{"id":440,"date":"2025-06-13T09:20:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T09:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/?p=440"},"modified":"2025-06-16T10:14:44","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T10:14:44","slug":"undulating-aluminum-curtain-facade-drapes-over-ain-shams-university-theater-in-egypt-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/undulating-aluminum-curtain-facade-drapes-over-ain-shams-university-theater-in-egypt-2\/","title":{"rendered":"undulating aluminum curtain facade drapes over ain shams university theater in egypt"},"content":{"rendered":"

Elmaghraby Design House revives Ain Shams University’s hall<\/h2>\n

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Elmaghraby Design House, in collaboration with Professor Dr. Gamal El-Kholy, takes over the rehabilitation<\/a><\/strong> of a disused lecture hall at Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt<\/a><\/strong>. The project has resulted in a significant addition to the campus<\/a><\/strong>, a multi-functional theater<\/a><\/strong> that introduces a new architectural identity through adaptive reuse. The architecture demonstrates a sustainable approach by reactivating an existing structure rather than initiating new construction, aligning with broader goals of resource efficiency and architectural preservation.<\/p>\n

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At the center of the design concept is the metaphor of the theater curtain, which informs both the programmatic transition and the architectural expression. The new facade<\/a><\/strong>, composed of a transparent glass<\/a><\/strong> curtain wall system and a series of parametric aluminum<\/a><\/strong> louvers, embodies this idea. The louvers, configured to respond dynamically to light and perspective, modulate transparency and shadow, giving the building a variable presence depending on time and viewpoint. This facade system also provides environmental performance by offering solar shading while maintaining visual openness. The glass curtain wall establishes visual continuity with the campus environment, reflecting adjacent structures and reinforcing contextual integration. Simultaneously, the parametric aluminum elements introduce a contemporary architectural language that distinguishes the theater from its more conventional surroundings.<\/p>\n

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contextual view blending new and existing elements | all images courtesy of Elmaghraby Design House<\/a><\/p>\n

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Ain Shams University Theater stands as the campus landmark<\/h2>\n

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Internally, Elmaghraby Design House’s architectural team<\/a><\/strong> reorganizes the program to support dual academic and cultural functions. A fully equipped theater with a 550-seat capacity has been introduced, designed to accommodate a wide range of performances and events. In addition, two-tiered lecture halls, with a combined capacity of 1,200 students, extend the building\u2019s usability for educational purposes. This hybrid configuration enables the structure to serve as both a learning environment and a cultural venue, fostering interdisciplinary interaction and community engagement.<\/p>\n

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By retaining the original structure and reimagining its function, the project minimizes material waste and conserves embedded energy. The intervention reinforces the role of architecture in evolving institutional identity, where form, function, and context are reassessed to meet contemporary needs. The Ain Shams University Theater now stands as a campus landmark, articulating a renewed commitment to cultural expression, academic versatility, and sustainable transformation through architectural design.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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revitalized landscape creating vibrant campus edges<\/p>\n

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main entrance framed by dynamic aluminum fins<\/p>\n

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louver detail contrasting with soft landscape elements<\/p>\n

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the facade design draws from the metaphor of a theater curtain<\/p>\n

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vertical louvers animate the facade with movement<\/p>\n

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glass reflects the surrounding buildings, bridging old and new<\/p>\n

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close-up of louvers revealing layered depth and texture<\/p>\n

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aluminum louvers modulate shadow and light based on orientation and time of day<\/p>\n

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detail of parametric louvers casting rhythmic shadows<\/p>\n

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elevation reflecting the new architectural identity<\/p>\n

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at night, the facade opens like a stage curtain<\/p>\n

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project info:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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name:<\/strong>\u00a0Ain Shams University Theater Rehabilitation
\narchitects: <\/strong>Elmaghraby Design House<\/a> | @designed.by.elmaghraby<\/a><\/p>\n

lead architect:<\/strong> Ahmed El-Maghraby<\/p>\n

collaborator:<\/strong> Prof. Dr. Gamal El-Kholy<\/p>\n

client:<\/strong> Ain Shams Government
\nlocation:<\/strong> Cairo, Egypt<\/p>\n

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designboom has received this project from our\u00a0<\/i>DIY submissions<\/i><\/a>\u00a0feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers\u00a0<\/i>here.<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom<\/i><\/p>\n

The post undulating aluminum curtain facade drapes over ain shams university theater in egypt<\/a> appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Elmaghraby Design House revives Ain Shams University’s hall   Elmaghraby […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":379,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=440"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":443,"href":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440\/revisions\/443"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/379"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=440"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.macdolphins.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}