A client/user collective
Association of Egyptian Engineers (weekly user)
Engineers need to know the potential, use, qualities, etc. of bricks as they are one of the main construction materials in Egypt, mutual learning with workers would allow them to learn everything there is about the material as of now and how it can be potentially enhanced and implemented in new ways.
Requirements:
small office and archive (regional outpost)
congregation space for multidiscipplinary learning and cooperation with other users
Society of Egyptian Architects (weekly user)
Architects design buildings made from these bricks on site and are key users of the material, however, they currently do not have any direct knowledge and communication with the process and the people who manufacture them.
Requirements:
small office and archive (regional outpost)
congregation space for multidiscipplinary learning and cooperation with other users
Fairtrade Foundation (monthly user)
The Foundation advocates for fair rights for the brick workers and holds multidisciplinary learning meetings with architects, engineers and workers to establish direct communication, tackle issues of the industry and ensuring that social responsibility is implemented.
Requirements:
small office and archive (regional outpost)
congregation space for multidiscipplinary learning and cooperation with other users
Contextual Futurism
Social Responsibility
Users Institutions Client
Holistic approach to workers
Risks, issues and needs
Constant mixture handlingabrasive when in contact
Helwan brick workers (daily users)
The workers, being an exploited and overworked community, facing various risks, issues and monotonous daily work, will be able to come to the civic center for healing, hydration, recharging, socializing and multidisciplinary education workshops.
Requirements:
hydration points, hydrotherapy, large shaded spaces, education and healing spaces
congregation space for multidiscipplinary learning and cooperation
Cairo Governatorate (main client)
The Helwan Industrial area is owned by Cairo Governatorate who is the main client for the civic center. In recent years, the governatorate has engaged in similar projects around Cairo as an initiative to elevate people from poverty, increase education and strenghten communities, meaning it has expertise in that area.
Requirements:
small office and archive (regional outpost)
congregation space for multidiscipplinary learning and cooperation with other users
Changing the Ecosystem
A Contextual Disturbance
Engineers
Cairo mun.
Architects Fairtrade Fdtn. Brick workers
Meetings facilitated by a congregation space that also serves a water storage function - The Repository.
Multidisciplinary learning and cooperation workshops
Synthesis of ideas
Education
Skill transfer/exchange
Analysis and problem solving
Communication
Transforming the Industry
Program, users, clients
Lack of protective glovesrisk of burns
Firing supervision and lack of fire extinguishing water
Hard physical labour - strain on the back and spine
Weight lifting in heat requires constant hydration
1. Hydrotherapy
2. Healing
3. Hydration
4. Education
5. Socialisation
Fatigue
Overheating
No space for children to play and ger educated
Lack of shelters to spend breaks
Lack of greenery has detrimental psychological effect
6. Recharging (refreshing)
Transforming working environment
In order to respond to the brief of Contextual Futurism, the project aims to do three things: Social Responsibility, a holistic approach to workers and changing the ecosystem. These will be implemented through a multidisciplinary learning/cooperation approach between users, institutions and the Fairtrade sponsor, using the filtered water to provide healing,
Cyanobacteria toxic pollution of the lake on the site is a serious problem as workers drink that water which can cause illness and poses a health risk. It aslo poses risks of failing irrigation
Threat to Opportunity
Water Filtration Terraformation
Cleans polluted water Provides clean water for hydration, healing, education, irrigation
Sustainable method
Greening of a desert environment
Developing an essential future technology
Water connects
recharging, hydrating, education to the workers and using reedbed filtration to extract cyanobacteria that is used for irrigation and the clean water which connects the uses and aims in the project.
Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The Repository
Chapter 6. The Proposal
42
Transforming an ecosystem
A programme facilitated by the water connection
Civic Center capacity
Capacity
The civic center can accommodate 250 bathers, 9 brick stakeholders, 450 tourists/visitors and 200 people in The Repository as a maximum capacity - total of 809 people. However, maximum capacity is seldom expected at one given time, as not all activities happen simultaneously.
Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The Repository
and spatial requirements
External space ~230 people ~1,200 msq Reedbed filtration pools External space/Public landscape ~500 msq Open-air congregation External space ~300 people ~400 msq Amphitheatre Internal space ~120 people ~200 msq Hydration Ponds Internal space ~100 msq Internal space ~400 people max ~1,200 msq The landscape Uncurated public space Serves as the entrance/exit threshold Hydration Wells Free drinking water providsion for workers and livestock Entrance The Hypostyle Hall - Repository
Chapter 6. The Proposal
The Bathhouse The Filtration Landscape Limb-healing tanks External space (partially enclosed) Communal sitting ~150 msq Changing Internal space ~230 people ~420 msq Classrooms Internal space ~60 people ~325 msq External ~400 people ~1,400 msq Mixed-use (private & public) Private use (workers) Public use (visitors/tourists) 43 Bathhouse supporting spaces lockers 230x 0.2m2 WCs (1 for every 50) 5x 15m2 changing cubicles (1/10) 23x 64m2 showers (1 for every 10) 23x 22m2 clear space (circulation) - 225m2 plant room 2x 16m2 Total: - 375m2 Bathhouse & pools Plunge pool (deep) 1x m2 Plunge pool (shallow) 1x 250m2 Hydrotherapy pool hot 1x 150m2 Hand-healing pool 1x 45m2 Feet/legs healing pool 2x 50m2 Air jets pool 1x 150m2 Total: x 645m2 Education Classroom 2x 100m2 WCs 4x 12m2 Washbasins 4x 4m2 Circulation space - 185m2 Total: - 301m2 Hypostyle Hall Amphitheatre (50 people) 1x 65m2 WCs 8x 0.6m2 Congregation (250) 1x 300m2 Artefact Atrium 1x 240m2 Total: x 617m2 0m 20m 40m 100m Site Plan 8 kilns in 10 min walking radius 584 total workers around 40% of 584 - users 230 max. worker visitors 64 children workers 9 AOEE, SEA, FF staff 300 daily outside visitors Spatial typologies to accommodate programme Numbers and data 10min walk 5min walk 2min walk The civic center Spatial requirements
Site approach
Connecting users from all directions Reedbed pools, where water connects
Extrapolating elements
1. Rounded edges
The pill-like form of the kilns is reinterpreted and the shape has been warped while the curved edges are exaggerated and reinterpreted to form curved spaces that wrap around the nucleus (main enclosure) and transition into a more circular shape of the aeration pools
Massing strategy
Retaining wall/ amphitheatre Bath houseHydrotherapy Water filtration system
2. Multifunctional form
The step typology has been widey used throughout egyptian history for wells, pyramids, retaining excavations. It is used in the project as a multifunctional design form for the baths, cascading aeration pools, retaining walls and as an amphitheatre
3. The ‘Nucleus’
The civic center main building that facilitates key activities sits as the center/nucleus on site and is stitched into the surrounding industrial context, providing easy access to local workers from all sides, as well as the visitors and is where water connects users
4. Axis/reference lines
Reference lines and axis from tbe existing kiln on and around my site were used to position the built up parts of the building. All the water features like filtration pools and baths are positioned along main terrain and land contour axis, so all elements have relationships with context
Subtle above-ground intervention
The kiln’s interaction above-ground is minimal, as they poke out about a meter, which has been considered in the main enclosure, where the steps leading to the artefact relate to the kiln-ground intervention.
Responding to Verticality
The arefactm and hypostyle columns forming large parts of the building respond to strong verticality on site (chimneys).
Surrounding strcutures on site
Pylons and wind towers of the hypostyle hall relate to the scattered and low portruding structures scattered around the site.
Site and massing strategy - site response
Carving into the landscape
Carving into the clay landscape is a widely adopted method of construction in the area. It includes, kilns, heat tunnels, dwellings, office/admin spaces. For my project, carving/digging deals with terrain relief, acts contextually, seismicly, environmentally by providing a more constant cooler temperature and the excavated clay will be made into bricks for the project.
The building is positioned on the site in such a a way so that it is breaches the thresholds of land-water, above-below ground and public-private circulations. The main enclosure and progamme spaces follow the axis of the existing chimney and kiln on site, whereas the filtration pools use the topography contour lines to position themselves within the landscape.
Economy of Means
The ‘pill-like’ shape of kilns on site is very distinctive and has been adopted in the design of the reedbed filtration pools (the public landscape) and the baths to make the project more contextual in terms of form. This shape has also been adapted and curved in order to wrap around the central intresection of the site axis where the center of the hypostyle hall is.
Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The Repository
Chapter 6. The Proposal
Key Site boundary Brick Kiln (carved
Exhaust Chimney Desert Landscape Terrain relief Existing structures Reference lines & axis Site entrance Access/circulation Axis intersection Walking radius 0m 20m 40m
out)
100m
2. 1.
Site Plan 44
3. 4.
Spaces and functions
1. Water treatment - The Living Machine
Pools and reactors acts as the public landscape where people can navigate between them and reach the building.
2. Reedbed Water Filtartion Pools
They act as a public water landscape where visitors can walk between pools and observe the process of filtration, support ecosystems, changing the local environment.
