The Winners

First Place & People’s Choice Award: Ali Khaled Elewa, Mostafa Ahmed Zakaria, Sherif Khaled Abdelkhaleq, Ebtisam Mohamed Ahmed Elgizawy and Hoda Essam Abdelmawla

Cairo, Egypt

“The jury felt this design was elegant and offered easy access across the Nile. There is fluidity and clarity in the project, and nice social spaces. The bridge restrains from being visually obstructive, and the three layers are complex yet simple, while the axis on the two sides is very inviting. 

“This design appears to be hugging its own piece of the river and fostering life within its boundaries. The starting plaza of the bridge at the eastern side is larger and more spacious to assure the relative importance of this side (the location of the former National Democratic Party), while on the western bank, the plaza is small and conforms to the realistic properties of this area. The bridge design is clear, dynamic and successful, and the structural system complies with the requirements of river navigation. 

“This project has very successful composition and is quite elegant in its composition.”

Second Place: Tay Othman, Ayman Tawfeeq, Saif Alrudaini and Muzdalifa Jafar

USA/Iraq

“The jury commended this project, and found its concept to be different and unique. While the bridge launches from both banks of the Nile and merges with the 6th of October Bridge, it completely respects both of the Nile’s banks. The jury found the form to be clear and straightforward, and they enjoyed the visuals and perspectives. The interaction of the path with the 6th of October Bridge and its descent towards the western bank is complex and implies more relative importance of this side of the Nile, which is understandable as this side is considered a final destination and station for the users. 

“However, the jury felt that the two sides of the bridge featured different architectural languages and that the two pavilions were disconnected. The judges also felt that more clarity about the distance between the two levels was needed, as well as about the impact of noise pollution from the 6th of October Bridge, but in general, they found this project to be of great potential. 

“While the jury is concerned about the structural requirements of this project in reality, they commended the architects of the project for taking a risk and exploring unconventional solutions.”

Third Place: Basel Paşa Haclavi, Mohammed Jawdat Hameed and Hend Osama Ahmed Abdelwahab Abdelrazek

Istanbul, Turkey

​“The jury found this proposal interesting and believe that the user experience of this bridge would be nice. Its modest approach was greatly appreciated, and the design successfully allows for many activities within the public realm. 

“The jury felt this project reassures and celebrates the vibrant and variable cultural heritage values and components of Cairo in the form of a changing experience and styles along the multiple clusters on the bridge. These multiple distinctive values come together and blend to form the whole body of the bridge, resembling the coherent fabric of Cairo as a whole. 

“However, the jury wondered if the spaces were too dense and how this would affect the reality of using the bridge. Regardless, the jury found this design to be human and likeable.”

Honourable Mentions

*Arranged in alphabetical order

Arun Giant (Rittipong Tiandum and Sasithorn Tiandum)

Bangkok, