Halawa House

Last updated April 05, 2019

The Halawa House or Agamy Beach House is a house located in Agami, Egypt that incorporates traditional Islamic and Egyptian prototypes. The project was completed in 1975 by Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil and was among the first recipients of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1980.^[1] It is named after the project's client, Esmat Ahmed Halawa. The project was conceived as a method to bridge traditional forms and indigenous elements into a functional design for modern living.

Agami is a city in the Alexandria Governorate of Egypt. Situated 20 km west of Alexandria, the town is a popular destination for both local Alexandrians and tourists in Giza and Cairo.

Egypt, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt is a Mediterranean country bordered by the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south, and Libya to the west. Across the Gulf of Aqaba lies Jordan, across the Red Sea lies Saudi Arabia, and across the Mediterranean lie Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, although none share a land border with Egypt.

Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion teaching that there is only one God, and that Muhammad is the messenger of God. It is the world's second-largest religion with over 1.8 billion followers or 24% of the world's population, most commonly known as Muslims. Muslims make up a majority of the population in 50 countries. Islam teaches that God is merciful, all-powerful, unique and has guided humankind through prophets, revealed scriptures and natural signs. The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran, viewed by Muslims as the verbatim word of God, and the teachings and normative example of Muhammad.

History

Agami is a seaside resort near Alexandria. Most of the housing projects in the area were bungalows of a low standard of quality. Running water and electricity are available, but no sewage. As the area is generally populated by the Bedouins, who have limited knowledge of the construction trade. Over time, plot sizes have generally shrunk, leading to limits on privacy.

Alexandria is the second-largest city in Egypt and a major economic centre, extending about 32 km (20 mi) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country. Its low elevation on the Nile delta makes it highly vulnerable to rising sea levels. Alexandria is an important industrial center because of its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez. Alexandria is also a popular tourist destination.

Design and construction

The house is built on a narrow plot of land, which is consistent with plot sizes in Agami. Although usually considered a disadvantage, the architect used the courtyard area as the focus of the house in order to maintain a level of privacy. The internal structure of the house is sparsely furnished in order to enhance a feeling of space within the narrow plot. The house is built from various materials, which re-enforce the theme of the bridging of the traditional and modern. These elements include reinforced concrete strip foundations, local limestone walls and red bricks for the arches. In addition to the courtyard and its fountain, the house has a loggia (a gallery or room with one or more open sides, especially one that forms part of a house and has one side open to the garden), a wind catch, alcoves, masonry benches and a belvedere (a summerhouse or open-sided gallery, commanding a fine view).^[2] The technology for the construction was low, with most of the workforce being local Bedouins. The only skilled labour on the project were the master mason, the plasterer and carpenter.^[3]

A loggia is an architectural feature which is a covered exterior gallery or corridor usually on an upper level, or sometimes ground level. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns or arches. Loggias can be located either on the front or side of a building and are not meant for entrance but as an out-of-door sitting room.

A belvedere or belvidere is an architectural structure sited to take advantage of a fine or scenic view. While a belvedere may be built in the upper part of a building the actual structure can be of any form, whether a turret, a cupola, or an open gallery. Or it may be a separate pavilion in a garden, or the term may be used for a paved terrace with a good viewpoint, but no actual building.

Timeline and cost

The project was initiated in 1972 and construction commenced in January 1974. The project was completed in April 1975 and first occupancy in July of the same year. The project encountered minor delays, due to labour issues and late deliveries of carpentry materials. The complete cost for labour and materials was US $29,000.

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References

External links

Halawa House Project Brief - drawings, photos and description submitted for the Aga Khan Award

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[1] ttp://stressedelements.typepad.com/stressed_elements/2008/11/middle-eastern-architect-wins-driehaus-prize.html

[2] ttp://muslimheritage.com/topics/default.cfm?ArticleID=1170#ftn3

[3] ttps://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=119