prior to the annual fl
ooding of the Nile. The appearance of a celestial object at sunrise is known as a heliacal rising. If
you can recover Sirius from behind the glare of the Sun, you know that the ‫ﺳ‬Tears of Isis‫ﺴ‬ are on
their way, in the form of life-giving fl ood waters.
In fact, the ancient Egyptians based their calendar on the appearance of Sirius and what is
known as the Sothic cycle, which is a span of 1,461 sidereal years (365.25 x 4) in which the
heliacal rising once again ‫ﺳ‬syncs up‫ﺴ‬ with the solar calendar.
CRUX :
the Southern Cross, a small but beautiful constellation located in the southern sky, very
close to the neighboring constellation of Centaurus.
Originally known by the Latin name Crux, which is due to its cross shape, this
constellation is one of the easiest to identify in the night sky.
For centuries, it has served as a navigational beacon for sailors, an important symbol to
the Egyptians, and played an important role in the spiritual beliefs of the Aborigines and many
other cultures in the Southern Hemisphere.
In terms of cultural signifi cance, the Crux, like all constellations, played an important
role in the belief system of many cultures.
To the ancient Egyptians, Crux was the place where the Sun Goddess Horus was crucifi
ed, and marked the passage of the winter season.
The Southern Cross is also featured prominently on the fl ags
of several southern nations, including Australia, Brazil, New
Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa.
2.4.1Cosmic environment :
The world view of the ancient Egyptians, which they appear
to have inherited intact and fully formed at the very beginning of
their historical civilization some 5000 years ago, was profoundly
dualistic and cosmological.
The foundation of Pharaonic theocracy, the unifi cation of
the ‘Two Lands’ of Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom, the
notions that they had of their own past and ancestry, their laws and
calendrical measures, the architecture of their temples and pyramid
complexes, and even the land of Egypt itself and the Nile—all these were cosmological concepts
to them.
Indeed, they saw their cosmic environment (the sky, the Milky Way, the sun and the
stars, the moon and the planets, and all their cycles) as being bound together in perfect duality
with their earthly environment (their land and the Nile, their living king and his ancestors, and
the cycles of the seasons and epochs).
fig (7) crux image on wall on
ancient egyptian temple
source : www.google.com

it’s suspected that the history of ancient Egypt, to the extent that it was written down at
all in papyri and tablets and inscriptions, was frequently expressed in a kind of ‘cosmic code’
ritualistically and symbolically linked—like the Pyramids themselves—to the ever-changing
patterns of the sky. From this it follows that we must look to the sky, just as the Egyptians did, if
we wish to understand the ideas that they were trying to communicate in their (on the face of
things) extremely strange and problematic religious writings.
2.4.2.Otherworld :
In the earliest religious writings that have survived from ancient Egypt a powerful
symbolic terminology is used to describe the cosmic ‘world of the dead’ and its features. This
world is referred to as the Duat7—a concept that is routinely translated by modern Egyptologists
as ‘the Underworld’ (or sometimes as the ‘Netherworld’).8 In the Pyramid Texts, however, the
Duat is clearly a location in the starry sky—as many distinguished Egyptologists of earlier
generations such as Selim Hassan, Sir E. A. Wallis Budge and Kurt Sethe were undoubtedly
aware.9 Yet even these pioneers failed to get to grips with the full implications and
characteristics of the concept because they lacked familiarity with astronomy. For example, in
his analysis of the various ways in which the word Duat was inscribed in hieroglyphic characters
throughout the whole span of Egyptian history, Selim Hassan makes the following comment: ‘If
we consider the evidence afforded by the meaning of its name during the Old Kingdom [the
Pyramid Age], we shall see that the original Duat, the future Underworld, was localized in the
sky.’10 He then cites the view of Kurt Sethe that ‘the Duat could be either the red glow of
twilight which precedes the dawn (i.e. the ‫ﺳ‬false dawn‫)ﺴ‬ or the spacious region in the east of the
sky where this glow appears ...
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects (such as
moon, planet, stars, galaxies) the physics, chemistry, and evolution of such objects; and
phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth. Astronomy is one of the oldest
sciences. Prehistoric cultures left behind astronomical artifacts such as the Egyptian monuments
and Nubian monuments, and early civilizations such as Babylonians, Greeks, Chinese, Indians,
Iran and Maya performed methodical observations of the night sky. However, the invention of
the telescope was required before astronomy was able to develop into a modern science.
