Architecture Education Methodology Comparison between KTH-Sweden and PUA-Egypt

The increasing global emphasis on sustainable approaches demands new approaches to architecture education. In order to raise the level of architecture education; analyses of different education programs, finding comparable experiences and problems across borders and the creation of a network worldwide for the exchange of information are recognized methods of achieving and maintaining comparable national and global standards. With the aim of improving education and research activities, Faculty of Engineering at Pharos University in Alexandria, Egypt; PUA (Private developing world university) and the Royal Institute of Technology; KTH (International technical university in Stockholm, Sweden) agreed on long term cooperation in 2009.This cooperation aim is to introduce the "Swedish" experience in teaching and education at PUA in order to provide graduates with the professional, intellectual and technological skills which enable them to compete in global job markets and cope with modernity. As a part of the cooperation agreement between PUA and KTH; a team work from KTH conducted a follow up and evaluation of Architecture program at PUA.The present paper focuses on the Architecture Curriculum followed in PUA as compared to the already adapted in Sweden. This comparison is undertaken in various directions covering methodologies used in both universities; besides in depth analysis of that methodology outcome, in the form of the final product quality (the graduate students) will be exposed. This comparative analysis gives us as academics a basis to strengthen our programs, to enhance our role in shaping undergraduate education, and to improve the quality of education

TOWARDS ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THE INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE IN MINET EL-BASSAL DISTRICT AT ALEXANDRIA

Industrial properties are functional buildings. They are not built to fulfill the aesthetic needs of their users or communities. In urban areas of large cities, they are unlikely to have the privilege of attracting kudos for the communities in which they are situated. In Egypt, and precisely in the metropolitan city of Alexandria, Minet El-Bassal district was once a famous Alexandrian Industrial district. It was built around 1810 overlooking the only seaport in Egypt at that time. It consisted of headquarters of international trading companies, large store-houses, workers housing and the bourse de cotton an international marketing center for Egyptian cotton”. Brokers came from all over the world to this area; cotton was a major agriculture croup, totally for export under the British occupation in Egypt (1882-1956). The district was -and still is supported by a well designed transportation network either for people or goods, this network helped connecting the district with all vital spots of local production and marketing in Egypt. By the early 90s, the Egyptian government followed a new policy of liberalization. The immediate impact was a reduction in cotton cultivated area, total production and manufacturing. An industry, which had sustained large communities of people, became redundant. Many of the cotton factory buildings in Minet El-Bassal district are on their way to be demolished and the sites will be cleared for new apartment blocks. It is essential to create awareness of the heritage value of Minet El-Bassal district\u27s industrial buildings -particularly of its cotton factories before they are demolished. This paper aims to document Minet El-Bassal district as an industrial coastal region and to discuss the various options to revitalize the neglected old industrial properties in the area, thus preserve the identity of the place and improve quality of life. The work proposed in this paper is based on the steps of a design studio course offered for fourth level architecture students at Pharos University in Alexandria, where the authors, as demonstrators of the course supervised the documentation work and suggested the rehabilitation of a group of industrial buildings in the study area

تأثير اللون والضوء على الفراغات السکنية الداخلية

إإن اللون و الضوء بينهما علاقة ارتباط قوية نراها من خلال البيئة التي حولنا . ويعتبران من أهم العناصر البصرية لما بهم من طاقة بصرية مؤثرة للإدراک العقلي والحسي ، ونحس من خلالهم بجمال التصميم الداخلي و عناصره المتکاملة . ونجاح التصميم الداخلي يعتمد علي مقدرة المصمم ومعرفته بمبادئ وأساسيات تصميم اللون و الضوء وإختياره للخامات وحساب معاملات الإمتصاص والإنعکاس للخامات والألوان ، ومعرفته أيضا بالعوامل التي تؤثر علي کل منهم . اهتم البحث بمناقشة ودراسة اللون والضوء وخصائص کل منهم ، وتحليل للعوامل المؤثرة علي اللون و الضوء في التصميمات الداخلية ومعايير استخدام کل منهم الجمالية والنفسية ، ودراسة أساليب وأنواع وحدات الإضاءة ، وکيفية استخدام مصادر الإضاءة المختلفة. وقد خص البحث اللون والضوء بالفراغات السکنية لقضاء الإنسان حاليا معظم وقته في فراغات مغلقة خاصة الفراغات السکنية .وبتحليل عدد من الفراغات السکنية ثم المثال التطبيقي تم التوصل الي عدد من الأسس العامة لإختيار اللون والضوء بالفراغات السکنية

