ARCADE presentation

ARCADE Arab Research Centre for Architecture and the Design of the Environment Atelier de Recherche & Communication sur l’Archi et le Design de l’Environnement

The Arab World

More than ever the Arab World is loosing day after day the best of its natural and cultural heritage due to globalization, war, ignorance and and lack of ethics. There is an urgent need for a new and dynamic vision in order to face the challenges of the third Millennium while preserving identity and dignity.

CONTINUITY

If past architecture found integrated solutions to the problems of the time, the complexity of our contemporary problems are still not fully grasped today and are generating chaos and monotony. A put once by G. Stein :”Once you got there, there is no there, there.” In fact our cities are facing the imminent danger of loosing what used to or can make them specific and unique. This loss means a rupture with the past, an alienation. We need urgently to elaborate new ways of designing our built environment.

Building for future generations The real challenge in architectural design today is in making the connection between what is already there and what is yet to come. Re-evaluating achievements of the past and addressing the problems of our present can help us finding solutions for the future generations. But we need to assess what is relevant and meaningful, to tackle critical issues and to innovate in the way we design the built environment. Designing for true sustainability can only be achieved by searching for new ways to bridge the gap between what has been done and the shape of things to come.

Arab Research Center for Architecture & Design of the Environment

ARCADE aims to establish Research as the basic tool investigate and develop innovative and sustainable approaches for the built environment. To that purpose it will investigate in depth the traditional architecture in the Arab World and its wealth of solutions focusing on the need for meaningful and integrated solutions.

KSA, UAE and other GCC Countries are competing to build new cities and mega projects such as universities, campuses, museums, libraries etc. And Dubai, the World fastest City, is preparing EXPO 2020, a major universal event. A Research Center on architecture and the design of the environment based in Dubai, mainly in the historic zone of Bastakia, will be an extremely important step towards R&D for the Gulf, the Middle East and North/West Africa.

Building in Dubai a dedicated Architectural Research center for the Arab World

ARCADE MISSION & OBJECTIVES

The Gulf, Middle East and North Africa

I.  Research the built environment with focus on the vernacular architecture II.  Build Data on human settlements, urban fabric and traditional architecture III.  Elaborate innovative approaches to the built environment based on

researching climate and context IV.  Build Communication tools (website, digital and paper magazine

dedicated for AR, books, seminars, conferences) V.   Build Knowledge among students and professional communities VI.   Build bridges with Research Centers worldwide and promoting the richness

of our heritage

Climate responsive design Research strategies

•  Climate and micro-climate investigation

•  Daylight & sunlight •  Passive and active solar •  Ecological insulation •  Natural ventilation •  Passive Heating & Cooling •  Recyclable Materials •  Smart Openings •  Inner spaces: Courtyards, Atrium

etc •  Peripheral and buffer spaces:

verandas, loggias, etc. •  Wind Towers •  Architectural screens, brise-soleil •  Etc.

Context responsive design Research strategies

• Environmental and ecological framework • Energy, water and waste • Site investigation • Building form & morphology • Building fabric • Responsive design strategies • Cost of material production, recycling etc. • Building process • Building structure • Building skin

• Roof • External walls • Openings

• Floors and internal walls • Etc.

Architectural photography has the power of interpreting reality and suggesting new visions. ARCADE will continue the huge task of recording artistically and methodologically what is left of the Heritage in the Arab World with focus on the Gulf, in order to preserve the memory of these settings for future generations and communicate images worldwide for researchers. The photo studio will be one of the major tool for R&D.

RECORD THE BUILT, NATURAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

Designing for sustainability Less aesthetics, more ethics

• Preservation of nature: new regulations concerning quality of air, water and soil in order to protect what is left of the basic resources worlwide • Preservation of the architectural heritage: reinforce design authorities at the municipal level in order to elaborate new strategies and updated construction laws for our villages and cities. • New strategies necessary for our survival: using materials that are eco-friendly, recyclable, non-damaging to the natural site where the building is to be erected and to sites where the materials came from, etc.

ARCADE Samir Nicolas SADDI Founder & Director

I.  40 years of international experience in design and management of large-scale projects in

Lebanon, France, Canada, KSA, Qatar and UAE. II.  40 year of experience in architectural photography. Has documented architecture and human

settlements in Africa, North America, Europe and the Arab World. III.  Experience in teaching architectural design and research, has lectured at many schools of

architecture in Lebanon and Canada. IV.  Collaborated with renown organizations such as Centre Pompidou Centre in Paris, the Aga Khan

Foundation in Geneva, ADA in Riyadh, Solidere in Lebanon etc. V.  Published in many books and magazines worldwide. VI.  ARCADE is registered in Canada in 1990 and in Lebanon in 2000

RESEARCH & PUBLICATION ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORK

West & North Africa, the Middle East and the Gulf

ARCHITECTURE IN WEST AND NORTH AFRICA:CROSSING of AFRICA Through

the SAHARA in 1978 IVORY COAST, Mali, BURKINA FASO, NIGER, Algeria & MOROCCO

ARCADE VISUAL LIBRARY Samir N. SADDI photographer

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

SAUDI ARABIA, QATAR, UAE, BAHRAIN & YEMEN


VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IN UAE-DUBAI


CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE in the GCC:

