[Portefólio]_ Pyramid void | Concurso icarch | Tahrir square Cairo

Concept

[EN] Tahrir square is a natural center in Cairo and Egypt and occupies a focal point in the capital. Standing by the river Nile this square functions as a meeting and reference point concentrating cultural, economic, political and social layers all in one place. It is one of the most iconic places in Cairo today, in many respects due to media attention but not just that, it is the quintessential place for manifesting popular opinion in Egypt, nowdays and throughout history.

This proposal values its context and builds on the formal interpretation of Tahrir square being the epicenter of a revolution that spreads out in waves of passion, love and freedom.

Egypt is famous worldwide by its pyramids. These represent amazing human accomplishments, ingenuity and creativity. They are also a symbol of power of few over the majority. The inversion of a pyramid originating a void in the ground presents itself like the perfect symbol: it still represents people’s best qualities while saying that the many overrule the few.

The shape created in the center echoes thought the surrounding space representing the waves created by the revolution and its repercussions.

Formal solutions

Tahrir square is nowadays essentially a roundabout being used most notably for protest marches, besides its obvious roundabout functions. This proposal potentiates the use of the square in a more traditional sense, being understood more like a plaza, serving as a backdrop to people’s meetings and interactions as well as leaving enough free space for function flexibility, it can be a simple meeting place, a spot for a seasonal market, house exhibitions and entertainment, etc.

There is also the intention of unifying the space surrounding Tahrir square to create the sense of a bigger more intricate space, this will be achieved by using formal elements, from the center pyramid, like pavement, vegetation and shapes and translating them into the surrounding space, resulting also in the conceptual epicenter’s expansion.

The shape created in the ground by the inverted pyramid naturally lends itself to the collection of rain which forms a water mirror at the center. The water gathered, in this way, can be used to fuel a cascade on one side of the pyramid, creating interest in the landscape as well as serving as an amenity element. The water also represents the adaptability of people and the origin of life, it symbolizes a new beginning for the Egyptian people. The pool may also be interpreted like an oasis where other people can drink the source of revolution.

The steps created are done in a way that allow for someone to sit but also give enough room to gather while standing. Between these bigger steps smaller ones occur to form a deconstructed staircase allowing easy access everywhere in the square. There is also vegetation protruding from the bottom of some steps and some other steps are converted to tree planters to enhance comfort but also to create more texture and visual interest. To sum up, the main focus of this project is to acknowledge Tahrir square as a center for human activity and translate the present feeling into a formal representation.