Historically, astronomy has included disciplines as diverse as astrometry, celestial navigation,
observational astronomy, and the making of calendars etc.
Another discipline Astrology- predictive part of astronomy, which uses the apparent
positions of celestial objects as the basis for psychology, prediction of future events, is not a
science and is typically deﬁ ned as a form of divination. Climatology, the study of atmospheric
science, is another extension coming out from Astronomy. In architecture both the disciplines
that is astrology and climatology, leads to a concept known as Vastu
2.4.3. Relation between Architecture and Astronomy :
Direct relation between architecture and astronomy could be segregated n two different types,
one as structures primarily built for the astronomical purpose or as astronomical observatories.
Another type is structures built for another purpose but their secondary function is astronomical.

example from Egypt is Giza Necropolis. In the common opinion of Egyptologists, the
small pyramids next to the great pyramid of Khufu served as burial places for the relatives of the
Pharaoh. Certain facts, which have not been previously considered, indicate that there is a chance
that the pyramids — due to their ground plan arrangement — are not only burial places but also
the components of a yearly calendar. This is the opinion of Hungarian architect András Göczey.
At the the time of the summer solstice (the beginning of the year) and now only the
shadow of the northernmost small pyramid of Hetepheres appears on the shadow point date
marker. The apex shadow point of Hetepheres starts moving to the North 77-59 cm a day.
At the time of the autumnal equinox, i.e. the 21st of September, the apex of the pyramid
of Meritetes appears to coincide with the indicated shadow point date marker, with the shadow of
Hetepheres near it. The apex shadow point of Meritetes starts moving to the North 59-77 cm a
day. At the time of the vernal equinox, i.e the 21st of March, the apex of the pyramid of
Meritetes appears to coincide with the indicated shadow point date marker, with the shadow of
Hetepheres near it. The apex shadow point of Hetepheres starts moving back to the South 59-77
cm a day.
At the time of the winter solstice the shadow of the southernmost small pyramid of
Hanutsen appears near the shadow point date marker with the shadows of Meritetes and
Hetepheres. The apex shadow point of Meritetes starts moving back to the South 7759 cm a day.
2.4.3.1.Indirect Relation :
Astrology, which uses the apparent positions of celestial objects as the basis for
psychology, prediction of future events, is not a science and is typically defi ned as a form of
divination. Climatology, the study of atmospheric science, is another extension coming out from
Astronomy. In architecture from the ancient times, both the disciplines that is astrology and
climatology, leads to a concept known as Vaastu
Vastu-shastra is an ancient doctrine which consists of precepts born out of a traditional
view on how the laws of nature affect human dwellings. The designs are based on directional
alignments.
VAASTU is currently a fad in high society, and it is surprising that there are millions of
educated ‫ﺳ‬VAASTU IDIOTS‫ﺴ‬ who seek VAASTU experts through yellow pages, and self styled
VAASTU experts advertise in the classifi ed columns of fi nancial news papers offering
guaranteed results and fi nancial gains in the name of modern PRACTICAL VAASTU. It shows
that even modern educated and learned people belonging to wealthy circles are quite
superstitious and they are blind faith.
Here is the case of a rich man who bought a duplex apartment in a swanky Malabar Hill
building facing the Chowpatty sea-face in Mumbai. The apartment was designed in such a way
that the living room and the bedrooms faced the sea towards the south, since VAASTU is a fad,
sure enough the VAASTU expert came, but a bit late via the yellow pages and as predicted the
VAASTU expert put his foot down and said this was sacrilege. So what if the building was
designed in such a way that it faced the sea view towards the south? He asked. The south was an
awful direction, he declaimed, it was the place of Yama (the God of Death) and of Agni (Fire),
and the apartment would bring misery to its owner.
Having invested a lot of money in the purchase of apartment, now what? Was there a way
out? Yes, there was a way out. The apartment with a sea view (a feature that attracts a premium

in Mumbai) had to be altered, ruled the VAASTU expert. He proceeded to bring the kitchen, the
servant’s room and the internal staircase on the sea-facing side and shifted the bedroom to the
service lane. Yet, the owner was quite pleased with all these alterations and said, ‫ﺳ‬Never mind
the view, as long as I can maintain my wealth‫ﺴ‬.
It is surprising that today the learned and the successful people lack basic conviction of
logical reasoning and fall prey to superstitions and dictates of the unqualifi ed, smart, self-styled
experts in the name of VAASTU.
