Graduation Project: PACE Automobile Museum

Alexandria University - Faculty of Fine Arts

Project idea

The PACE Automotive Museum is a pioneering cultural initiative designed to introduce Egypt’s first dedicated educational and documentary hub for rare and historical automobiles, directly addressing a critical national void in a market heavily dominated by commercial dealerships and showrooms. The primary goal of this project is to shift the local automotive narrative from pure commerce to academic appreciation and heritage preservation by establishing an immersive, informative visitor journey. By serving as a state-of-the-art center for historical documentation and engineering education, the museum objectives are to cultivate public knowledge, inspire future generations of automotive enthusiasts, and position Egypt as a regional leader in preserving the rich legacy of transportation history.

Project description

The scope of this interior architecture solution encompasses the comprehensive design of a multi-tiered, controlled indoor environment optimized for heritage preservation, historical documentation, and immersive education. The spatial layout is strategically zoned into open, column-free exhibition halls, an interactive automotive timeline ramp, an archival documentary screening zone, a specialized restoration showcase, and auxiliary hospitality amenities such as a themed cafe and a curated gift shop.

A primary technical component of the scope involves total environmental and microclimate control. By purposefully eliminating exterior glass facades, the interior is sealed against Egypt’s harsh, dust-laden winds and thermal radiation. The solution relies on integrated mechanical ventilation and air handling units hidden within the ceiling depths to continuously filter air, regulate relative humidity, and extract rising heat, thereby permanently protecting delicate leather interiors, vintage paintwork, and mechanical parts from degradation.

The lighting and experiential design scope completely replaces unpredictable daylight with a highly calibrated, artificial theater lighting grid. Using precision spot-lighting and integrated linear LEDs, the solution eliminates ambient glare and distracting shadows on the automotive bodies. These integrated light tracks double as subconscious circulation guides, seamlessly directing visitors through the chronological history of automotive engineering while creating a dramatic, high-contrast aesthetic that frames each rare vehicle as a floating piece of technological art.

Technical information

1) Spatial Structure & Structural Form

The combined vertical clearance of the building interior measures 8.4 meters excluding the exterior form, maximizing vertical volume and spatial drama. The ground floor volume features a lofty 5 meter clearance dedicated to the primary exhibition halls, main entrance, and the dramatic Vortex zone. The first floor volume provides a 3.4 meter clearance accommodating the themed cafe, gift shop, and upper viewing decks.

For the structural form, the building utilizes a lightweight, highly rigid Three-Dimensional Steel Space Truss system that forms a continuous structural envelope across both the walls and the roof, allowing for massive, column-free interior spans. The perimeter Space Truss works in tandem with a heavy Reinforced Concrete Shell and two strategic, full-height stabilizing concrete columns that anchor the roof grid, minimizing structural stresses and resisting lateral wind loads. The circulation systems feature an integrated, low-gradient pedestrian ramp bridging the ground floor to the first floor, structurally designed from reinforced concrete to support heavy static vehicle loads and dynamic visitor movement.

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2) Microclimate & Environmental Controls

The envelope strategy utilizes a 100 percent solid, windowless facade configuration to eliminate solar heat gain and completely seal the interior against dust infiltration. High-capacity Air Handling Units are integrated seamlessly into the structural depth voids of the Space Truss walls and ceilings, utilizing a displacement ventilation strategy to extract rising warm air while filtering particulate matter. Atmospheric regulation provides continuous monitoring and control of relative humidity and ambient temperature to prevent the oxidation of chrome, degradation of vintage leathers, and drying of mechanical seals.

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3) Illumination & Visual Systems

The primary lighting features a fully controllable, artificial theater lighting grid utilizing high color rendering index precision spotlights to eliminate body shadows and accurately render vintage paintwork. The orientation lighting consists of recessed, continuous linear LED strips embedded into the floors and ceiling tracks to serve as automated, subconscious circulation guides for visitors. Media integration includes built-in, flush-mounted archival documentary screens and digital timelines synchronized with localized directional audio systems.

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4) Fire Protection & Life Safety

The exhibition zones utilize a localized Clean Agent Gas Suppression System that suppresses fire by oxygen depletion within seconds, leaving zero fluid or chemical residue on the vehicles. The public and hospitality zones use a specialized Pre-Action Water Sprinkler System that requires dual-stage verification via smoke detection followed by heat activation to prevent accidental water discharge. Early detection is handled by high-altitude Beam Detectors calibrated for the expansive, high-ceiling spaces, coupled with automated overhead smoke extraction fans.