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Reviving the idea of the ancient library
In order to revive the idea of the ancient
library which existed some 2000 years ago in Alexandria, Egypt, the Arab Republic of Egypt and
UNESCO set out to build one of the largest libraries in the world, housing a
collection of books and rare manuscripts from the region. After winning an
international competition including some 500 entries, Sonnet was further
awarded contracts for
landscape and interior design. A consortium with Hamza
Associates of Egypt was later formed. Sonnets has lead the architectural design
based upon the competition scheme and Hamza Associates has provided the Detail
Design and Engineering Services throughout the planning period and has acted as
Resident Engineer during construction. The project has received considerable
noteriety since the initial design in 1989 and continues to be a strong symbol
for international cultural awareness.