There is another example of ritualistic approach of the modern VAASTU Pandit, that
south west side of the house or offi ce should be heavier and higher being good for the welfare
and prosperity of the master, and sometimes in the Offi ce layout, part of the room is raised just
by an inch or so by use of little raised wooden fl oor, or thicker carpet just as a ritual of
VAASTU.
Nobody asks why south or southwest side should be higher and heavier, and how does
this brings prosperity to the master of the house hold?
Tracing back the history of living habits, and living environments, it has been observed
that due to social customs, and safety security of the inmates of the family, houses were built
inward or enclosed around walled structures, mainly in southern states, and hot region like
Rajasthan and North West India. These houses were generally built with a courtyard which
served as a protected space for use of ladies, children and family activities and house hold
occupation, when the men folks were out of the house for their work, or on long trading
journeys. Since sunrise in the north east side is at lower angle, the north east section of the house
was at low height to receive the comfortable morning sunlight into the courtyard of the house.
The south-west of the house was made higher so that in the afternoon when it is hot, the higher
portion of the south-west corner of the house will cause shadow in the courtyard giving
protection from the hot sun for comfort and welfare of the inmates. Such an architectural
planning based on environmental aspects has been distorted, by the modern VAASTU Pandit and
hence the interior of an enclosed offi ce space or offi ce fl oor, raised by couple of inches in the
south-west corner as specifi ed by the VAASTU is nothing but a superstitious ritual in the name
of VAASTU.
WHILE TRACING THE PHILOSOPHY OF INDIAN WAY OF OUR ANCIENT
INDIANS, it may be noted that our ancient Indians had learnt the secrets of life as a cycle path
from evolution to subsistence to residue and regeneration. They also understood that our human
form and our nature is unifi cation of cosmic or (solar energy) and organic energy of earth and
the human form or our body is a part of nature, and human body is designed to acclimatize with
nature.
Our ancient Indians also realized that state of human existence is a stream of
consciousness which is very much dependent on nature. The consciousness is the state of body
alive and our real body is the stream of sub-conscious - which fl ows in our body in the form of
white cells in the blood chemical composition of white cells, is similar to that of the brain.
The stream of consciousness which fl ows in our body is maintained by three factors,
which are AYUR, TARANG andYOG. AYUR - means body temperature and thus the
knowledge of ayurved was formulated to enable the human beings to use natural ingredients for
maintenance of body temperature - which ensures the body free from physical alignments.

TARANG - means Rhythm or body Rhythm or energy Rhythm, this can be modulated by music.
Music helps the mind or state of mind. YOG is the process of unifi cation of mind and body. All
these three factors are again very much dependent on the NATURE.
In this context our ancient Indians had evolved the methods or principles of living in
harmony with nature or natural way of living with environment which could be conducive to
pursue the maintenance of stream of consciousness and or to attain the state of super
consciousness or State of Sat-Chit-Anand.
It is obviously clear that essence of VAASTU advocates that living style and dwellings
should be such that advantage can be derived from the natural environment, surroundings and
natural light and ventilation’s for better health and pleasant feelings. It means ‫ﺳ‬ADVANTAGE
FROM NATURE AND SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT‫ﺴ‬ is an important; theme aspect of
VAASTU. Since nature and environment is variable from location to location, the application of
orientations at physical level become dependent on the variable locations and relevant
environment and hence applications of principles of VAASTU at physical material level are
variable and fl exible to the extent to achieve the main objective of taking advantage of nature
and environment.
For example; houses and dwellings in the plains of northern India, it will be natural to
plan the houses in such an orientations that advantage of natural cross ventilation can be derived
from the EastWest winds. Houses, dwellings units along the west-south west coastal region shall
be so oriented that advantage of natural ventilation can be derived from south west winds.
Similarly advantage of water resources can be derived mainly from fl owing water of rivers in
the northern region, and in the coastal hilly region advantage of water resources can be derived
from the stored water in lakes and reservoirs, as per natural topography irrespective of
orientation and direction.
The requirements of sun light in the north Himalayan region is much more to give
protection against the cold winds whereas in the desert zone and in the zone of equator sunlight
is required to be shielded to over-come the discomfort of heat and glare.
The above examples illustrate that in different locations different types of dwellings are
required to be worked out to achieve the common factor of ‫ﺳ‬taking advantage of natural light and
ventilation and surrounding environment for natural way of living of humans‫ﺴ‬. Hence there is no
rigidity and application process is variable and fl exible and universal for all humans irrespective
of cast, creed and religion, and hence it can be considered that ‫ﺳ‬VAASTU PRINCIPLES
PERTAIN TO APPLICATION OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF ENVIRONMENT‫ﺴ‬ or VAASTU
can be termed as ‫ﺳ‬ENVIRONMENT ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE‫ﺴ‬.

2.5. NUBIA –land of gold- :
It is most probably derived from the ancient Egyptian word (‫ﺳ‬noob‫)ﺴ‬ which means gold.
It’s was known as the land of gold mines, ebony, ivory.
2.5.1 Location: Southern Egypt and northern Sudan and divided into two parts as
follows: Lower Nubia lies between the fi rst and second cataract in Egypt Upper Nubia lies
between the second and sixth cataract in Sudan
2.5.2Climate: Temperature is almost high most of the year
2.5.3. Nubian Pyramids :
Nubian pyramids are pyramids that were built by the rulers of the ancient Kushite
kingdoms. The area of the Nile valley known as Nubia, which lies within present day Sudan,
was home to three Kushite kingdoms during antiquity. The fi rst had its capital at Kerma (2600–
1520 BC). The second was centered on Napata (1000–300 BC). Finally, the last kingdom was
centered on Meroë (300 BC–AD 300).
Kerma was Nubia’s fi rst centralized state with its own indigenous forms of architecture
and burial customs. The last two kingdoms, Napata and Meroë, were heavily infl uenced by
ancient Egypt culturally, e c o n o m i c a l l y , politically, and militarily. The Kushite kingdoms
in turn competed strongly with Egypt economically and militarily. In 751 BC, the Kushite king
Piankhi overthrew the 24th Dynasty and united the entire Nile valley from the delta to the city of
Napata under his rule. Piankhi and his descendants ruled as the pharaohs of the Twentyfi fth
Dynasty. The Napatan domination of Egypt ended with the Assyrian conquest of Egypt in 656
BC.
2.5.4. Old Nubian Architecture :
Nubian architecture is diverse and ancient. Permanent villages have been found in Nubia
which date from 6000 BC. These villages were roughly contemporary with the walled town of
Jericho in Palestine.
in everytime Aswan dam was getting upper , the water fl ooded more and more houses
and lands like what happened in 1902 , 1912 . 1933 , the Nubian people were forced to move
their house and rebuilt them ,, as if they RECREATE the Nubian character
2.5.5 Relation the site with the NILE :
the SOUTH : The Nubians have built their houses in a LINEAR propotion on the east and
west banks of the nile after building the dams and their houses have been fl ooded. what help
them doing that is the abundance of lands along the nile south to Egypt , also the amazing
location of this area and its relation to the south , Sudan and Africa.
the NORTH : as a result of a tight valley along the Nile shore and also existing of
Granite rocks and deep steps that prevent the Nubian from rebuilding their houses on a
horizontal level which was the traditional approach in design the Nubian House ; so they rebuilt
their houses on many levels in the direction of the Nile to fi t the steep of Nile side shores.
2.5.6. Architectural character of the Nubian buildings :
2.5.6.1 : SKYLINE :

the skyline is very dynamic not with its differences as it , but the dynamic come from
integration the walls with nature representing in rocks , sands and edges in relation with nile. also
there’s a different skyline between the MAin PATHs and the Secondary Path.
2.5.6.2. SETION LINE :
on the main street level , we found that the section line isn’t fi xed as it changes wider and
narrower according to the contours line
2.5.6.3 HIEGHTS :
most of the houses is from one fl oor the main facade (parrell to the NILE) is 4-5m
heights ; as it’s parrell to the contours lines. the side facade : not fi xed and has a hierarchy as it’s
prependicular to the contours lines , and its heights is 3-4 m. the services spaces is not excceed
3m.
2.5.6.4. CASCADES :
the cascades is extended along the main facade and sometimes is oriented to the NILE
along the secondary facade.
