GEN-Rashid

Project idea

“Gen-Rashid” is a Heritage Restoration Hub in New-Rashid that acts as a cultural landmark dedicated to the revival of Rashid’s roots of heritage. Strategically located along the Nile, the project brings together restoration, research, and community participation to safeguard and celebrate the city’s rich historical identity. The hub serves as a bridge between the past and the future, ensuring that Rashid’s legacy continues to inspire generations to come.

Project description

The Heritage Restoration Hub offers a comprehensive solution to the challenges facing Rashid’s cultural heritage by addressing conservation, awareness, and community activation. The exhibition building acts as an educational gateway, making heritage accessible through curated displays and interactive storytelling. The research and restoration center provides a professional environment for studying, documenting, and restoring historical structures using informed, context-sensitive methods. Meanwhile, the community engagement building empowers local youth and artisans through workshops, training, and participatory programs that ensure continuity of traditional knowledge. Together, these typologies form an integrated approach that not only preserves heritage but also ensures achieving cultural resilience in Rashid

Technical information

The Heritage Restoration Hub is constructed using a mixed structural system that combines reinforced concrete and traditional masonry to balance durability with contextual sensitivity. A unifying lightweight concrete shell spans across the three main buildings, forming shaded, semi-outdoor connections and enhancing spatial continuity.For the sub-basement level adjacent to the Nile, a specialized waterproofing system was used: standard brick walls are backed by a continuous wall of 30 cm diameter reinforced concrete piles placed tightly together to prevent water ingress. It is further protected by an insulation and waterproofing layer, ensuring durability and resistance to Nile-related moisture challenges.