3. The Obelisk Amphitheatre
An open-air congregation space that celebrates the ancient Egyptian Obelisk as key reference.
4. Reverse Osmosis
Last stage of filtration, makes water potable for hydration and bathing.
5. Hydration Wells
Supply clean water to daily Repository inhabitants, users, visitors.
6. The Repository
The hypostyle hall serving the function of a gathering space for all users for multidisciplinary learning, art installations, the sunday market, a space for prayer and social interactions
7. AOEE, SEA, FF outposts
Small offices regional outpost ofices for the 3 users who will engage with the brick workers in the Repository.
8. The Garden
The North wing is used as a date palm garden - a space with a positive psychological impact, which also provides fresh fruit for the local brick workers.
9. Artefact Amphitheatre
Internal congregation space around the central artefact powered by filtered water and extracted water pollutants (symbolizing the obelisk).
10. The Baths - Hydrotherapy
The major social aspect of the project, a space for healing, socializing, recharging.
11. Changing and rest areas
Threshold before entering the bathhouse.
12. The school
Small classrooms above changing spaces where child labourers can have classes.
13. The Repository roofscape
Ventilation chimneys, cistern columns, wind towers create the public landscape with a terraced roofscape overlooking the whole complex.
14. Delivery/drop-off area
15. Heritage (museum)
The existing kiln is the converted into a brick-making museum of Egypt for visitors at the start or end of their journeys.
Program, spaces, functions
The program of the project is divided into segments, whereby each segmnet has a different function and purpose. These are connected by ramps and staircases and intertwined in some places (hypostyle hall, roofscape) to create a mix between ‘public’ (visitors and tourists) and ‘private’ (the local brick factory workers) circulations.
Momchil
Relating to Artefacts
16. Landscape Wells
Project focal area
Polluted lake Private (worker) circulation Site entrance Water circulation 45
Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The Repository
Chapter 6. The Proposal
1. 2. 3. 4. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
14.
15.
16.
16.
Dotted around the landscape, they serve the local workers and donkeys in their breaks to get easily hydrated. Surrounding kilns Key Site boundary Public circulation
Primary and Secondary Structure
Showcasing brick
The building is almost entirely made up of clay bricks in different construction/structural typologies, as it is a locally-sourced and sustainable material. It uses one material to solve challenges like spanning, retaining, load-bearing, water storage and stacking. This main material is also weather-proof, long-lasting, durable and fire-resistant which means that it is a perfect fit with the requirements and design specifications required for the project.
Primary key elements
Secondary key elements
Primary and Secondary Structure - showcasing brick
The civic center consists of both the primary and secondary stryctures being made of bricks primarily, with the exception of some steel plates, bolts and I-beams for Jack arches and concrete cores in the post-tensioned beams. This results in 95% brick consistency such as thick brick masonry for retaining and load-bearing walls, prefabricated brick segments for
the arches and columns and hit-and-miss walls as spatial division screens, external walls of classrooms and changing spaces.
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Momchil Petrinski
Chapter 6. The Proposal
Axo showing structures
1. Load-bearing walls
2. Retaining walls
3. Hypostyle columns
4. Post-tensioned beams
5. Hit-and-miss brick walls
6. Jack arches
Primary structure Secondary structure Base & surroundings
7. Internal division walls
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
3.
Weather-proof Longevity Durability Fire-resistant 1 yr. 100 yrs.
The Hypostyle Columns
Segment construction sequence
1. Hollow column typology
2. Cistern typology
2.3m
3m
Inspirations
The Ancient Egyptian Hypostyle Hall consists of columns made up of stone segments placed ontop of eachother. In my project, I have adopted the same principle to form my brick masonry hypostyle column segments which are prefabricated and assembled on site. It revitalises an ancient construction method with modern methodscontextualise.
Segment structural make-up
Scale 1:100
Key
1. Clay-fired bricks
2. Mortar
3. Steel reinforcement rods
4. Flat wire ladder reinforcement
5. Steel plate
6. Infill brick
7. Steel bolt and nut
8. Steel ‘U’ profile
The brick masonry hypostyle columns
The columns are made of on-site prefabricated segments (bricks, metal plates and steel reinforcements) and connected ontop of one another by two mirrored ‘u’-profiles that are bolted through the middle. This system makes construction easier than if done in a traditional way, reduceing risks, time for construction and costs.
