PORTFOLIO SARA
SHALABY
Msc. Architecture, Urbanism & Building Sciences Track: Architecture saratamershalaby@gmail.com +973 333333333 University of Bahrain - Bachelor of architecture 2020
MOTIVATION LETTER SUMMARY Inpro coere publissigit addum hocciaec omnihili consum nuntil vivivirit vescibe ntius, nonerionduc ressulictum ortimis etifervil urbit, cludem, pra nihilin suli sent. Etis in Ita re iam te, se, nonsulum hil hostus aventua nos ete teaturaes Mulvignondam temus nostim publinc re iam pertus con scia Serevit; estiendaciam et gra re, C. Mari strae ti simisquam acta derid aut ves clus, nonemque ret? Tu con se is reninatum dere is? Elut iam hoc rempraet abis fui cuper alici sest pre consum prit gratiam publico mnerfer tastorem simorei fecules esimiss imura, C. Cerce mullartius, Catus nos culiam tantere int? queremeis. In viri consum hocute quis adduc re derectum nos firte teatus cam ductusp icaperobse iam ne rei ignatar eortat, publictuam nontrat, con perentinatum is, cupimpe ristis; norei in senat virmanum nes nonsum senam orem pra publicu licerum tarei ponterit; inarimus cae ca rei terica publi, Ti. Rommorum nostraes consulius, quid perobse, qui ponsuli cupernum, que civatusquis oridem eo, et, ditio ut conem neres audeestil conum dit, Ti. Racie es, silium conerrario voltum vistimerei sa videm stastem et o erfirma ntermius hostil tem et; hicituspiem dit venatil tium senat, senatuit. Valem, nostam nos in senterio et nium pati, eger quam adeatifecum iu intrit. Fica tur qui pulicam, C. Maximmo rtumus ca o hae, sentique dit verfitam ervivid iciptemne comnicatum ius fitum pro men dem at. Raris pernultum, nora dicam perente, nos cum ante, conum tus; hosternium. Ximisul inprem fuis viditiciende casdam ips, efactant, quod rei sentrat, quod contenditiam contrum vis labem ublius At L. Bon Itam, conti potere nihilis, senduco nsulis fue ta mo inclabit; et vas ine con am abestia? quo vilint.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1st place eskan bank affordable housing LOCAL competition
01 | to adapt - affordable housing
3-8
02 | URBAN PULSE - bAHRAIN M E T R O S TA T I O N
9-12
0 3 | S O C I A L C A TA LY S T - R E FORMING ISA TOWN MARKET
13-17
04 | urban majlis - BAHRAIN CENTRAL LIBRARY
18-25
PROJECT RECOGNITION thesis AMONG FOUR noMINATED TO REPRESENT THE ARCH. DEPT IN BAHRAIN SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS COMPETITION
05 | OTHER WORKS
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L o c at i o n : A l A a l i , B a h r a i n Academic Individual Project University of Bahrain design 5, 1ST SEM, 4th Year Sept 2018- Jan 2019 S u p e r v i s o r : S u s a n a S O A R E S S a r i va ssoares@uob.edu.bh
01 | TO ADAPT - AFFORDABLE HOUSING Densification is making it increasingly unsustainable to provide families with individual housing plots and so we were tasked by the ministry of housing to design a prototype for a high rise residential buildings. To address Bahraini families’ resistance to vertical living I aimed to tackle factors of individuality and change. Inspired by the concept of a fareej (traditional Bahraini neighbourhoods) and courtyard houses I proposed a design that can foster a sense of belonging through breaking down the large overall neighbourhood in to smaller ones with shared semi-private courtyards housing communal spaces. Furthermore a system was developed to accommodate adaptable units that can provide families with freedom of alteration and changes through time. This was achieved through establishing a systematic grid that can allow for flexibility without impacting the structural system and service shafts.
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F U N C T I O N A L A N A LY S I S G F
F U N C T I O N A L A N A LY S I S F F
STREET NETWORKS
Site is located in Al Aali, Bahrain, surrounding by several residential neighbourhoods, both government owned and private. It is part of a town masterplan developed by the ministry of housing, that will accommodate affordable housing attached and detached units along with residential apartment prototypes. The masterplan also includes parks, commercial buildings and services. The building is tilted to widen the view range, orient units away from the mall roof and establish a visual link to the central park and community area indicated in the master plan. This also maximises north facing units. SITE PLAN
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THE GRID 9x10 grid coresponding to the basic unit size, that can be added to create larger units. Creating a stacking system upon which the whole structure is developed. The grid is rotated to respond to the site.
