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Bab al-Luq Market in Cairo was designed to be bright, legible, and hygienic—then decades of add-ons and wear turned it into a dim, confusing interior. This proposal makes one clear move: a parametric double-skin roof that diffuses daylight and defines a readable circulation spine. Location: Cairo, Egypt Climate: Hot, dry, sunny Typology: Historic market hall … Read more
This project aims to revive and appreciate the beauty of the historical Bab al-Luq Market and to give it it’s former glory. This project explores the historic Bab al-Luq Market, aiming to celebrate its architectural beauty and restore its presence within the city. The proposal focuses on revealing the original steel structure, reconnecting it to … Read more
Faraj ba’d Shiddah Market is a reimagination of Bab al-Luq market in Cairo, Egypt, that explores a compression-to-relief multilevel shopping and community space with parametrically lofted hexagonal tessellations that plays with light and shadow. Inspiration The initial idea transforms Bab al-Luq through a journey of compression and release—visitors navigate through shadowed tunnel entrances lined with … Read more
Turquoise Revealed: A restrained exterior gives way to a bold turquoise core, emerging with the same unmistakable confidence as a hidden signature: subtle at first glance, unforgettable once seen. INTRODUCTION I recently finished my final Complex Forming project, and I’m excited to share the design journey! This project focuses on revitalizing an existing traditional market, … Read more
//DESIGN CONCEPT & EARLY EXPLORATIONS //COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN SYSTEM First Sine Roof Iteration First Column Iteration //FORM FINDING PROCESS AND LESSONS LERANED Second Canopy Columns Iteration Final Sine Roof Iteration The sine roof form was developed through an iterative form-finding process using both sine and inverted sine curves. By culling index points from each curve and … Read more
The project focuses on the transformation of the historic Bab al-Luq Market in Cairo, Egypt. Built in 1912 and inspired by Paris’ Les Halles, the market was distinguished by its accessibility, natural light, hygiene, and spatial organization. Despite continuous use, decades of deterioration have reduced its architectural and spatial potential. The project aims to reactivate … Read more
Bab al-Luq Market – Cairo, Egypt The ‘Diffused Skin Market’ project aims to cool down the market space without closing it off. The goal was to create a ‘diffusion filter” skin, that drops the temperature but keeps that vibrant natural light that vendors need to sell their products. The challenge when analyzing the place, wasn’t … Read more
Conceptual Framework The Project explores a contemporary dialogue between past and present by enveloping a historic steel truss within a soft, inflated architectural skin. Inspired by the playful curves and buoyancy of balloon art, the installation introduces a layer of translucent, geometric “bubble wrap” forms that gently overgrow the rigid industrial structure beneath. Rather than … Read more
The project Reviving Bab Al-Louq explores the relationship between historical urban fabric and contemporary architectural intervention through the notion of contrast. Rather than replicating or mimicking the existing historical language, the proposal aims to create a clear spatial and material distinction that enhances the perception of the existing structure while introducing a new architectural layer. … Read more
// Introduction Bab El Louk is a historic market in central Cairo, built during the early Khedival expansion. Its steel structure and brick envelope made it an important commercial hub serving the surrounding dense neighborhoods. Today, the area around it feels monotone, heavy, and visually uniform, with little variation in form or public space. Because … Read more
“ The reason why the Universe is eternal is that it does not live for itself; it gives life to others as it transforms” – Lao Tzu Design Concept The roof design draws from the spatial logic of the Giza pyramids. By mapping their positions, I set anchor points that generate three conic roof forms … Read more
Bab al-Luq Reimagined: Computation, Climate, and Cultural Memory This project approaches the Bab al-Luq Market not as a blank surface for formal experimentation, but as a site layered with climatic intelligence and symbolic meaning. Its proposal is rooted in two elements deeply embedded in Cairene architectural and cultural memory: the malqaf and the lotus flower. … Read more
I am excited to share The Veil of Bab Al-Luq, an architectural intervention designed by Sushmitha Ravi that reimagines the historic Bab Al-Luq Market in Downtown Cairo. The project seeks to restore the vibrancy of this iconic urban space by actively addressing its most urgent environmental challenge—the intense heat of Cairo’s hot, dry climate—through integrated … Read more
// Introduction Let’s be honest: when we talk about reviving historic sites, the conversation usually goes one of two ways. Either we treat the building like a museum piece that can never be touched, or we drop a cold, glass-and-steel box in the middle of it and call it “modern.” For the Bab al-Luq market … Read more
The “sedimented light” effect created by the lattice, filtering sunlight into the market below . Introduction – More Than Just a Roof In the dense historic fabric of Cairo, light is both a blessing and a burden. The Luminous Stratum proposes a new architectural language that negotiates this relationship – a “volume of sedimented light” … Read more
