RIFT

Idea projektu

This project responds to the urgent water scarcity in El Quseir, a coastal city with immense but underutilized potential for therapeutic tourism due to its natural healing resources.
Titled “RIFT”, the project symbolizes a breakthrough " like water piercing through arid land" where architecture becomes a force for both environmental repair and human recovery.
The design is structured along a central spine, and at its heart rises a series of mountain fragments, The project’s key biophilic element. These sculptural landforms are not only spatial dividers but also sensory and emotional anchors, offering serene, natural spaces that encourage mental calm, reflection, and healing.
A nearby atmospheric water-harvesting tower supplies the center with clean water, extending its benefit to the surrounding community through local distribution stations — reinforcing the project’s role as a public and environmental asset.
“RIFT” seeks to merge nature, wellness, and innovation, Transforming the site into a sanctuary for both body and land.

Popis projektu

This project consists of a medical tourism center structured along a central spine, which organizes movement and experience across the site. The design is divided into zones that address both physical and mental health, creating a holistic healing environment.
Physical Health Zones:
• Hydrotherapy and Thalassotherapy: Spaces that utilize mineral-rich and seawater treatments to promote circulation, joint recovery, and detoxification.
• Sauna and Wellness Facilities: To support physical detox and relaxation through heat therapy.
• Clinics and Consultation Rooms: For personalized medical care and therapeutic treatment.
• Accommodation Area: Providing restful spaces for recovery and extended healing stays.
Mental Health & Well-being Zones:
• Sand Therapy & Meditation Area: Inspired by the natural desert environment to support mindfulness and emotional balance.
• Healing Library: A quiet, reflective space offering knowledge resources and guided mental wellness programs.
Each of these zones is integrated into a biophilic design approach, where the natural surroundings — including mountain-like landscape elements and a humidity-harvesting tower — enhance both functionality and serenity. The central spine physically connects these spaces while symbolically unifying the project’s mission of complete well-being.

Technické informace

The project’s structure blends traditional materials and advanced environmental systems to address both climatic and regional challenges in Qussier. The building’s normal walls are constructed using local stones, offering high thermal mass, insulation, and a strong sense of place that reflects the desert and mountainous context. This approach minimizes embodied carbon and enhances indoor comfort in the harsh Red Sea climate.
Anchored along both sides of the central rift spine are mountains structural elements massive stone and earth formations that are embedded deep into the ground. These components are not only sculptural and symbolic, but also functional: they provide natural insulation, thermal stability, and create immersive, biophilic healing zones. The tactile materiality of these mountain pieces evokes emotional grounding and spatial calm.
At the core of the project’s sustainability strategy are the Steel Water Harvesting Towers, A vertical infrastructure system that captures and distributes water from the atmosphere. Each tower includes the following components:
1. Steel Anchor Base: Reinforced concrete base with steel anchor bolts ensures stability against lateral wind loads and uplift.
2. Steel Mesh Framework: Functions as both structure and condensation surface, holding the tower vertically and enabling moisture collection.
3. Hydrophilic Mesh Layer: Positioned inside the steel mesh, it captures humidity and transforms it into water droplets.
4. Palm Frond Cladding: Provides external shading and cooling, using local, biodegradable materials.
5. Spiral Steel Staircase: Embedded into the tower core for maintenance access and structural support.
6. Sound Vibration System: Installed within the mesh layer, this system emits low-frequency pulses that accelerate the condensation process by agitating moisture in the air.
Water Capture & Distribution Process:
• Condensation Phase: Air humidity condenses on the hygroscopic mesh and drips downward.
• Collection Phase: Water is directed to a dedicated tank beneath each tower.
• Transfer Phase: Collected water is routed via underground pipelines to a central storage tank.
• Distribution Phase: A pressurized pump system circulates water throughout the building for:
• Hydrotherapy pools
• Interior garden irrigation
• Cleaning and cooling systems
• Excess Distribution: Surplus water is distributed to the Qussier community via:
• Water trucks to nearby areas
• Drone refill stations for remote delivery
Together, these systems make the building self-sufficient in water, while contributing to the public water supply in an area facing extreme scarcity. The integration of mountain, stone, and steel creates not just a building, but a healing landscape—resilient, poetic, and regenerative.