2.5.6.5 Buildings ENDS & ORNAMENTS :
the buildings ends is on the same level along the buildings except the corners and the
ENTRANCES the ornaments os used to assure the HORIZONTALITY along the facade except
the corners and entrances. Also the ornaments is consists of horizontal strips recessed or covered
like this sketch
2.5.6.6 STAIRS :
the stairs have many shapes in entrance or inside the house or in the inner court ; linear
stairs semi-circual stairs
2.5.6.7. OPENINGS :
Doors , the main etnrance door is oriented to the NILE
Windows , the windows is very narrow and limited to the guest room
Ventilation openings , it’s for natural ventilation ‫ﺳ‬ENVIRONMENTAL‫ﺴ‬
2.5.6.8. PERFORATED :
the perforated element is existing along the building end its unit is rectangular or triangle
2.5.6.9. TRANSPARENT to OPAQUE :
the ration of the openings is approximately from 1 to 5 % of the whole façade
2.5.6.1. Texture :
due to painting all the interior and exterior walls , the texture of the walls became smooth
2.5.6.11. COLORS :
the exterior walls is painted with WHITE colors and the lower parts is painted with
brown. the interior walls are painted with White and light BLUE
2.5.6.12. WALLS PATTERNS :
the patterns in the interior and exterior walls refl ected the NUBIAN old culture and
habits using: palm trees , birds , scorpio ,......... etc
2.5.6.13. PLAN outline :
the plan of the house is Square or rectangle with a fence and the main entrance led to the
open COURT
2.5.7. Meanings in Nubian Architecture :
PURITY & CLEANLINESS EMPHASIS the RELIGIOUS IDENTITY

Sanctiﬁcation the Ancestral
Sacredness the House
Celebrations
Safety and Security
VISUAL PRIVACY
Sanctiﬁcation the NILE
Balance with the NATURE
SOCIAL COHESION
Independence
2.5. CONCEPT + Design:
What comes to mind when you look up at the night sky and spot the constellations? Is it a
grand desire to explore deep into space? Is it the feeling of awe and wonder, that perhaps these
shapes in the sky represent something? Or is the sense that, like countless generations of human
beings who have come before you, you are staring into the heavens and seeing patterns?
the Platform will be the earth’s eye to UNIVERSAL Exploring unexplained realms of
science and mysticism. as the Astronomy is ‫ﺳ‬Mysteries Piled upon Mysteries‫ﺴ‬ all over the
history layers. - The Exploration will be on 2 levels : 1st : Explore the space ; as we need to
explore outside of our ‫ﺳ‬world‫ﺴ‬. 2nd : Explore the history of this science The project will be the
Gateway to space and universe
What comes to mind when you look up at the night sky and spot the constellations? Is it a
grand desire to explore deep into space? Is it the feeling of awe and wonder, that perhaps these
shapes in the sky represent something? Or is the sense that, like countless generations of human
beings who have come before you, you are staring into the heavens and seeing patterns?
Thus , the Platform cultivates innovative designs with aerospace engineering to develop
technological solutions that will power Space Exploration.
What we can say is that ; the Platform is an approach to transcendence the metaphysical
borders , a search for the myth. It’s an interface to another world, a nexus between a changeable
and uncertain Present , and the eternal and permanent Ancient Egypt. A link between a
changeable man-made objects , and metaphysical energy.
2.5.1. Keywords :
Explore - diverse - Observation - Mystery - Floating - Discovery –Spacescape
2.5.2. Slogan : Join the journey
2.5.3. Mission :
- Its mission is to bring the excitement and understanding of science, technology,
engineering and mathematics to children, families, teachers and others by galvanizing their
curiosity and offering them creative, participatory ways to learn.

- promote people’s interest in Science and Astronomy, mainly through the presentation
of sessions concerning the scientifi c knowledge about Space and Universe, for students and
public in general.
- play a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research.
2.5.4. Interpretations :
2.5.4.1. Egyptian Astronomy :
Predicting annual floods of the Nile River was the driving force behind the development
of Egyptian astronomy. Egyptian astronomy begins in the discovery of stone circles at Nabta
Playa. The stone circles were essential in marking the time and predicting the coming fl oods.
Due to their expertise in astronomy they were aware that the year was about 365 days and
divided into 12 months.
Egyptian astronomers used sundials to tell the time, dividing the days into 24 hours.
There is little doubt that Egyptians buildings were based upon the stars.
It is possible that the Egyptian astronomy served a navigational purpose.
Its mission starts here our ongoing space journey can be defined by significant eras.
That’s why we’ve organized ‫ﺳ‬AARV‫ﺴ‬ Complex into Mission Zones — grouped attractions and
experiences reflecting specific periods of time and achievements. Your journey awaits!
