Boulaq Abo El Ela textile and fashion industry mixed high rise building Part 2 Project 2013 Salma Tag El Din Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport - Cairo Campus | Egypt The main objective of the project’s brief was to design a mixed-use tall building inspired by the urban, environmental and socio/culture aspects of its setting .It should stand not only as an iconic cultural symbol but also as an active ingredient of its social/ urban setting .Another objective was to determine the programmatic brief for the building based on micro and macro site studies (considering community needs, availability, appropriateness and future development)In terms of history and social activities, Ramlet Boulaq, the proposed project’s location, is part of Buolaq Abu El Ela district. This was a very famous industrial area for textile, steel and metal work. What is remaining now is the famous market of textile and cloth of Wekalet El Balah, a destination of 60% of the Egyptians and of trade volume of 5 billion pounds.The project is located in a high value land plot overlooking the Nile. Accessibility is available through the Nile, vehicles and a pedestrian bridge, so it is most suitable for a high rise building. The site is an edge between two different communities; the very high income class residing in the Nile front, and the low income class residing in the rear side of Boulaq. It is thought that the activity which would generate profit , sense of belonging and combine the two different communities, is an industry of fashion and textiles .Beside providing new job opportunities, this would create mutual interest between the high class community of investors ,designers, customers, and the low class working community performing simple jobs such as sewing.The form of the tower was generated to cater for visual continuity from behind and for natural ventilation. The geometrical structure of the skin, and the configuration of the ground floor plan which contains workshops and handcraft exhibition, were inspired by the characteristics of the textile’s structure and process in terms of layering, weaving, and penetration. Salma Tag El Din Tutor(s)