Museum Plan
GME---THE BUILDING AND MASTERPLAN--A CONTINUOUS MONUMENTAL LANDSCAPE.
Site plan
GEM Landscape Plan
GEM --- a museum that takes the entire landscape as a gallery area to trace the ancient history of Egypt .
The functional areas and spatial sectors for GEM have been identified with reference to the various activities corresponding to the requirements of users and staff, and to fulfill the objectives of the project. The total area of the development (indoor – outdoor) is estimated to cover 480,000 square meters.
The new museum complex is extremely flexible and suitable for permanent and temporary exhibitions with an attendance up to 15,000 visitors per day.
The Grand Egyptian Museum is a complex of buildings and landscape with one identity. The Master plan geometry structures the site at all scales from site plan to exhibition show cases, such that navigation within the complex is straightforward. The Landscape displays a number of thematic parks cafes and restaurants that act as an entertainment and enjoyable resting places. This concept extends beyond site boundaries as the main building is structured by the sight line from the site to the pyramids. The main building comprises various exhibition spaces, library, mediatheque, education centre, conference centre and retail but is represented externally by one coherent surface-The Translucent Stone Wall. On approach to the site from Cairo , the Stone Wall captures visitors ’ attention and will be appreciated with reference to the pyramids. This wall is the iconographic identity for the entire complex.
On descent from the Esplanade, the visitor enters the Piazza. This space is the threshold between city and museum. The geometry generates a fold in the Iconic Wall that is the gateway into the main building. The architecture guides all visitors through this single entrance.
Ramses II is the first point of reference within the Entrance Court . This shaded external space serves to orientate visitors to their desired destination.
The GEM is designed in such a manner to create a world class building capable of demonstrating the progress, evolution and development of the Egyptian Civilization. The technological infrastructure of the complex allows for the creation of modern archives and a library capable of facilitating the management, maintenance, and preservation of the collection, as well as research-related activities.
The communication environment provides the potential for linkages with other museums at both the national and international levels, thus expanding the number of potential visitors to the complex. Virtual display of the museum's collection are intended to be reciprocal where collections from other international museums should be displayed in-house it is considered the first global virtual museum.