My point of view:
on Architecture and Travel

Interview Date: 09-03-2011

What is the importance of architectural tourism?

Architectural tourism serves the layman and the professional to get acquainted at least to the major architectural sites and happenings in a city where he is keen to be for a lapse of time. This intensification of exposure to the right buildings and exhibitions and archi events is a must more so if our time in the city is limited . It may allow for human contacts and encounters as well. A sort of networking that is beyond geographical borders can be generated.

What is the importance of traveling, especially for Architects and humans in general?

Traveling is a pleasure and a must, to round out and shape our world view amidst many more benefits. For architects more so to assimilate more ideas and forms and concepts that remain hidden no matter how many books do cover the pictures and subject matters involved, seeing is not only believing, it is assimilating and stimulating.

This regeneration is healthy and important for the sanity of the contemporary individual, for he is and never was alone. Past lessons can be of benefit continuously.

What is the importance of Architectural events (like WAF that is holding us here) worldwide? What are the profits for a city holding this kind of events?

The city becomes alive with high lighting such beacons or monuments of architecture , it takes more of a meaning and becomes more friendly then simply being a foreign city. New networks of civic interaction are hence discovered, and history takes a second chance at being alive..

WAF is important because it networks human genius in the field of architecture and planning, beyond any boundaries. It becomes a melting point where all architects , designers and planners do belong to the same country for a couple of days at least, this solidarity is important.

Accordingly the city that hosts the event becomes center of attraction, for news makers and academies world wide. The city then grafts onto its administrative and economic cultural bodies this sense of pride to host such a pluralistic cultural event. Its sites have to be explored, exhibiting to the world of architecture its genius locci.
This in turn may stimulate further tourism and exchange of material goods and intellectual ones too.

:: - You have created the architectural office “Ahmad Hamid Architects”,  a Cairo-based private interdisciplinary design office providing architectural services for residential and commercial projects, and public spaces, as well as product and furniture design.

How would you characterize modern Islamic architecture, if this term exists?

Modern Islamic architecture in my practise would be encompassing both 'the art of living and the science of well being', theses are my terms to define generally a new paradigm for the 'good life'. This formula is not exclusive to a people than another, with respects to the evident presence of globalization, it would be in universal service to both, man and habitat.

You have dealt with urban and rural projects alike, focusing on the development of context-appropriate, economically-sustainable solutions. In recent years attention turns to green urban regeneration. Do you think that it is imperative for the city or it’s just a new fashion with economic outcomes and covertly interests;

Green approaches to living and more so to the urban quality of life, drives planning and architecture out of an urgent sense of necessity, away from fashion and prevailing trends, it might even be the cause to reverse the fashion and trend as we are beginning to witness now suddenly..in the fashion and design production circles.

You say that your 30 years of architectural practice have been driven by the inextricable relationship between art and architecture, as well as the conviction that the positive influence of art and design extends beyond function, encapsulating an entire mode de vie. How have these ideas influenced your work?

If art & design communicate to 'the sublime' then they do have a positive effect on our being, they can even be therapeutic. This role of design's positive effect is in no way similar to the Victorian moralistic approach of the art & craft movement in England and elsewhere. This is why

I have worded 'the sublime' in relation to the focus of this alloy 'art & design', human life is very multilayered, made of  issues that  are complex to say the least, hence the subtle stimulating role of architecture that is based on this alloy. No direct cause and effect results are to be expected but a long term transformation allowing for the seeds that are germinating through the designs and architecture thus built, to bear fruit eventually.

Humans need tenderness, affection and care, if this is translated through the design disciplines, it is inevitable that society at large can be heart fully touched, accordingly change can be gestated. Even the remote in place or time in men or women can come to unison.

My practice that is based on the 'artisinal design studio', has always indicated for me that harmony results from bringing the latest in science artfully to the assimilative capacity of man, this is nothing but the field of good design, no acrobatics nor somersaults nor shocks of exhibitionism, art and design can be sober, friendly, innovative  and more so even pleasurably memorable.

At the end, can you please provide your personal proposal for 10 buildings (constructed and visitable) which you think as the most important worldwide that someone must visit anyway?

10 buildings that are a must see:

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