Segment joining details
Scale 1:25
Key 1. Clay-fired bricks
2. Mortar
3. Steel reinforcement rods
4. Flat wire ladder reinforcement
5. Steel plate
6. Infill brick
7. Steel bolt and nut
8. Steel ‘U’ profile
Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The Repository
Stage 1. Weld steel reinforcement bars to the base plate
Stage 2. Build wooden formwork around perimeter
Stage 3. Start the brick-laying process in formwork, place wire ladders
Stage 4. All bricks placed, ready for top plate & formwork removal
Stage 5. Formwork removed, top plate, ‘u’ profiles, lifting eyes fitted
Stage 6. Craning segme, placing it on the one below, bolting the two
47 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 1.7m 8.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
The Cistern column solution
Segment construction sequence
1. Hollow column typology
2. Cistern typology
Exploded section axo - cistern segment Scale 1:50
Key
1. Infill clay bricks
2. Metal ‘u’ profiles
3. Hydrophilic strip (expanded)
4. Steel plate
5. Steel nuts and bolts
6. Steel reinforcing rods
7. Thick clay-fired brick masonry
8. Flat wire ladder reinforcement
9. Waterproof coating membrane
10. Inner waterproof coating memrane
11. Rubber infill with stick-on flaps
12. Filtered water
7.
The cistern columns section Scale 1:100
Key
1. Steel plates
2. Metal ‘u’ profiles
3. Steel bolt and nut
4. Waterproof sheet coating
5. Steel reinforcing rods
6. Wire ladder reinforcement
7. Clay fired bricks
8. Water tank mouth
9. Control valves and pump
10. Foundations
11. Mains water pipe
12. Brick balustrade
13. Walkable skylight
Chapter
The Cistern Column
Along with the hollow typology, there is a second which acts as a cistern (water storage), providing an interesting observation connection at the roofscape public level and avoiding the need for a separate big water holding tank for the filtered water - functionality. To withstand the pressure, each column segment is reinforced with steel rods, wire ladders and
Typical column segment in plan Scale 1:50
Key
1. Steel reinforcing bars
2. Clay fired bricks
3. Mortar
4. Waterproof sheet coating
5. Brick ‘keystones’
6. Brick specials
7. Flat wire ladder reinforcements
7. Forces (tension and compression)
slightly concave walls in plan, so that the loads are directed sideways and the structure does not break. Water in and outflow are both through the bottom of the column, assissted by mechanised valves and pumps located in the top of the foundation where it is dry and accessible.
Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The Repository
1. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
6. The Proposal
48 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8. 11m
9. 1.7m
10. 11. 13. 12.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
2.2m
1.
1.4m
East Wing roof structure
The post-tensioned beams
Key
The interior
Steel reinforcing rings, concrete core around steel tendon in the center
The jack arch segments
The exterior Brick masonry around the concrete cast, fin added, tendon stressed by anchors either side
Securing & lifting
Lifting eyes at opposite ends positioned, beam is craned into using a load spreader beam to prevent fracture
Positioning
Beam placed on concrete footers at that rest on steel plates bolted to buttresse/ column at either end
Stage
profiles
Brick buttress walls
Plywood supporting planks and ribs assembled at yardsite (using offcuts)
Steel ‘u’ profiles at either side placed as masonry guides for the jack arch
Inclined concrete footers placed in ‘u’ prifiles, first layer of bricks to form the arch
Stage 6. Placement
Brick cantilvering half arches
Interanl brick amphithetare
Hydration cascade
Exploded axo - terraced roof structure
Scale 1:150
East Wing roof structure
The East side of the Repository differs in construction method from the rest, as it does not only use prefabricated column segments and brick masonry walls, but introduces prefabricated post-tensioned brick beams which support a series of prefabricated terraced jack arch segments. Introducing two new methods of brick engineering showcases the potential
Petrinski
Layers of horizontal brick masonry ontop of the arch. Steel rins added for tensile strength
Lifting eyes screwed at steel ‘u’ profile edges, a load spreading beam used for craning segments
Segmnets placed on post-tentioned beam fin at each side and stacked next to each other - terraced
Terraced roof structure Scale 1:250
of this material. It also allows for the facilitation of the East roof amphitheatre to be realized.
