COLOR RHYTHMS INSPIRED FROM THE HERITAGE ON THE ARCHITECTURAL SURFACES IN SIWA

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Mural Painting Department, Faculty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University, Egypt

Abstract

Siwa Oasis is one of the natural reserves in Egypt, and it is distinguished by the fact that it passed through different historical eras, including: the ancient Egyptian, the Greco-Roman, and the Islamic .. and it has multiple names such as: Nepta۔ The oasis of Amun, Jupiter, the Al-Aqsa Oasis, the Siwa Oasis, and the ruins of ancient heritage buildings are scattered, most of which were destroyed by the influence of the weather factors that the oasis was exposed to throughout the ages and different times, which led to erosion and damage to the archive blocks; It is a clay material consisting of sand and saline deposits used in the construction of these buildings. The oasis also suffers from random encroachment of modern buildings, which are not commensurate with their specificity, which has a negative impact on the natural and heritage environment. There are also some models of modern architecture that combine the architectural appearance of the old Siwa buildings with all their external and internal details, but they were built with modern foundations to ensure their survival for the longest possible period. That is, this ancient-looking architecture has a strong modern foundation to maintain a visual (hormonal) harmony between the old and the modern. In spite of this, the walls of these buildings are devoid of an aesthetic touch, so these surfaces were treated in a color rhythm inspired by the decorative units of the Siwa heritage while preserving the visual vision of the texture of these rough wall surfaces represented in the archive layer that covers the external architectural surface, without prejudice to the architectural pattern that Siwa Oasis is unique for it as one of the environmental heritage areas, so that the place does not lose its originality with the passage of time.

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