Omar Harb

advisor

USEK - Holy spirit University of Kaslik

Lebanon

As an architect and founder of Omar Harb Architects & Associates, my work centers on creating… more

Project ID 7218, titled "Rialto Center: Film School and Cinema" by Nour Atif, is a sophisticated adaptive reuse project located in Alexandria, Egypt. It addresses the tragic demolition of the historic 1930s Rialto Cinema by repurposing the remaining 10% of the structure into a contemporary cultural hub.

1. Project Evaluation
A. Conceptual Strength: Architecture as Palimpsest

Strengths: The use of "Architecture Palimpsest" is a brilliant conceptual driver. By treating the remaining Art Deco walls not as ruins, but as layers to be built upon, you honor Alexandria's cinematic history without falling into "nostalgic mimicry."

Symbolism: Moving the "Private" (Film School) and "Public" (Cinema/Exhibition) functions into separate but connected masses effectively mirrors the duality of film: the private act of creation and the public act of viewing.

B. Materiality and Environment

Strengths: The choice of Polycarbonate as a primary material is a bold contemporary contrast to the heavy Art Deco masonry. It allows for a "light, minimalist" presence that respects the surrounding historical fabric while providing an environmental buffer.

Urban Logic: Keeping the entrance in its original historical location is a vital psychological link for the local community, preserving the "mental map" of the city.

C. Programmatic Social Impact

Strengths: Bridging the gap between "Award-winning elusive films" and the general public, while providing a school for local talent, turns the building into a functional engine for cultural revival, not just a museum.

I. The "Light" vs. "Heavy" Detail
Suggestion: The jury will be very interested in the exact junction where the new polycarbonate skin meets the original 1930s masonry.

Refinement: Provide a 1:20 technical detail of the "Historical-Contemporary Interface." Show how the polycarbonate is framed and how it "kisses" the old Art Deco walls. If you use a gap or a shadow gap, highlight this—it demonstrates a high level of "surgical" architectural skill.

II. Polycarbonate and the Alexandrian Climate
Suggestion: Polycarbonate can lead to significant heat gain in the Mediterranean sun of Alexandria.

Refinement: Explicitly document the Double-Skin or Ventilation strategy. Show how air circulates between the polycarbonate layer and the inner structural wall to cool the building naturally. This transforms your material choice from a purely aesthetic one to a sustainable, technical solution.

III. The "Cinematic" Interior Experience
Suggestion: Since the project is a film school, the interior should feel "filmic."

Refinement: Use the polycarbonate to create dynamic lighting effects inside. Show how the shadows of people moving through the corridors are projected onto the translucent walls, turning the building itself into a "movie screen" for the street. In your renders, focus on the "Sequence of Spaces"—the journey from the bright public entrance into the controlled "darkness" of the cinema.

IV. Urban Context and "The Void"
Suggestion: 90% of the site was demolished, creating a massive urban void.

Refinement: Ensure your master plan addresses the "Negative Space." If there is an outdoor area between the public and private masses, design it as an "Outdoor Cinema" or "Plaza of the Stars." This reclaim the space for the city, proving that the Rialto Center is an urban healer, not just a building.

V. Heritage Archiving as Interior Design
Suggestion: You mentioned documenting "oral histories and anecdotes."

Refinement: Integrate this into the Interior Design. Perhaps the corridors of the exhibition space have embedded audio-visual "memories" or the glass/polycarbonate is etched with the names of historic Alexandrian films. This turns the "Intangible Heritage" into a physical, immersive part of the architecture.
24.01.2026