AL-MAHATTA

Project idea

Al Mahatta is a logistics and storage center inspired by the rich trading history of El Quseir, a city shaped by commerce since the Pharaonic era. The project reimagines the architectural language of El Quseir’s historic fortress, once a caravanserai, integrating its spatial logic into a modern, automated storage wall system that reduces space use by up to 90% and minimizes human error.

The design goal is to merge cultural identity with technical innovation, creating a functional and symbolic “station” where tradition meets future-forward logistics. Al Mahatta stands as both a practical infrastructure and a tribute to the city’s enduring role in regional trade

Project description

Al Mahatta is organized around two primary zones: the automated logistics core and the public cultural interface. Together, they form a unified architectural system that blends advanced storage technology with the heritage of El Quseir.

The technical core features a vertically layered, track-based storage wall equipped with robotic shuttles that scan, sort, and retrieve items with precision. Smart shelving units adjust based on size, weight, and required conditions, enabling up to 90% space savings and reducing human error. Climate-controlled compartments and real-time environmental monitoring ensure safe storage of sensitive materials like textiles, perishables, or electronics.

Architecturally, the system is enclosed within perimeter storage walls inspired by the thick defensive boundaries of El Quseir’s historic fortress. These walls serve both structural and logistical roles—housing the automated system while echoing the city’s defensive trade architecture.

The public interface zone opens the project to its cultural context. It includes a display area for local products, a multipurpose event hall, and an exhibition corridor that reveals parts of the wall’s operation. A shaded courtyard, derived from caravanserai spatial logic, anchors the complex as a modern “station” of exchange

Technical information

The structural system of Al Mahatta is based on a steel frame construction, allowing for large open spans, modular integration, and lightweight flexibility suited to industrial logistics. A regular grid of steel columns and beams supports the facility, with steel decking and composite slab flooring used in major zones to facilitate easy service routing and mechanical integration.

The automated vertical storage wall, a multi-tiered track-based system built into a reinforced steel skeleton. This structure contains robotic shuttles that move along horizontal and vertical rails to scan, store, and retrieve items with precision. Each unit is composed of smart shelving modules—made from lightweight metal alloys with adjustable configurations that respond to the dimensions and sensitivity of stored goods. This design increases efficiency by saving up to 90% of floor area, while reducing labor demand and physical error by over 70%.

Environmental control is managed through a network of embedded HVAC systems and sensor technologies integrated into the storage wall panels . Independent micro-climate zones are created within shelving modules to store specialized items like textiles, perishables, or electronics. Sensors monitor temperature, humidity, air flow, and light exposure in real time, while backup generators and battery systems ensure operational continuity during outages.

The system is operated by a central AI-powered control unit, which receives data from intake scans and allocates storage locations based on frequency, fragility, and storage conditions. Machine learning algorithms optimize the storage behavior over time and predict maintenance needs to minimize system downtime. Items enter the system via automated docking bays, where they are scanned, categorized, and assigned a location within the matrix.