Architecture—09 / 24

Imkan Sales Center

Cairo, Egypt/Sales centre/2021 — 2022/Alchemy Design Studio

Five elements translated into architecture — courtyards, shaded paths, water features and framed views for a building whose job is persuasion.

Imkan Sales Center — A broad circular roof gathers the pavilion around a shared centre, visible from the approach. — 01A broad circular roof gathers the pavilion around a shared centre, visible from the approach.

Location: Cairo, Egypt
Year: 2021 — 2022
Sector: Commercial
Scope: Concept design — RIBA Stages 1–3
Status: Competition entry

My contribution

My role: Senior Design Architect
Responsibility: Concept design — RIBA Stages 1–3

Key contributions

Led RIBA Stages 1–3 concept work
Translated the wellness narrative into built elements
Developed layout and zoning
Led the architectural coordination file
Led material, FF&E and art direction

The project

A sales centre has minutes to convince, so the sequence was designed as an experience rather than a showroom. Air, water, light, greenery and sound each take architectural form: courtyards that cool, shaded paths that slow the walk, water that carries sound, and views framed at the moments where a decision is made.

Public sales areas, galleries, wellness functions and support spaces are zoned so the journey never doubles back, with interior, landscape, lighting and branding inputs aligned in one coordination file.

Imkan Sales Center — The spaces between buildings shape the visit, making the journey through the site part of the sales experience. — 02The spaces between buildings shape the visit, making the journey through the site part of the sales experience.

Imkan Sales Center — The entrance landmark establishes an address before the visitor enters the garden sequence. — 03The entrance landmark establishes an address before the visitor enters the garden sequence.

Imkan Sales Center — The pavilion remains open to the landscape on every side, keeping the sales journey outward-looking. — 04The pavilion remains open to the landscape on every side, keeping the sales journey outward-looking.

04The pavilion remains open to the landscape on every side, keeping the sales journey outward-looking.

Imkan Sales Center — An arched opening turns the passage between buildings into a distinct threshold. — 05An arched opening turns the passage between buildings into a distinct threshold.

Imkan Sales Center — Deep fins divide the façade into sheltered bays beside the water court. — 06Deep fins divide the façade into sheltered bays beside the water court.

Imkan Sales Center — Walking and sitting overlap along the water, allowing visitors to set their own pace. — 07Walking and sitting overlap along the water, allowing visitors to set their own pace.

07Walking and sitting overlap along the water, allowing visitors to set their own pace.

Imkan Sales Center — Garden seating introduces a pause between the presentation spaces. — 08Garden seating introduces a pause between the presentation spaces.

Imkan Sales Center — Paths, water and planted islands organise the garden as carefully as the rooms inside. — 09Paths, water and planted islands organise the garden as carefully as the rooms inside.

Imkan Sales Center — The restaurant's roof extends beyond its enclosure to shelter the surrounding terrace. — 10The restaurant's roof extends beyond its enclosure to shelter the surrounding terrace.

Imkan Sales Center — Water brings distance and reflected light to the threshold of the glazed rooms. — 11Water brings distance and reflected light to the threshold of the glazed rooms.

Imkan Sales Center — The sculpted pods provide smaller retreats within the open garden. — 12The sculpted pods provide smaller retreats within the open garden.

12The sculpted pods provide smaller retreats within the open garden.

Imkan Sales Center — A single spine connects the working spaces with the pavilion, dining and garden destinations. — 13A single spine connects the working spaces with the pavilion, dining and garden destinations.

Imkan Sales Center — The entrance marker remains visible at dusk without making the whole façade a sign. — 14The entrance marker remains visible at dusk without making the whole façade a sign.

Imkan Sales Center — Light along the water and columns continues the visitor route into the evening. — 15Light along the water and columns continues the visitor route into the evening.

15Light along the water and columns continues the visitor route into the evening.

Imkan Sales Center — Illuminated recesses reveal the depth of the fins after daylight fades. — 16Illuminated recesses reveal the depth of the fins after daylight fades.

Imkan Sales Center — The restaurant and terrace share an outlook across the water as day turns to evening. — 17The restaurant and terrace share an outlook across the water as day turns to evening.

Imkan Sales Center — Lighting concentrates on trees and paths, keeping the garden's quieter spaces in shadow. — 18Lighting concentrates on trees and paths, keeping the garden's quieter spaces in shadow.

18Lighting concentrates on trees and paths, keeping the garden's quieter spaces in shadow.

“A building whose job is persuasion.”

Imkan Sales Center — Planted seating under a skylight introduces the landscape experience at the point of arrival. — 19Planted seating under a skylight introduces the landscape experience at the point of arrival.

Imkan Sales Center — A clear view beyond reception keeps the entrance desk from becoming a visual barrier. — 20A clear view beyond reception keeps the entrance desk from becoming a visual barrier.

Imkan Sales Center — Repeated vaults establish a rhythm for dining, with the garden visible through the final arch. — 21Repeated vaults establish a rhythm for dining, with the garden visible through the final arch.

Imkan Sales Center — The bar becomes a meeting point between the dining room and its garden frontage. — 22The bar becomes a meeting point between the dining room and its garden frontage.

Imkan Sales Center — The model and stair share the pavilion's central volume, making circulation part of the presentation. — 23The model and stair share the pavilion's central volume, making circulation part of the presentation.

Imkan Sales Center — Freestanding displays let visitors move between project information and views of the landscape. — 24Freestanding displays let visitors move between project information and views of the landscape.

Imkan Sales Center — Stepped seating supports presentations while leaving room for informal conversation at its base. — 25Stepped seating supports presentations while leaving room for informal conversation at its base.

25Stepped seating supports presentations while leaving room for informal conversation at its base.

Imkan Sales Center — The wellness programme has a dedicated setting, carrying the project's emphasis on retreat into daily use. — 26The wellness programme has a dedicated setting, carrying the project's emphasis on retreat into daily use.

26The wellness programme has a dedicated setting, carrying the project's emphasis on retreat into daily use.

Process

Early-stage layout translating the wellness narrative — air, water, light, greenery, sound — into courtyards, shaded paths, water features and framed views for the sales and gallery spaces.

The programme, unfolded

An exploded reading of the site separates social spaces from arrival and administration. These are programme layers of the same site, not additional storeys.

DWG 01One address, several reasons to stay: arrival, work and hospitality share a garden spine.

Plan and zoning

1,435 m² built up: administration 600 m², restaurant 210 m², pavilion and social 205 m², entrance 170 m², theatre 140 m², wellness 110 m², and parking for 40 cars — strung along a single spine from the car park to the garden.

DWG 02Zoning plan — sales, administration and hospitality are arranged as connected parts of the visitor experience.
DWG 03Site plan — courtyards and water spaces separate the enclosed rooms along the pavilion's length.

Colophon

Location: Cairo, Egypt
Year: 2021 — 2022
Sector: Commercial
Typology: Sales centre
Scope: Concept design — RIBA Stages 1–3
Status: Competition entry
Role: Senior Design Architect
Client: Imkan Misr
Storeys: G+1 / Masterplan
Software: AutoCAD, Revit, Adobe CC