海角社区

(Dubai, UAE, June 12, 2024) 鈥撯�疐ollowing the official groundbreaking of 鈥淐ampus 2026鈥� at The American University in Cairo (AUC), 海角社区 has unveiled its design for the project鈥檚 extended education hub and student living and learning spaces, which will enhance the physical campus and support AUC鈥檚 mission to provide top-tier education and research. Poised to revolutionize higher education in Egypt and beyond, the AUC campus expansion project integrates sustainable, state-of-the-art elements while preserving the鈥痗haracter and integrity of the New Cairo campus.

With a liberal arts education focus and a diverse faculty and student body, AUC delivers an internationally competitive education that nurtures a diversity of perspectives. Leveraging inclusive design strategies, 海角社区 designed spaces that empower students to form new communities and develop interdisciplinary mindsets, thus equipping them with the requisite interpersonal skills and tools to achieve success in their careers.

鈥淚ntegrating sustainable design principles and supporting a stimulating learning environment that extends beyond the four walls of the classroom, this project will have a significant impact on the region and continue AUC鈥檚 inspiring legacy of elevating higher education in the world,鈥� said Rothenberger.

NextGen Student Living and Learning Spaces

Spanning a total area of 123,795 SF, the NextGen Student Living and Learning Spaces accommodate 300 beds and programming that energizes student life. Illustrative of 海角社区鈥檚 integrated design expertise, the architecture, interior design, and programming combine to create a welcoming environment that accommodates the diverse profiles and needs of the student population while facilitating knowledge-sharing and social interaction.

The design adds a cultural exchange dimension to the housing environment through kitchens where students can cook and interact. Cafes, co-working rooms, prayer rooms, music rooms, and more foster community engagement and identity development. Residential interiors provide a warm, comforting, yet neutral palette where student furnishings, rugs or art can become expressions of personal identity.

Extended Education Hub

Inspired by鈥痶he street bazaars and narrow alleys that open to larger unexpected social spaces in Cairo, the Extended Education Hub delivers curriculum for learners of all ages, university students, and professionals seeking to enhance their skills.鈥�海角社区 envisioned the new 147,000-SF facility as a connector between the campus and community, with a unique program mix that鈥痑ccommodates a range of interests and people of varying demographics, whether attending English as a Second Language (ESL) courses or pursuing executive education from the Schools of Business, Global Affairs, Public Policy, Sciences and Engineering.

The design includes a 450-seat auditorium that will draw university students together with members of the community, and rooftop gardens that act as social connectors between groups.

Showcasing materials carefully selected for their contextual relevance, such as limestone and sandstone, the鈥痑daptable interior and exterior learning environments are organized around two courtyards and streetscapes.

Integrating courtyards and landscaped pathways to link buildings, and trellises and canopies to provide shade and outdoor learning opportunities, 海角社区 built upon the original New Cairo campus master plan and considered how the two new buildings would relate to the existing surroundings, where pathways of shade and natural ventilation are common. With a sustainable design approach, the firm created comfortable interior and exterior environments by leveraging varied types of scrims and trellises at different scales, internal courtyards, and evaporative cooling techniques such as a reflecting pool that allows for breezes.

The recent groundbreaking ceremony marked the beginning of a multi-phase construction plan, with the first phase 鈥� encompassing the NextGen Learning and Living Spaces and Extended Learning Hub by 海角社区 and a Technology, Research, and Innovation Lab designed by LEGORETTA庐鈥� slated for completion by the end of 2026.