Momchil
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49
Chapter 6. The Proposal
0.9m 8.8m 0.8m 8.2m
Stage 1. Formwork
Stage 3. First layer
Stage 4. Masonry
2. ‘U’
Stage 5. Lifting
Exposed brick jacked arches, Catalonia house, Barcelona Building a
beams
Prefabricated
segmnets Secondary
surface
perfabricated jack arch segment with plywood formwork Post-tensioned brick
Column segments
jack arch
brick roof
The Repository roofscape
Section CC - terraced roof structure Scale
Key
1. Brick balustrade
2. North wind tower (back)
3. Half corbel arches (cantilever)
4. Clay-fired brick floow surface
5. Flat wire ladder reinforcement
6. Cantilever brick segment
7. Brick dome-capped column
8. Steel plate
9. Stressing tendons
10. Steel bolts
11. Concrete footer
12. Post-tensioned beam anchor
13. Steel reinforcement rings
14. Post-tensioned beam
15. Jack arch terraced segments
Roofscape details
The roof of the Repository is created by the columns’ top segments fitting next to one another and thus forming the enclosure. The roofscape is accessible by people and is one of the public landscapes that formulate the journey and experience. Vertical extensions of the brick masonry segment corners create chimneys used for stack effect and passive venti-
lation. In other places, walkable skylights are used to create a visual connection ebwteen interior and exterior while allowing sunlight to penetarte the interior of the hypostyle hall below. The East Wing roof is a terraced large walkway leading down to the main staircases and viaducts.
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Chapter 6. The Proposal
1:125 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
1. Key 1. Brick chimney cap 2. Chimney opening for ventilation 3. Clay-fired brick chimney 4. Hollow column roof (internal brick dome) 5. Clay-fired brick surface 6. Walkable skylight 7. Brick balustrade 8. Column cistern The roofscape landscape Section BB Scale 1:75 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. A A 4. 1. 2. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. The roofscape landscape Plan Scale 1:75 Key 1. Brick chimney cap 2. Chimney opening for ventilation 3. Clay-fired brick chimney 4. Hollow column roof (internal brick dome) 5. Clay-fired brick surface 6. Walkable skylight 7. Brick balustrade 8. Column cistern
51
Designing for light
96% sunny or party cloudy skys
1.8 days rainy days per month
4% Fully cloudy per month
Helwan sunshine hours per year
1. Artefact congregation area
A bright and clear contrast between light and dark, due to the large opening allowing sun to penetrate the interior and have Panetheon-like lighting effects.
2. Hypostyle hall openings
A large skylight placed at missing column intersections (gathering space) is indictaed by a more pronounced spotlight effect.
3. The Hypostyle Hall
Source: https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-hours-Sunshine
Light at The Repository
Column close together and create a darker and mysterious space. Skylights and the North and South atriums allow for sun to enter the hall and diffuse harsh light.
4. Changing, rest and school area
Extensive use of hit-and-miss brickwork to highlight areas of privacy, diffuse harsh light and stop direct sunlight enetring and heating up internal spaces.
5. Circulation - ‘guided by light’
Corridors, ramps and other circulation surrounding the Repository has an narrow opening mirroring the circulation below, thus guiding the individual.
Artefact congregation area (1, 3)
Average sun angle in Cairo
Summer midday - 83.3°
Winter midday - 36.4°
Corricors - guided by light (5)
The Repository Atrium (2, 3)
Chapter 6. The Proposal
Lighting strategy and design
The Repository axo showing light interactions
Due to the desert sunlight-abundant location, the project uses light for various architectural internal and external effects. It diffuses harsh sunlight and designates areas of privacy by hit-and-miss brickwork, channels specific moments of daylight by the many skylights in the hypostyle hall and guides people along the main circulation routes surrounding the Reposi-
Momchil Petrinski
tory. There is a big contrast between light and dark in general whoch is mostly experienced when you enter the dark interior and your eyes need some time to adjust.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Designing for passive ventilation
A functioning facade
1. Hit-and-miss brickwork
Consists of masonry walls with missing bricks in them. this allows for breeze, air circulation to penetrate the walls and get cooler air in/hot air to escape. It is used in the changing rooms, rest areas, division screens, entrances, the Hypostyle hall (in the walls between columns) and in the classrooms. This type of wall also works to provide privacy, play with light and is thus also a key feature of the lighting strategy as well.
References
2. Wind towers
An architectural characteristic of Egypt for centuries has been the various adaptations and designs of wind towers for passive ventilation. It has been used for hundreds of years and is a contextual typology. In this project, the towers are symmetrical and positioned at the North and South edges of the Hypostyle Hall. The North (upwind is shorter) intakes cooler air and channels it into the hall. The South tower (downwind and taller) is where the warm displaced air rises and exits the interior.
The chimneys here are masonry extensions of the top of the hypostyle columns of the hall. They create stack effect when the tops of chimneys are exposed to heat, their surface become hotter, warming the air around it. Warm air rises and exits through the chimney tops. This suction of air upwards creates the ventilation effect. Multiple chimneys in the project ensure a constant breeze and a pleasantly cool temperature.
