Smart Village Pavilion, Cairo

Thirty minutes to the west of downtown Cairo, a short distance from the desert and the banks of the Nile, Egypt’s first technology business park is a swirl of futuristic-shaped buildings set amongst lush parkland. Spread over some 450 acres, 67 office units housing 30,000 employees and a swathe of support services – from convention centre to shopping mall, sports club to hotel, school to restaurants – it is designed to create a calm atmosphere conductive to creativity. Hence, buildings, which are arranged in organic clusters, cover only 10% of the site.

Buildings are strong, geometric or sculptural shapes of concrete, steel and glass, subtly contrasted with facings of local stone. The Pavilion, a visitor centre and meeting hall, is typical of the bold architectural design; a glass box suspended from a central tower, two sides dramatically angled outwards to give panoramic views over the ‘village’.

Type of Building: Office

Architect: EGG (Egyption Consulting Group)

Brand: Interpon D1036