THE CORES & NEIGHBOURHOODs Cores define the vertical circulation. Dividing the site in to smaller neighbourhoods developed around each core to reduce the scale of that is more familiar, valued by Bahraini families.
THE PLATFORM Raising the building to 1.5 meters to create a transition between urban surrounding and the building. Allowing the levels to divide between commercial, urban and residential zones.
THE FORM The form of the building developed by following a grid system by groupinga base module to form different configurations wrapped around the core.
THE CLUSTER The configuration creates a cluster providing high chances for individuality to a building. Each unit remains flexible for alterations without threatening the structural integrity of the design.
THE VOID Subtracting from the 3D grid reduces the density of the building and provides for communal spaces within the smaller neighbourhood shared by adjacent units as well as maximizes natural ventilation.
model of tower b
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B
A
C
D
GROUND FLOOR PLAN 1. F&B 2. COMMUNAL SPACES 3. cOMMUNITY GARDENS 4. tYPE F UNITS
i s o m e t e r i c o f t o w e r a : s t r u c t u r e & s e r v i c e a n a ly s i s
5. 6. 7. 8.
TYPE G UNITS PARK BQQ AREA BIKE TRACK
The bike path connects the residential plot with commercial areas and can be easily continued in the adjacent plot upon building duplication. The South East side houses a collection of F&B units and shops creating a commercial faรงade facing the main highway. The pedestrian access, along with the ground floor duplex units from the west face the adjacent neighbourhood. The raised platform clearly separates public and private entrances to the complex.
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DESIGN
BAS E D
ON
FLEXIBLE CONFIGURATIONS
TIM E
A contemporary approach t0 a pre-existing tradition: taking inspiration from the contemporary housing concept of design based on time, and connecting it to the pre-existing tradition of courtyard houses that used the concept of flexible spaces of similar sizes surrounding a courtyard that can be used for different functions. unit grid system
T R A D I T I O N A L C O U R T YA R D H O U S E FLEXIBLE DISTRIBUTIONS
U N I T S TA C K I N G S Y S T E M
KEY FLOOR PLANS
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D e ta i l a
SECTION A-A’
SECTION B-B’
s o u t h e a s t e l e vat i o n
D E TA I L E D S E C T I O N A
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L o c at i o n : M A N A M A , B a h r a i n Academic Individual Project University of Bahrain design 6, 2ND SEM, 4th Year FEB 2019 - JUN 2019 Supervisor: AFAF ebrahim afibrahim@uob.edu.bh
02 | URBAN PULSE - BAHRAIN METRO STATION In the past few years there has been an exponential increase in the number of cars, averaging around 3 to 5 cars per family. A proposal was taken up by the ministry of transportation and telecommunication to introduce a new urban transit network with the aim to improve urban transportation, manage traffic and reduce car pollution. The first phase will involve 20 stops. We were tasked with proposing a design for the main station located in the heart of the capital. My design proposal aimed to turn the station into a new urban landmark becoming a hub for socialisation. Inspired by the the way the traffic networks & railway lines appear to carve through the city like veins with areas of high density appearing as moments pulsing through time, the train station was designed to act and appear as the heart of urban movement, where these viens overlap, converge and disperse, “pulsing� people from one corner of the country to another. |9
D E TA I L A D E TA I L A
SITE PLAN The site is uniquely situated in the middle of the main high way, with no direct pedestrian access. Thus pedestrian tunnels were proposed on both sides. The site is surrounded by several corporation and business landmarks, such as the Bahrain Financial Harbour and the World Trade Centre. It is also connected to the historic trade market, Bab Al Bahrain. The building orients itself towards the car movements maximising the two way visual connections and becoming an organic part of the traffic line.