Emotional experiences and psychological well-being in 51 countries during the covid-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic presents challenges to psychological well-being, but how can we predict when people suffer or cope during sustained stress? Here, we test the prediction that specific types of momentary emotional experiences are differently linked to psychological well-being during the pandemic. Study 1 used survey data collected from 24,221 participants in 51 countries during the COVID-19 outbreak. We show that, across countries, well-being is linked to individuals’ recent emotional experiences, including calm, hope, anxiety, loneliness, and sadness. Consistent results are found in two age, sex, and ethnicity-representative samples in the United Kingdom (n = 971) and the United States (n = 961) with preregistered analyses (Study 2). A prospective 30-day daily diary study conducted in the United Kingdom (n = 110) confirms the key role of these five emotions and demonstrates that emotional experiences precede changes in well-being (Study 3). Our findings highlight differential relationships between specific types of momentary emotional experiences and well-being and point to the cultivation of calm and hope as candidate routes for well-being interventions during periods of sustained stress

Wpływ odbioru społecznego na znaczenie miejskiego dziedzictwa: studium przypadku dzielnic historycznych Port Saidu

Cultural heritage plays an important role in shaping current urban morphologies, reinforcing public sense of belonging and the authenticity of cultural identity. Although there is a developing international agenda for the preservation of tangible urban heritage, the local community can barely perceive the significance and peculiarity of urban heritage in modern society. However, the matter is considerably more complicated in developing countries, where economic gain strongly opposes heritage conservation, leading to its demolition. Due to the current complicated economic circumstances, heritage represents a strong barrier that demands excessively consideration and negatively affects them. Port Said, the case under study in this paper, is an important logistical city which is famous for its unique urban heritage that records a vital era of Egyptian history and is currently facing a real threat of heritage obliteration. This study aims to investigate the factors that shape public perception of urban heritage, and determine the consequences of this perception on the current historic image of the city. The study employs both qualitative and quantitative techniques in data collection to examine the research hypotheses and find evidence responsible for creating local perception of Egyptian built heritage. The study determines the relationship between public perception of urban identity and its influence on heritage conservation.Dziedzictwo kulturowe odgrywa ważną rolę w kształtowaniu współczesnych morfologii urbanistycznych, wzmacniając poczucie przynależności i autentyczność tożsamości kulturowej. O ile istnieje rozwijająca się międzynarodowa agenda dla zachowania materialnego dziedzictwa miast, o tyle lokalne społeczności rzadko mogą odczuć znaczenie dziedzictwa miejskiego we współczesnym społeczeństwie. Jednak sprawa ta jest znacznie bardziej skomplikowana w krajach rozwijających się, gdzie zysk wchodzi w silny konflikt z zachowywaniem dziedzictwa, prowadząc do wyburzeń zabytków. Ze względu na skomplikowane warunki ekonomiczne dziedzictwo stanowi mocną barierę, która wymaga najwyższej uwagi. Port Said, który jest studium przypadku opisywanym w artykule, jest ważnym miastem logistycznym, znanym w świecie ze względu na unikalne miejskie dziedzictwo, które jest zapisem kluczowej epoki w historii Egiptu; dziś to unikalne dziedzictwo jest zagrożone. Niniejsza analiza ma na celu prześledzenie czynników, które kształtują postrzeganie miejskiego dziedzictwa. Badanie wykorzystuje techniki jakościowe i ilościowe w ramach zbierania danych, które posłużyły do zbadania hipotez badawczych i znalezienia dowodów na tworzenie się lokalnego postrzegania dziedzictwa Egiptu. Badanie ustala związek pomiędzy odbiorem społecznym tożsamości miejskiej i jej wpływem na ochronę dziedzictwa

Creating a tourism destination through sustainable development: case study coastal area of Abuqir, Alexandria, Egypt

The increasing attractiveness of the tourism industry leads new destinations to emerge and established destinations to maximize their efforts in order to defend and increase their competitive positions. Besides, high level of vulnerability because of the economic crisis, regional conflicts, natural disasters etc. increases the competition among the destinations also in the same regions. Alexandria has grown rapidly in recent decades, in proportion to the growth in population and population density, as well as to the urban and industrial development. Modern Alexandria stretches over a narrow and irregular strip of land between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Lake Mariout (a major coastal lagoon) to the south and Abuqir Bay to the east. Abuqir Bay region in the southern part of the Mediterranean is well known promising tourist, industrial and agricultural site that needs to be developed in order to compete in the touristic map of Alexandria. The coastal zone hosts important architecture features, ecological habitats, economic centres and archaeological sites. However, development in the region has been limited. This region with its different but unique culture, natural beauties and attractiveness can gain more from the international tourist movements. The main objective of this study is to work out a plan for strategic development of region through establishing the tourism industry, the creation of a touristic path and marketing the tourism products. Identifying and assessing problems and changes of the region will be a part of the study