A hit-and-miss brick screen in Delhi, India.
A design to facilitate passive ventilation
The hot dry climate of Helwan requires adequate ventilationa and cooling to maintain a comfortable internal temperature and a refreshing breeze that is lower than the outside environment. The design responds to this through several features such as the wind towers, multiple chimneys and a widespread use of hit-and-miss brickwork. This, along with
Persian wind tower traditional architecture.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210810-the-ancientpersian-way-to-keep-cool
Care House of the Wind Chimneys, Hiroshi Nakamura, Japan. Ventilation chimneys which create a publicly accessible roofscape.
the subterranean situation of the building mean that the internal temperatre is maintained lower.
Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The Repository 53
upwind downwind N
Chapter 6. The Proposal
S 1. Hit-and-miss brickwork 2. Wind towers
3. Hypostyle chimneys
prevailing wind direction Cooler air in Cooler air in Warm air out Stack effect
2. Wind towers
Section axo of rest area Section axo of Hall chimneys Section axo of South wind tower
3. Chimneys
Breeze passes through gaps in the walls prevailing wind direction Top of tower heated by sun Chimneys heated by sun Stack effect
N S
Section diagram of the ventilation strategy
Wind Rose for Helwan
The Cairo Context
$250 max. price/m2 reedbed
3sq.m approx. reebed/person
690sq.m
~total for bathhouse capacity
0.18kWh/m3
~energy consumption
1,520m2 total reedbed area
Why choose it?
protects environments creates environments supports ecosystems offer sustainable alternative have no moving parts low maintenance require low to no power robustness
low lifetime costs
Source: https://www.enviropro.co.uk
Possible constraints
mosquito habitat lifecycle is 7-10 years frequent maintenance required dead reeds need to be removed and replanted to prevent rotting and clogging the surface
Reference
The Living Machine water treatment system as the public landscape in the project. Open-air reactors which serve as markers in the carved landscape where visitors walk between, along and above the pools. They serve as the mediator and threshold between land and water which blurs the line between the two conditions. Systems like the reedbeds support the local ecosystem by providing a habitat for insects and a feeding spot for birds.
Insects inhabiting reeds
Dragonflies
Pollutants removed:
Nitrates
Bees
Spiders Beetles
Reedbed pools in Oman, filtering water from industrial waste. Conditions and pollutants are very similar to the ones in my project and I used this a precedent for reedbed operational success in desert climates.
Reedbed filtration implementation
The penultimate stage of the water filtration process is reedbed filtration. This is realised through a series of concentric cascading pools that use gravity oxygen and vegetation (reeds) to purify the water by allowing it to flow down each pool where microorganisms break down pollutants in a oxygenation process. The reedbeds also function as a public congreagtion
Filtered water
Ammonia
Phosfates Reedbeds are
Ecosystem
Reedbed filtration
The Living Machine
To Reverse Osmosis Ultrafiltration system, makes water potable
Section Axo showing reedbeds
space and support a local ecosystem of insects, contributing to the local wildlife food chain.
The Obelisk, The Aqua
The Repository
Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio
and
54
Chapter 6. The Proposal
sub-terranean and protected from high winds at ground level
Cascading Reedbeds Detail Scale 1:25 1. Key 1. Top water level 2. Soil substrate 3. Waterproof membrane 4. Solid banks (masonry) 5. Outflow nozzle 6. Water pipes 7. Outles box 8. Inflow nozzle 9. Sand 10. Gravel 11. Drainage pipe 12. Ventilation pipe 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 1. 2. 4. 7. 9. 10.
The Filtration Landscape 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Phase 7.
S3. Roofing, ornamentation, chimneys, balustrades, skylights and entrance ramps added.
S4. Landscaping and additional structures built.
Tower cranes, fencing removed, final services installed, building becomes operational.
Phase 6.
S3. East tower crane removed, secondary structure erected. Bathhouse and school become operational while Hypostyle Hall is under construction (visited by touristsSagrada Familia reference). Post-tension beams and terraced jack arches prefabrication.
Phase 5.
S3. Primary structure (load-bearing walls, viaducts, column segments). Prefabrication yards set up around the building for column segments. Scaffolding used for tall masonry and segment mounting. Baths, changing and school services installed.
Phase 4.
S1. & 2. become operational and open to visitors. Separate visitor entrance allocated (North-West site corner).Water filtered colelcted in temp. tank and used for locsl irrigation needs.
S3. Retaining walls, bathhouse pools layouts and foundations built. x3. tower cranes installed.
Phase 3.