Its mission is to bring the excitement and understanding of SPACE science, technology,
engineering and mathematics to children, families, teachers and others by galvanizing their
curiosity and offering them creative, participatory ways to learn
2.5.5. Spatial Requirements :
The Planetarium aims to promote people’s interest in
Science and Astronomy, mainly through the presentation of
sessions concerning the scientifi c knowledge about Space and
Universe, for students and public in general.
fig (8) section for observatory
Source : www.google.com

2.5.6. Sacred geometry :
Sacred geometry ascribes symbolic and sacred meanings to certain geometric shapes and
certain geometric proportions. It is associated with the belief that a
god or God is the geometer of the world. The geometry used in the
design and construction of religious structures such as churches,
temples, mosques, religious monuments, altars, and tabernacles has
sometimes been considered sacred. The concept applies also to sacred
spaces such as temenoi, sacred groves, village greens and holy wells,
and the creation of religious art.
2.6.IMPACT of the Project
I will leave the architectural design pf the project and its components , concept and form
generation to the imagination of the visitors to the ‘UAEP’. Rather, I will pursue a different
approach. Architecture speaks to us at many levels, and a building should be viewed and
discussed at these different levels. Thus a thoughtful critique of the architecture of the new
AARV building would function at multiple levels.
The building as a building**
The building in its physical context
Harmony or discord, intentional or unintentional, can be either positive or negative. The
building’s relation to the environment, both natural and man-made, can enhance or diminish the
stature of the achievement
The building in its cultural context
Its ‫ﺳ‬ﬁt‫ﺴ‬ and appropriateness in the context ofa cultural heritage expressed through a legacy of
already-built forms produced throughout the society’s history.
The building in its international context
Positioning of the creative act as a part of the international network of currents, styles, schools,
and ideas, as well as the extent to which it contributes to the evolution of that debate, by either
reinforcement or by innovation.
The building in its own local/regional intellectual milieu
To what extent does it make a statement on the immediate level of the debate that presses upon
the intelligentsia of the region? This is no mere reﬂ ection of the international context, although
it could be. The local/regional intellectual milieu is much more concerned with issues that are
geographically circumscribed, even though they may have universal overtones.
Applying this type of criticism to this exceptional building is certainly instructive. It
enriches our perception of the artistry embedded in it. Proper criticism is a prism. It allows the
viewer to suddenly be made aware of the many colors of the spectrum that are embedded in the
brilliant shaft of white light that is the work of art. It teases out the hidden dimensions, thus
fig (9) Golden Ration drawing
Source : www.google.com

revealing to the viewer and user a richer experience, whether they accept or reject the critic’s
views.
2.6.1.The building in its physical context :
The ‘AARV will be clearly a landmark building. It provides an anchor for an area
that could be one of the most beautiful areas in the world, the old historic Phiale Temple.
Regretfully, the rest of the area is not yet developed with suffi cient attention to an overall effect
that links buildings to their surroundings,both natural and manmade. Plans are underway to try to
do this in the next few years. A fi ve-star hotel facility is recommended to be developmed to
serve the ‘UAEP’ visitors and its conference participants. The panorama view of the Nile is truly
exceptional as the site has 270 view. The gentle sweep of the islands integrating land with the
Nile is restful to the eye, and the scale of the islands is suited to the human psyche. It is neither
overwhelming nor too small for the visitor to be impressed and yet feel welcomed and ‫ﺳ‬at
home‫ﺴ‬. The Phiale temple should be the focal point of Aswan for tourism. For that purpose, the
‘AARV complex will be an important magnet, and an ‫ﺳ‬anchor‫ﺴ‬ for the visitors. It makes sense
that it should be physically linked to the Silsilah and to the touristic developments and service
facilities that should surround it. The urban design must include proper attention to the traffi c
and access aspects, including parking needs for cars and buses, and the possibilities of reviving
the horsedrawn carriages for visitors who want a more leisurely promenade. The need for
comprehensive services should not be at the expense of quality. Local character and international
standards would have to be maintained throughout. Here the ‘AARV sets a standard, in concept
and execution, in design and detailing.
