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The Architecture of Ramses Wissa Wassef

Author/EditorAnorve-Tschirgi, Conchita (Author)
Abushadi, Ehsan (Author)
Refai, Nour El (Author)
Refai, Nour El (Author)
ISBN: 9789774169243
Pub Date15/02/2021
BindingHardback
Pages272
Dimensions (mm)210(h) * 240(w)
$77.78
excluding shipping
Availability: Available to order but dispatch within 7-10 days
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The pioneering Egyptian architect and teacher Ramses Wissa Wassef (1911-74) is best known for his founding in 1951 of the Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre in Harraniya, a small village near the Giza Pyramids in Greater Cairo. The center, internationally acclaimed for its tapestries and sculptures, began partly as an art school for young villagers, reflecting Wissa Wassef's aim of reviving traditional Egyptian architecture and crafts, and his belief in the innate creative power and potential of children.

Less well known are Wissa Wassef's prolific architectural output and his efforts and influence beyond the confines of the Harraniya center to promote artistic expression among Egyptian youth. This generously illustrated volume is the first comprehensive survey of Wissa Wassef's architectural works, both extant and non-extant, shedding light on his legacy and significant engagement with vernacular and contemporary Egyptian architecture. Wissa Wassef renounced self-promotion and monetary reward in his work, placing human physical and psychological well-being at the center of his architectural philosophy. An astute observer and modest personality, he saw himself as part of the people and began experimenting with participatory design and people-centered architecture before they became popular.

The Architecture of Ramses Wissa Wassef reveals Wissa Wassef's profuse architectural oeuvre, which spanned private villas and rural houses, as well as public buildings, such as churches, schools, and museums, highlighting his rich contribution to Egypt's architectural heritage at a moment when that heritage is at risk of being lost.

The pioneering Egyptian architect and teacher Ramses Wissa Wassef (1911-74) is best known for his founding in 1951 of the Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre in Harraniya, a small village near the Giza Pyramids in Greater Cairo. The center, internationally acclaimed for its tapestries and sculptures, began partly as an art school for young villagers, reflecting Wissa Wassef's aim of reviving traditional Egyptian architecture and crafts, and his belief in the innate creative power and potential of children.

Less well known are Wissa Wassef's prolific architectural output and his efforts and influence beyond the confines of the Harraniya center to promote artistic expression among Egyptian youth. This generously illustrated volume is the first comprehensive survey of Wissa Wassef's architectural works, both extant and non-extant, shedding light on his legacy and significant engagement with vernacular and contemporary Egyptian architecture. Wissa Wassef renounced self-promotion and monetary reward in his work, placing human physical and psychological well-being at the center of his architectural philosophy. An astute observer and modest personality, he saw himself as part of the people and began experimenting with participatory design and people-centered architecture before they became popular.

The Architecture of Ramses Wissa Wassef reveals Wissa Wassef's profuse architectural oeuvre, which spanned private villas and rural houses, as well as public buildings, such as churches, schools, and museums, highlighting his rich contribution to Egypt's architectural heritage at a moment when that heritage is at risk of being lost.

Conchita Anorve-Tschirgi is a licensed architect based in Mexico. She holds one MA in Islamic art and architecture and another in comparative and international education. She was formerly founder and curator of the Regional Architecture Collection at the Rare Books and Special Collections Library of the American University in Cairo, which houses Ramses Wissa Wassef's archive. Ehsan Abushadi is an architect specializing in heritage. She earned her BSc in architectural engineering from the American University in Cairo with minors in anthropology and Arab and Islamic civilizations. During her studies, she worked at the Regional Architecture Collection of the Rare Books and Special Collections Library of the American University in Cairo, which houses Ramses Wissa Wassef's archive. With a degree in architecture from Cairo University Nour El Refai has worked as an architectural photographer in the Middle East and North Africa region since 2005. His work has been published in the Financial Times, the Huffington Post, and more. He has taught architectural photography at universities in Egypt and continues to lead workshops at art and culture centers.