KSA, UAE,Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain RECONSTRUCTION OF BEIRUT CENTRAL DISTRICT

LEBANON


OLD CITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

JEDDAH, SANA’A, CAIRO, ISFAHAN


DOCUMENTING ARCHITECTURE

IN ISLAMIC SOCIETIES PAKISTAN, IRAN, JORDAN & TURKEY

WORKING WITH THE AGA KHAN FOUNDATION


RESEARCHING ARCHITECTURE CONFERENCES, Published photos on Architecture

BOOKS in preparation

MAJOR THEMATIC PHOTO EXHIBITIONS

Belgium, France, Lebanon, Canada, Saudi Arabia & Qatar

ARCADE has built over thirty years a consistent image library of more than 20,000 images of historical, vernacular & contemporary architecture worldwide including:

•  North America (USA, Canada) •  Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Greece

etc.) •  Western Africa (Ivory Coast, Mali,

Burkina Faso, Niger) •  North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia,

Egypt) •  The Middle East (Lebanon, Syria,

Jordan) •  The Gulf (Saudi Arabia, the Emirates,

Yemen, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar)

ARCADE Image Library

Samir Nicolas SADDI PORTFOLIO ARCHITECTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY & RESEARCH

1974-2014

Samir Nicolas SADDI

Architect registered in Lebanon (1975) and Canada (1990) Designed projects in Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Canada and Saudi Arabia

Lectured in 2 schools of Architecture during 7 years Founded ARCADE or Arab Research Centre for Arachitecture and Design of

the Environment in Canada in 1990 40 years of Architectural Photography

Managing the design and construction of Museum projects in the Arab World since 2004

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN LEBANON, CANADA & KSA MAJOR PROJECTS 1980-2000

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS Japan, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon

AWARDS:INTERNATIONAL WINTER CITIES COMPETITION

FIRST PRIZE & AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 1990

MAJOR CULTURAL & MUSEUM PROJECTS STATE OF QATAR 2004-2008

CLIENT: QATAR MUSEUMS AUTHORITY

Sheikha Mayassa Al Thani, Chairperson

Museum of Islamic Art, IM Pei architect National photography Museum, Santiago Calatrava architect

QATAR National Library, Arata Isozaki architect National Museum, Atelier Jean Nouvel architect

Position: Qatar Petroleum Lead Engineer, in charge of QMA projects

MAJOR EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

CLIENT: QATAR FOUNDATION CHAIRPERSON: Sheikha Moza

Qatar Leadership Academy, Roger Tallibert architect

Convention centre, Arata Isozaki architect Texas A&M & Carnegie Melon, Legoretta architect

WORKING WITH SIGNATURE ARCHITECTS ATELIER JEAN NOUVEL

QATAR & UAE 2002-2010

WORKING WITH SIGNATURE ARCHITECTS ARATA ISOZAKI & ASSOCIATES

DOHA 2002-2005

WORKING WITH SIGNATURE ARCHITECTS I.M. PEI

QATAR 2004-2008

MAJOR MUSEUMS & CULTURAL PROJECT IN QATAR

NCCAH & QATAR MUSEUMS AUTHORITY

Museum of Islamic Art, IM Pei architect MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART IN NUMBERS

•  Man made peninsula:6ha •  Building GA:45,000 sqm •  Height: 63 m •  Length: 186m •  Width: 66m •  Bridge: 50m •  Palm Trees: 392 •  Permanent Galleries on 3 levels: 5000 sqm •  Temporaray Gallery:700 sqm •  Educational space: 600 sqm •  Mediathèque:2700 sqm •  Auditorium: 300 sqm •  Book/Giftshop: 300 sqm •  Restaurant: 700 sqm •  Conservation labs: 1060 sqm •  Art Storage: 1700 sqm •  Nbre of Galleries: 18 •  Nbre of showcases: 392 •  Lighting fixtures: 1600 •  Fibre optics: 32 km •  Collection: 2500 artifacts and growing

THE NEW QATAR NATIONAL MUSEUM Atelier Jean Nouvel, architect

DOHA 2002-2014, project IN CONSTRUCTION

Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum

Zayed National Museum

Guggenheim Museum

Promote Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Cultural District as an International Cultural destination for cultural awareness and education for future generations

MAJOR CULTURAL & MUSEUM PROJECTS UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 2009-2010

Client: TOURISM & DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY (TDIC)

Guggenheim Museum, Frank Gehry architect

Zayed National Museum, Norman Foster architect Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, Atelier Jean Nouvel architect

Position: (AECOM) Director

Base Building and Museography Design and construction

THE LOUVRE ABU DHABI MUSEUM Atelier Jean Nouvel, architect

UAE 2007-2015, project IN CONSTRUCTION


Kingdom of Saudi Arabia King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture

Snohetta, designer Lord Cultural Resources, Museum Consultant


Beirut National Museum Basement Samir N. Saddi, exhibition designer

MUSEUM OF EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATIONS ARCHITECT ARATA ISOZAKI & ASSOCIATES

CAIRO, EGYPT


Baalbeck Festival Museum-Lebanon Zaha Hadid, Museum Consultant

Samir Nicolas SADDI, Project Director


“Banque du Liban” Money Museum-Lebanon Lord Cultural Resources, Museum Consultant

Samir Nicolas SADDI, Project Director

Documents

ARCADE presentation