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Iquamus quia ario velique sum iunto blab in reste odionecti ut latemoles volupta tempel idelige nienestrum et latur sum, sum rem vendae custior
As a pulse, the station will not simply be an area of transit but a melting pot for social convergence and congregation, acting both as a familiar place for welcome and meeting to locals and a place for first impressions to tourists. As such I aimed to expand on the required program by proposing areas for public gatherings, performance and events.
ground floor PLAN
Iquamus quia ario velique sum iunto blab in reste odionecti ut latemoles volupta tempel idelige nienestrum et latur sum, sum rem vendae custior
mezzanine floor PLAN
Iquamus quia ario velique sum iunto blab in reste odionecti ut latemoles volupta tempel idelige nienestrum et latur sum, sum rem vendae custior
p l at f o r m f l o o r P L A N
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The aluminium louvers work as a shading and aesthetical element. giving intrest to the interior environnement and empahsiszing the movement of the building on the exterior imitating speed lines to give the illusion of a building in motion.
SECTIOB B-B’
SECTION A-A’
Structure system study
The structure system follows a space frame and shell system. The space frame structure is supported on thich reinforced coloumns at 25 m intervals and the whole roof is cladded to give a seemless white finish to the exterior.
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L o c at i o n : M A N A M A , B a h r a i n Academic Individual Project University of Bahrain design 6, 2ND SEM, 4th Year sept 2019 - jan 2020 S u p e r v i s o r : f ay a l k h a l i f a f aya l k h a l i f a @ u o b . e d u . b h
03 | SOCIAL CATALYST - REFORMING ISA TOWN MARKET The Isa Town traditional market started 50 years ago as a second hand merchandise market with the aim to provide people with need a place to sell their household items. Over the years it expanded through several local businesses and grew to become the heart of the town. In 2012 a fire accident burned down the middle sector and was rebuilt to imitate the traditional souq (market). The new design was not well received by shop owners and locals. The hallways are narrow lacking natural light and ventilation. Shops were selected at random leaving no considerations for functional distribution making it difficult for users to navigate. That coupled with the older outdated sector has caused the market to lose its connection with the local community and be left to abandonment and deterioration. To bring back the life to the market my design aimed to remodel the older sector with a focus on revitalization: change certain aspects to bring back social participation and interest’. | 13
S I TE ANALYS IS A ND U RBAN TRANSFO RMA T I ON
traffic congestions at entrances and exits
managing traffic routes
Parking lot located facing NW circulates air polution no purely pedestrian access
Opening a new exit to the east and rerourting traffic into one way roads forming a closed loop to minimize congestions.
congested narrow halls with lack of natural ventilation and light
VEHICLE & PEDESTRIAN SEPERATION
Seperating vehicle and pedestrian circulations and accesses. Establishing connections to the neighbourhoods and transport with pedestrian crossing. Closing up the parking lot to create a purely pedestrian experinece.
MANAGING MICROCLIMATE
Adding a major park in place of the parking and parks along the edges to manage microclimate, and also serve the surronding neighbourhoods.
lack of public spaces causes hazards especially for children pedestrian vehicle collision due to poor road network within the Market.
STREET NETWORKS
No pedestrian connection to public trnasportation
z o n i n g A N A LY S I S
lack of formal boundaries of shops/stall
market road networks
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S O C I al c atalys t
EXTRUDE FROM SITE
CREATE VOIDS
POINTS OF CONVERGENCE
CREATE HEIRARCHY IN RESPONSE TO SITE
The social approach in this project takes in to account the intangible heritage that lies in the social character of traditional markets, with the understanding that the urban market lies at the heart of the social infrastructure of a city. Thus the direction of the design did not only consider the market itself but the urban transformation of the entire block, proposing a new parking solution, parks, and redesigning the traffic system to prioritize pedestrian circulation and social convergence. The social character is translated through architecture design decisions of intimate scale, barrier free environment, and adaptablity. The aim for revitalization of the market is further achieved through the creation of ‘points of convergence’. YES
no
DO YOU BELIEVE RENO VA T I O N W I L L B R I N G MORE CUSTOMERS?
SITE PLAN
CREATE EXTRUSIONS TO ADD MOVEMENT AND VISUAL INTEREST
DO YOU BELIEVE ADDING SOCIAL SPACES WILL BRING MORE CUSTOMERS?
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M U LT I PURPOS E T EM P ORA RY STA LLS The project proposes a custom design multi purposes temporary stalls that can be easily built using local materials and implemented in this project as well as become a prototype used in various urban projects. The concept stems for finding a solution to adapt to the changeable nature of a market, which isn’t a static place, and so the experience of it must also reflect that. Thus providing an area that can be transformed to serve various functions is at the heart of the success of the project.