S1. filtration pools built. (The Living Machine)
S2. retaining walls and reedbded filtration pools built.
S3. is excavated and dug up clay made into bricks for main building and retaining walls (same as phases 1 & 2)
Phase 2.
Building masonry retaining walls around excavated area. Empty S1. space used for brick-laying workshop for local workers. (skill transfer)
S2. is excavated while workshop and S1. retaining walls are completed. Excavated clay made into bricks in local kiln. (same as phase 1.)
Phase 1.
Excavation of S1. Excavated clay made into bricks in local kiln. Bicks set to dry and stacked next to excavated area.
Phase 0.
Mobilisation, security fencing, preparation works, setting out plan, geodetic and geotechnical surveys
Sectional Completion
Due to its scale, the project has been divided into 4 sections that allow for a phased construction process. This mitigates risk, reduces the costs, amount of labour and machinery needed and allows for parts of the project to become operational and self-sufficient before the overall completion of all structures. It makes it easier with funding in stages.
Section 4 (landscaping, surrounding structures)
Key
Section 1 (reedbed filtration pools, carved)
Section 2 (water aeration pools and plaza)
Section 3 (hypostyle hall, bath -houses, changing, WCs, etc.)
Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The Repository Excavation equipment & machinery Excavators Trucks Brick mixers Bulldozers Shovels Construction equipment & machinery Tower crane Tracked crane Scaffolding Access platform Hydraulic press
Main visitor center/reception Temp. visitor center/reception Main site entrance Temp. main visitor entrance
Exploded axo showing stages
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Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The
Repository
56
12 22 20 24 24 25 32 33 34 35 KEY 1. Polluted lake on site 2. Feed channel tank 3. Anaerobic reactor 4. Water channels 5. Anoxic reactor tanks 6. Carved seating features 7. Closed Aerobic reactor 8. Open Aerobic reactor 9. Water clari er 10. Filtered water channel 11. Connecting tunnel 12. Cascading reedbeds 13. Open-air amphitheatre 14. ‘Obeslik Artefact’ 15. Viaduct 16. Terraced roof 17. Lift core 18. North wind tower 19. South wind tower 20. Artefact Atrium 21. The roof landscape 22. North Atrium 23. South Atrium 24. Circulation periphery 25. Date palm garden 26. Pylons 27. Changing and classroms 28. The Bathhouse of healing 29. Terraced retaining walls 30. Threshold ramp 31. The desert landscape 32. The uncurated journey 33. Hydration wells 34. Delivery/drop-o area 35. Existing kiln (repurposed as museum of brick heritage) 36. Brick chimney (unused) 37. Site entrance (workers) 38. Site entrance/exit (visitors) 39. Existing site structures 40. Brick-drying stacks 41. Circulation to the Repository 0m 5m 10m 20m 25m Site Plan N 27 29 33 36 40
1 14 5 7 7 8 9 10 11 14 13 15 12 16 16 17 18 20 22 24 23 25 26 27 KEY 1. Filtered water channel 2. The ltration landscape 3. Connecting tunnel 4. Cascading reedbeds 5. Open-air amphitheatre 6. ‘Obeslik Artefact’ 7. Viaduct 8. Terraced roof 9. Lift core 10. North wind tower 11. South wind tower 12. Artefact Atrium 13. The roof landscape 14. North Atrium 15. South atrium 16. Circulation periphery 17. Date palm garden 18. Pylons 19. Changing and classroms 20. The Bathhouse of healing 21. Terraced retaining walls 22. Threshold ramp 23. The desert landscape 24. The uncurated journey 25. Hydration wells 26. Delivery/drop-o area 27. Existing kiln (repurposed as museum of brick heritage) 28. Brick chimney (unused) 29. Site entrance (workers) 30. Site entrance/exit (vivitors) 31. Existing site structures 32. Brick-drying stacks 3 19 21 23 25 28 29 30 31 32 2 25 32 0m 5m 10m 20m 25m Ground Floor Plan N
0m 2.5m 5m 10m 20m KEY 1. Terraced brick retaining wall 2. Jet massage pool 3. The Bath-house 4. Foot-healing communal pools 5. Circulation zone 6. Male changing room 7. Changing cubicle 8. Classroom 9. Staircase 10. Ramp (circulation) 11. South wind tower 12. Masonry segment column 13. Walkable skylight 14. Column cistern 15. Ventilation chimneys 16. The public roofscape 17. East repository entrance 18. The Hypostyle Hall 19. Artefact Atrium (open) 20. Existing brick kiln 21. North wind tower 22. North Atrium 23. South Atrium 24. Terraced date palm garden 25. Date palm trees Short Section AA 3 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Callout 1. Callout 2. Callout 3.
