BIGGER IS BETTER

Text description provided by the architects.

Designed by Studio Seilern Architects (SSA) and realised by Red Sea Construction and Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) for Orascom Development Egypt, the Gouna Conference and Culture Center is a spectacular venue in El Gouna, Egypt. El Gouna is an eco-friendly resort town situated on the west coast of the Red Sea, approximately 30km Northwest of the town of Hurghada. The site was developed in 1998 by Orascom HD with the aim of building a unique, forward-thinking holiday destination with a strong commitment to sustainability. Following the immense success of the Gouna Film Festival, Orascom HD commissioned Studio Seilern Architects to design the El Gouna Conference and Culture Centre, aspiring to create a new landmark destination for this evolving town and the most spectacular and memorable conference centre in the region.

The first phase of the complex, with a 30,000 sqm footprint, was constructed in just 16 weeks with 3,000 workers working round-the-clock. Phase 2 of the complex will feature a 600-seat concert hall with a capacity of a 120-piece orchestra and a 2,000-seat conference centre surrounded by monumental arched colonnades in the middle of an artificial lagoon. Landscape and water features in and around the complex create an oasis, protected from the sun and wind. The acoustics of the hall is designed by Nagata Acoustics and Kahle Acoustics, and the theatre design is performed by Ducks Scéno. This is the second world-class concert hall Studio Seilern Architects designed for the same client. Previously, SSA designed the Andermatt Concert Hall in Switzerland, June 2019.

Local Context

The scheme's inspiration is rooted in Middle Eastern and Egyptian traditional architecture. The scale of ancient Egyptian architecture was a guiding factor in the conceptualisation of the scheme. Arches and barrel vaults have a strong presence both in Islamic and ancient Egyptian architecture. Inheriting earlier arch forms from the Greeks and the Romans, Muslims developed a variety of new shapes, including the horseshoe, multi-foil, pointed, and ogee arches. The passion for this motif is due to the regularly mystical/symbolic meanings associated with it, as well as its functional advantages, and is used as a major structural and decorative feature. Given the hot Egyptian climate, SSA created a shaded perimeter colonnade around the entire building, giving it its distinctive character, but also framing the views of the landscape beyond. We studied Islamic arches as a precedent (earliest examples could be found in Syria and the region) and imagined how this typology could be re-invented into a contemporary interpretation that would give a unique character to the building. The plaza will function as an open-air venue for a variety of events, including film screenings and award ceremonies. Landscape planting and a pool create a pleasant environment protected by the surrounding monumental colonnade. The interior of the concert hall is inspired by the impressive atmosphere and spectacular textures of the rock formations revealed by the sun's rays in the surrounding canyons and caves. The 620-seat concert hall is designed to create an awe-inspiring atmosphere with an undulating terrain of acoustic reflectors that wrap up a circular stage.

Eco-friendly Town

Situated on the West coast of the Red Sea, El Gouna is located approximately 25km Northwest of Hurghada International Airport. The resort town is nestled on a 36.9 million square metre stretch of land between the Red Sea Coast and Egypt's Eastern Desert Mountains. The resort was founded in 1989 by Egyptian entrepreneur and engineer Samih Sawiris with the mission to create a contained, self-sustaining ecosystem. El Gouna takes its name from the Arabic for "the lagoon" and extends over ten kilometres of beachfront with many quaint lagoons and acclaimed architecture. El Gouna is Egypt's most environmentally friendly holiday destination. It has approximately 20,000 residents who benefit from facilities such as a fully equipped hospital, day-care centres, international and national schools, three Marinas, two golf courses (irrigated with recycled water and from the town's own desalination plants), 18 hotels, a university, and an airport. Thanks to its mild climate, El Gouna hosts many internationally acclaimed cultural and sports events throughout the year. A solar power plant on the outskirts of the town currently churns out about 20% of the city's energy needs. Plans are already in place to build another one of a similar size that could fuel around 7000 households. This valuable source of clean energy is a crucial complement to the Aswan Dam, which also provides hydroelectric power for the city's growing population. In addition, many hotels have their individual micro-level solar supplies from lamps to water heaters across rooms and food and beverage venues. In 2014, El Gouna became the first place in Africa and the Arab region to receive the UN-sponsored Global Green Town award.

Record-Breaking Construction Process

The first phase of the project includes the plaza, the colonnades, and the lagoon. After laying the foundation stone in July 2019, the construction started full speed by erecting the 147 precast concrete columns to form the colonnades. 3,000 construction workers worked for 16 weeks round-the-clock, pouring 7,500 m3 of concrete to complete the first phase on time. The proximity of water bodies in the neighbouring developments was an important factor in placing the complex in the middle of a large lagoon. The monumentality of the structure is intensified through reflections, while the building merges with its environment. The new 30,000m2 lagoon is a gravity-based system, supplied from existing wells and connected to the existing lagoon system. Rather than relying on mechanical pumps, using the existing natural water system as a source was preferred as an environmental design approach. The open-air public plaza protected by the colonnades of staggered arches is a major spatial element of the complex, allowing it to host a variety of events throughout the year.

Christina Seilern, Principal of Studio Seilern Architects, said: "Louis Kahn stated that 'Architecture is like frozen music'. In the Gouna Conference and Culture Centre, the massing, the relationship of building and water are designed in such a way that the visitor will feel moments of surprise, of unexpected juxtaposition between the green landscape, the water, and the monumentality of the structure. The light filters through the arches, creating a changing rhythm and play. The building is in a constant state of flux or movement through its reflection in the water, and the nature of its moving shadows... In this building, we wanted the architecture to be like a melody... Not frozen but enchanting. There is a deliberate wish (and hope) to create a space that delights and surprises its audience." Engineer Samih Sawiris, Chairman of Orascom Development Holding, remarked, "Gouna Conference and Culture Centre has always been a dream that I wanted to achieve. I fell in love with classical music by going to hundreds of concerts by the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan, and my goal is to make the Gouna Conference and Culture Centre an international music concert hall." On his part, Khaled Bichara, CEO of Orascom Development Holding, "Orascom Development has assembled the Gouna Conference and Culture Centre with the best of all expertise around the world to deliver its vision and promise. Architects, engineers, and specialty consultants are icons within their professions and team up to deliver the dream. This will put El Gouna on the map of international events and conferences."

FESTIVAL PLAZA EL GOUNA
LOCATION El Gouna, Egypt
ARCHITECT Studio Seilern Architects
PHOTOGRAPHY Paul Riddle