Temporary stalls used as public Seating and tables when not in use
Easily operable using tensegrity Structure design
Inbuilt floor grove and wheel system allows flexibility of lay outs
Stalls can be stacked horizontally to form platform that can host events
1 . T e m p o r a r y s ta l l s & e v e n t p l at f o r m 2. OUTDOOR PLAZA 3. puBLIC PARK 4 . r e s ta u r a n t s 5. TOY & TECH SHOPS 6. FURNITURE STORES 7. TRADITIONAL CRAFTS & ACCESSORIES 8. SECUIRTY OFFICE 9. CENTRAL PLAZA
ground floor PLAN
n o r t h w e s t s i t e e l e vat i o n
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SOLAR GLASS uses photovoltaic cells for energy use
GFRC PANELS ETFE light weight and allows light transmition aesthetical makes through skylights while for effective facade providing insulation
COMOPOSITE FLOOR allows for greater spans
COPPER LOUVERS filter direct light and glare
SECTION A-A’ | 17
L o c at i o n : M A N A M A , B a h r a i n Academic Individual Project University of Bahrain t h e s i s p r o j e c t, 5 t h Y e a r sept 2019 - JUN 2020 S U P E R V I S o r : S u s a n a S O A R E S S a r i va ssoares@uob.edu.bh
04 | BAHRAIN CENTRAL LIBRARY - AN URBAN MAJLIS
There is a large debate regarding the relevance of libraries, their necessity, and the roles they play in today’s society. In response to that libraries of the 21st century around the world are undergoing a period of great shift. The library spaces that served the 20th century no longer fulfills the needs of today, therefore a reinterpretation of the library space is not only required but inevitable. Libraries in Bahrain are growing more and more disconnected from the community and with the commodification of public spaces, the need of an open, inclusive, user-centric community space grows more essential. The project addresses Bahrain’s lack of educational and civic public buildings that serve the community’s socila infrastructure and needs through proposing a Central Library. The proposal is an architectural reinterpretation of the library space, that fits with the libraries’ emerging roles and contemporary challenges. The focus will be on the development of the library as a social space first and a knowledge space second, in line with the growing Scandinavian definition of ‘the living room in the city’ and the Arabian tradition of the ‘Majlis’.
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B A C KG ROUND OV ER VIEW
L I BR A RY T YP OL OGY S T UDY & C O N C E P TU AL D E V E L O P M E N T
Even though Bahrain has several libraries they mostly act as neighbourhood and town libraries serving smaller communities, with the exception of the Isa Culture Center, functioning as a national library. Statistics show that library visits dropped by almost half from 2010 to 2014. A major factor is the perception people have of libraries, as quite, formal shrines of knowledge that they shy away from, rather than SURVEY A - 305 responses Do you believe libraries in Bahrain are disconnected from their communities?
What are some negative impressions of libraries in Bahrain?
When was the last time you visited a library?
To what degree do you think libraries in Bahrain fulfill their social role?
ANCIENT archives for keeping records
ROMAN rooms for discussion and sharing.
ISLAMIC houses of wisdom, housing courtyards nd classrooms
RENISSANCE monumental buildings, more accessible shelves
VICTORIAN silent and elevated storngly resembling religious buildings
MODERN decentralised design with different zones and intimacies
CONTEMPORARY vibrant social spaces with user centric design and
R EI NT E RPRE T ING THE LIB RA RY Reinterpreting the library as an Urban Majlis, is essentially an Arabian take on the Scandinavian concept of the library as the living room in the city. The Majlis is an essential component of traditional gulf neighbourhoods that is implemented to this day. It functions as a public gathering place, for each neighbourhood where gatherings and council meetings can take place. Analsing its role and function it can be clearly identified as a third place according to sociologist Oldenburg’s classification. However a limitation of the Majlis is its lack on inclusivity, it only serves a specific demographic: Bahraini men. 54% of the population in Bahrain are actually non-Bahraini and 70% are female. For the library to reassert its relevance among Bahraini society it must take up that social role, expanding on the culture of the majlis and becoming a more inclusive space that can serve the larger city. | 19
street networks
building heights
SITE PLAN The site selected is in Sanabis. Its located in an area with high commercial presence. Though this might appear counter-intuitive to where libraries have often been located, in today’s world users are less likely to go out of their way to visit a library, but if it’s part of their everyday life, they are more likely to join their library visits with their other errands, so libraries must go where the people are. Furthermore even though this might not be the literal center, through observation and talking to locals, it is the place where most people tend to go, the center of activity.