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 23 0m 2.5m 5m 10m 20m
AA
0m 2.5m 5m 10m 20m 0m 2.5m 5m 10m 20m
Section AA - Callout 1. Changing, classrooms and the bathhouse Section AA - Callout 2. Wind tower, The Repository, Cistern column Section
- Callout 3. Artefact Atrium and The Repository
A A 17 10 18 18 20 21 22 23 25 26 28 28 28 27 29 31 32 32 33 34 35 35 36 37 37 38 45 44 40 42 43 44 46 47 48 49 50 KEY 1. Filtered water channel 2. The ltration landscape 3. Connecting tunnel 4. Cascading reedbeds 5. Open-air amphitheatre 6. The column as the Obelisk 7. Viaduct 8. Transitional entrance space 9. Lift core 10. North wind tower 11. South wind tower 12. Repository East entrance 13. Pump and plant room 14. Male WCs (+AWC) 15. Female WCs (+AWC) 16. Reverse Osmosis Filtration plant 17. Hydration tanks 18. Main circulation staircase 19. North Atrium 20. South Atrium 21. Date palm terraced garden 22. The Repository (Hypostyle Hall) 23. Hollow brick column 24. Water cistern column 25. Internal amphitheatre 26. ‘The Obelisk Artefact’ 27. Congregation space 0m 5m 10m 20m
N 28. AOEE, SEA, FF regional outposts 29. Tunnel ramp to ground (visitors) 30. Tunnel ramp to ground (workers) 31. Repository West entrance 32. Changing lobby 33. Male changing room 34. Female changing room 35. Lockers 36. Changing cubicle 37. Gender-split rest space 38. Circulation zone 39. The Bathhouse of Healing 40. External showers 41. Ergonomic loungers 42. Shallow plunge-pool 43. Deep plunge-pool 44. Foot-healing basins (tholos) 45. Dry zones 46. Salt therapy hand/arm pool 47. Hydrotherapy pool 48. Water and air jet massage pool 49. Terraced brick retaining wall 50. Landscape hydration wells 51. Existing kiln (above) 8 9 12 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 24 27 30 36 50 50 50 51
-1 Floor Plan
1 14 5 7 7 8 9 10 11 14 13 15 12 16 16 17 18 20 22 24 23 25 26 27 KEY 1. Filtered water channel 2. The ltration landscape 3. Connecting tunnel 4. Cascading reedbeds 5. Open-air amphitheatre 6. ‘Obeslik Artefact’ 7. Viaduct 8. Terraced roof 9. Lift core 10. North wind tower 11. South wind tower 12. Artefact Atrium 13. The roof landscape 14. North Atrium 15. South atrium 16. Circulation periphery 17. Date palm garden 18. Pylons 19. Changing and classroms 20. The Bathhouse of healing 21. Terraced retaining walls 22. Threshold ramp 23. The desert landscape 24. The uncurated journey 25. Hydration wells 26. Delivery/drop-o area 27. Existing kiln (repurposed as museum of brick heritage) 28. Brick chimney (unused) 29. Site entrance (workers) 30. Site entrance/exit (vivitors) 31. Existing site structures 32. Brick-drying stacks 3 19 21 23 25 28 29 30 31 32 2 25 32 0m 5m 10m 20m 25m
Floor Plan N
Ground
0m 2.5m 5m 10m 20m KEY Terraced brick retaining wall Jet massage pool The Bath-house Foot-healing communal pools Circulation zone Male changing room Changing cubicle Classroom Staircase 10. Ramp (circulation) 11. South wind tower 12. Masonry segment column 13. Walkable skylight 14. Column cistern 15. Ventilation chimneys 16. The public roofscape 17. East repository entrance 18. The Hypostyle Hall 19. Artefact Atrium (open) 20. Existing brick kiln 21. North wind tower 22. North Atrium 23. South Atrium 24. Terraced date palm garden 25. Date palm trees Short Section AA 6 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
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Investigating the intelligence of the low-tech earth architecture of the Sahara: Feasibility study from the western desert of Egypt
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Momchil
U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The Repository
Petrinski
These are iterations of the design from the start of semester one. The progression of the design, concept and architectural knowledge is clearly visible when compared against eachother. The spatial development and obsolete ideas also become evident.
58 Appendix
Development of the Plan
Development of the Section
Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The Repository
Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The Aqua and The Repository Momchil Petrinski U18 MArch Design Portfolio The Obelisk, The and The Repository