2.6.2The building in its cultural context :
The building is unusual in that it does not have peers in the previous experience of
Egyptian built form. It innovates and thus adds to the architectural lexicon in both form and
detailing. Its simple yet elegant design has inspired visitors . It will undoubtedly enrich the
architectural vocabulary of the next generation of architects. By rejecting the slavish copying of
past forms, or even the effort to remain rooted in place by remaining attached to a particular local
tradition, I ran a risk. Nevertheless the ‘AARV will avoid the twin dangers of ossifi ed copying
of the past and cultural inappropriateness. The building can, therefore, function culturally in the
local context as a liberating infl uence that helps local and regional architects acquire a level of
sophistication in the ability to read the symbolic content of their heritage in a way that enriches
their ability to produce relevant buildings for today and tomorrow. It can help liberate them from
the fear that the heavy hand of the past architectural forms and details can be abandoned only at
the risk of being rootless. Yet, there is an unusual aspect in which this building is truly related to
a part of the great tradition of Nubian architecture in Egypt. It is common in many parts of
Nubian homes to enter an entrance lobby linked the guest room from one side and inner court
and rest of home from another sideand beautiful buildings through a relatively discreet and/or
broken entrance that does not reveal the full size and splendor of the space inside, allowing for
the impact of DISCOVERY. This aspect is very much present in the ‘UAEP’. It is deceptive at
the entrance and the entrance hall is barely a transition. The experiential sense of discovery as
the visitor walks into the building, fi nally discovering the splendor of the great hall and its
magnifi cent light is a re-interpretation—knowing or unknowing—of that great tradition of

buildings past. It is a celebration of builders who lavished love on their designs from the largest
and most general concept to the smallest detail.
2.6.3The building in its international context :
Modernism with a difference, that is one way of thinking of the new building. Whereas
Modernism was a quintessentially 20th century phenomenon that was rightly seen as largely
spent by the forces of post-modernism in the late twentieth century, the very best of it has been
revived, transformed and transcended by this building. Like great buildings of different periods,
from Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavillion of 1927 to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water of
1936 to Bjorn Utzon`s Sidney Opera House of the 1980s, great buildings are timeless and speak
to us through time and space. Like these landmarks, the ‘UAEP’ could well, with the patina of
time, be seen as a true classic. At a time of ‫ﺳ‬signature architects‫ﺴ‬ and the dominance of
capricious form over function, the success of a young team of then-unknown architects and the
quality of their design was a challenge to the prevalent mode and fashion in the architectural
world. It was, I believe, a successful challenge.
2.6.4.The building in its own local/regional setting :
The building makes a very bold counterpoint to the tired and tiresome debate about
‫ﺳ‬Modernity versus Tradition‫ﺴ‬. In practically every forum dealing with our contemporary reality,
someone can always be counted on to frame the issues underdiscussion in the form of a
dichotomous relationship between ‫ﺳ‬Tradition‫ﺴ‬ (usually identifi ed from a Muslim or Pharaonic
perspective and presented as harmonious and wonderful) and ‫ﺳ‬Modernity‫ﺴ‬ (usually presented as
alienating, dehumanizing, and awful). Someone can also be counted on to immediately reverse
the dichotomy, arguing that we cannot live in the past and that modernity (here presented as
science, technology, and progress) is the future.
As if the rich tapestry representing the historical experience of the Muslim people could
be reduced to a single ‫ﺳ‬tradition‫ﺴ‬ (or traditional position in the debate), or that modernity—a
complex, evolving concept that is highly relative and intertwined contemporaneously— could be
conveniently circumscribed into a single defi nable reality that covers all the complex reality of
contemporary Egypt, much less anything that could be applicable from Morocco to Indonesia
and from China to Africa. This debate is also critically fl awed because it does not use the tools
of criticism to expand our understanding of the issues involved. Without such an expanded
understanding we are unlikely to progress beyond the repetitious, sterile litanies of this tired and
tiresome debate.
Here the ‘AARV makes a bold and uncompromising statement.It is Architecture as
intellectual discourse in the very best sense of the word. There is no effort at some kitsch
rendering of Pharaonic columns or of Islamic arches. No Greek or Roman ornamental motifs fi
nd their way into a building that is very much of our time and aimed at the future. It is of our
time by the materials and technology it uses. It is for the future by the boldness and simplicity of
its vocabulary, the sophistication of its articulation of the volumes and its management of natural
and artifi cial light.

2.6.5.Envoi: The building as intellectual statement :
Great architecture always engages us to rethink the meaning of architecture. The AARV
certainly does that. It reminds us that great architecture is more than function, more than form. It
can interpret an idea. Visitors to this remarkable building, will, I think agree that it epitomizes
the feelings we should have in a center of culture. It invites the spirit to soar. It enjoins the mind
to explore and to listen to the better angels of our nature, to be true to ourselves and open to the
other. That is what great architecture can do.