z o n i n g A N A LY S I S
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1. PARK Proposed a park on the second half of the site due to the lack of green areas or parks in the Seef district
2. PLATFORM Platform raised 5m establishing connection with the fly over and highway. Raising the platform utilizes the area underneath for technical spaces and parking.
3. SPLITTING SITE Establish connections allowing circulation through and around the site, as well as the continuation of the park retains the flow of wind from the NW, and the break allows for cross ventilation.
4. BUILT & UNBUILT The path divides between the built and unbuilt and the built form is subtracted from the landscape setting the base for the building, while not taking away from the intimate and pedestrian approach.
5. THE MAJLIS Etched in between the green and urban is the “Majlis� connecting to the library street while retaining its intimate character. Wrapped in glass, passer bys see the lively informal space allowing the social
6. THE LIBRARY STREET The library street extends the library experience to the outside. It will host a book cafe, stationery and printing shops, and rent out the others for commercial use. The roof is utilised as an outdoor perfor-
7. THE CORES Cores are placed along the perimeters that will function as structure element, areas for services and shafts. An atrium is extended upward from where the Urban Majlis is located emphasising that central
8. LAYERED MEZZANINES Mezzanines are layered around the majlis as a focal point. The circular arrangement round the atrium allows for stacking while maintaining the visual connections.
9. INDOOR & OUTDOOR Plants are allowed to penetrate creating extended oasis, and a dichotomy of indoor and outdoor
10. THE BOX A box wraps around the organic levels, achieving a dichotomy of entire worlds contained within a
11. VISUAL CONNECTIONS Large windows are created to establish visual connections framing different focal points.
12. BREAKING THE RIGIDITY Further exploring the tension in that relationship, the mezzanine levels extended organically almost in tension with the edges.
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STRUCTURE SYSTEM
CIRCULATION
W A T E R S U P P LY & W A S T E
M E C H A N I C A L & H VA C
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
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A’
A
1 s t m e z z a n i n e : p e r f o r m at i v e s p a c e s
A
A’
2nd mezzanine: LEARNING spaces
A
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
A’
3 r d m e z z a n i n e : c o n t e m p l at i v e s p a c e s | 23
A
A’
4 t h m e z z a n i n e : c o n t e m p l at i v e s p a c e s
A
A’
TOP FLOOR: READING ROOM
s o u t h e l e vat i o n
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The walls circulating the reading room are made up of shelves creating the feeling of being within a book valley. Study and reading areas continue on the railing for each level. The back space provides for a more intimate spatial experience for activities and moment of contemplation to take place.
d e ta i l s e c t i o N a
d e ta i l s e c t i o N a
section A-A’ | 25
OTHER WORKS A R C H I TE CT UR E IN STA LLA TIO N
red es i g n of s mi l e i n i ti ati ve head q a ur te r s
W E L L N E S S CE N TE R D E S I GN F OR A R A B A R C HI TE C TS
s o l ar d e c at hl o n s m art ho u s e d e s i gn
Group work - 3rd year - 2018 Choas in Architecture: Inside the mind of a deconstructivist. Designing and building a spatial experience that pushes boundaries of perception through multisensory stimulations: tactile, visual and audi-
Design volunteer - 2019 Repurposing a villa to become the new headquarters for Smile Intiative, a family center for kids with cancer. Below is my render for the event hall design I helped propose with my team and the built result we oversaw.
Intern - 2018 Creating facade proposals for a wellness center for a client was one of my main tasks as an intern at Arab Architects (Grade A firm). The approach explored colour, patterns and texture.
Design team leader - 2019 - PRES. Proposing a sustainable smart house with a focus on identity for the furture of homes for young gulf families. The house implements techniques and systems such as: solar panels, smart glass, and passive design.
Section 5 5 1 Section 1 11::100 100
Section 3 3 2 Section 2 11::100 100
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