The El Gouna Plaza is located the new resort town of El Gouna, Egypt, on the West coast of the Red Sea. The complex, designed by Studio Seilern Architects, includes a 600-seat concert hall, a 2,000-seat conference center and an open-air venue surrounded by a colonnade in the heart of an artificial lagoon. Landscape and water features in and around the complex form an oasis protected from the sun and wind.
The building’s inspiration is rooted in middle eastern and Egyptian traditional architecture, with the scale of ancient Egyptian architecture as a guiding factor in the conceptualization of the scheme. A series of arched barrel vaults surround the auditorium and provide a shaded perimeter layer. Inside and outside merge as they are framed by a sculptural, contemporary interpretation of the traditional Islamic arch.
Finalist, 10th Annual A+Awards, Cultural & Expo Centers
Finalist, 10th Annual A+Awards, Best Cultural Firm
Call for entries: The 14th Architizer A+Awards celebrates architecture's new era of craft. Apply for publication online and in print by submitting your projects before the Final Entry Deadline on January 30th!