2.7.BRANDING THE CITY
2.7.1COLORS :
Using colors is the ﬁrst step in BRANDING process for any marketing strategy and Branding
theme. For Aswan and NUBIA the colors used is inspired from the rich layers of History
inspiring Color
THE SOUQ in OLD CITY green
HE NUBIAN VILLAGE Light blue
THE HANTOUR Dark red
PHIALE TEMPLE blue
THE COURNISHE yellow
THE FELUKA red
2.7.2ABSTRACTING :
getting abstract shapes and icons from the origins of each color and also it should ﬁ t the color ;
as a result we hace 6 colors , each color has its own icon ,, it’s kind of stamp ,,, and the UAEP
will be the 7th components of the city landmark. and the icon of it will getting out of the 3d form
of the project
2.7.3. LOGO and SLOGAN :
it’s a must to use a friendly SLOGAN to attract the most capacity of users around the world for
the UAEP , not only local users
RELATION with other monuments and landmarks in ASWAN to make a full tour in the city
depending on the contemporary magnet for the SPACE sciences in the oldest heritage site in the
world

3.CONCLUSION
3.1 Genes of the project :
As we mention above in sections of astronomy , nubia and design concept , we get a
guidelines and recommendations for the project.
3.1.1 Form Generation :
The form of the building is taking a linear shape inspiring from the motion of stars in the
dark sky as it'll illuminate the Nubian contemporary culture.
3.1.2. Skin :
The skin of the building inspired from the pixels concept as it'll be like white stars in the dark
sky
3.1 Conclusion :
The ‘AARV will be clearly a landmark building. It provides an anchor for an area that
could be one of the most beautiful areas in the world, the old historic Phiale Temple.
It is a revival of a treasured part of the cultural and scientific heritage of humanity.
Political ideologies can separate countries and economic interests can drive wedges between
people, but cultures can bring them together.
The AARV aspires to promote culture and science, learning and knowledge. It is a place
for meeting and dialogue, where together we can work to promote a better future for all.
It innovates and thus adds to the architectural lexicon in both form and detailing. Its
simple yet elegant design has inspired visitors . It will undoubtedly enrich the architectural
vocabulary of the next generation of architects. By rejecting the slavish copying of past forms, or
even the effort to remain rooted in place by remaining attached to a particular local tradition
Finally , Great architecture always engages us to rethink the meaning of architecture. The
AARV certainly does that. It reminds us that great architecture is more than function, more than
form. It can interpret an idea. Visitors to this remarkable building, will, I think agree that it
epitomizes the feelings we should have in a center of culture. It invites the spirit to soar. It
enjoins the mind to explore and to listen to the better angels of our nature, to be true to ourselves
and open to the other. That is what great architecture can do.
fig (12) moton of stars in the galaxy
source : www.nasaimgaes.com
fig (11) Pixels face
source : www.pinterest.com
fig (10) surface of the moon
source : www.nasaimgaes.com

4.REFERENCES
- Harwit, Martin, Astrophysical Concepts, 2nd Ed., Springer-Verlag, 1988.
- Barrow, John D. and Tipler, Frank J., The Anthropic Cosmological Principle, Oxford
University Press, 1986
- Bennett, Jeffrey, Donahue, Megan, Schneider, Nicholas, and Voit, Mark, The Cosmic
Perspective, 2nd Ed., Addison Wesley, 2002
- Carroll, Bradley W. and Ostlie, Dale A., An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, 2nd
Ed., Pearson Eduction, Inc. , 2007.
- Cowen, Ron, "Bang! The Cataclysmic Death of Stars", National Geographic 211, p78,
March 2007.
- Schramm, David, "The Big Bang Creation of the Universe", in Quarks, Quasars and
Quandries, Ed. Gordon Aubrecht, Amer. Assoc of Physics Teachers, 1987
- Smith, New Eyes on the Universe, National Geographic 185, p 2 Jan (1994).
- Cameron, A.G.W, and Canup, R. M., State of the protoearth following the giant impact,
Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 30, 1150, 1999.
- ElDebreky, Amal, Simulation comparison between natural and hybrid ventilation by fans
at night time for severe hot climate (Aswan, Egypt). Faculty of Fine Arts. Minya
University. Minya. 2008 p48-58
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