Table of contents Abbreviations Acknowledgments Preface Part 1: Ramses Wissa Wassef 1.01 Introduction 1.02 Architect and Artist 1.03 Architectural Legacy 1.04 Professorship Part 2: A descriptive catalogue Extant Ramses Wissa Wassef Arts Center 2.1 Village Art Studio and Gallery - Phase 1 2.2. Solar Kiln 2.3. Village Art Studio and Gallery - Phase 2 2.4. Habib Georgi Museum 2.5. Chicken Coops and Tool Shed 2.6. Silos 2.7. Ceres Wissa Wassef Villa 2.8. Seven Weavers' Houses 2.9. Second Generation Weaving Workshops 2.10 Engineer Mounir Nosshi Villa 2.11. Temporary chapel 2.12 Post-mortem additions Churches 2.13 St. George and St. Abraam Church in Heliopolis 2.14 Church of the Virgin Mary in Zamalek 2.15 Sanctuary of Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Damanhur 2.16 Dominican Father's Priory Chapel Renovation 2.17 Church of the Archangel Michael in Shubra - Consulting 2.18 Stained Glass Windows at Saint Mina Coptic Orthodox Church Residential 2.19 Wissa Wassef Agouza Residence 2.20 Ina Makkar House 2.21 Mohie al-Din Hussein House and Studio Educational and Cultural 2.22 Jardin D'Enfants at the Lycee Francais du Caire 2.23 Lycee Franco-Egyptien d'Heliopolis 2.24 School in Old Cairo 2.25 Mahmoud Mokhtar Museum Other 2.26 Al-Chark Insurance Company Building Renovation 2.27 Stained Glass Windows at the Social Building, Egyptian Shooting Club 2.28 Nematalla Louis Mausoleum 2.29 Al-Dar Restaurant 2.30 Lounge Ceiling at the Palestine Hotel Nonextant Churches 2.31 Evangelical Presbyterian Church 2.32 St. George the Martyr Coptic Orthodox Church, Giza Diocese 2.33 Two Martyrs Cyrus and John Coptic Orthodox Church 2.34 Saint Joseph Church 2.35 Saint George Monastery on the Nile Bank 2.36 Evangelical Church, Community Center & Offices 2.37 Coptic Catholic Patriarchate Church 2.38 Cathedral of St. Mark and Anba Ruways Compound 2.39 Heliopolis Church Theater and Club Extension 2.40 Iconostasis at the Coptic Catholic Church of Faggala 2.41 Unidentified Church Community Services Building 2.42 Unidentified Church 1 2.43 Unidentified Church 2 Residential 2.44 Villa Fikry Boutros 2.45 Villa al-Amira Naima Ibrahim 2.46 Augonie Abdel Sayed and Habib Georgi Beach House 2.47 Berlanty Youssef Beach House 2.48 Apartment Building on Sheikh Rehan Street 2.49 Apartment Building on Clot Bey Street 2.50 Building Number 34 & 36 2.51 Zeinab Badawi House 2.52 Adam Henein House and Atelier 2.53 Abu el-Enein Weekend House 2.54 Student Project: Villa 2.55 Unidentified Apartment Building 1 2.56 Unidentified Apartment Building 2 2.57 Unidentified Villa 1 2.58 Unidentified Villa 2 2.59 Unidentified Villa 3 2.60 Unidentified Villa 4 2.61 Unidentified Villa 5 Educational and Cultural 2.62 Graduation Project: Old Cairo Potters' House 2.63 Small Renovation at College Francais du Daher 2.64 Faruk I University Dormitory 2.65 School for Art and Handicrafts in Qubbah 2.66 Ismailia Secondary school 2.67 American Mission for Girls: Experimental Project for Farming Other 2.68 Banque Misr Building and Hotel Competition 2.69 Garage and Atelier Magar 2.70 Interior Design and Stained-Glass Panels for the Grand Reception Hall at the Cairo Governorate Headquarters Glossary Bibliography

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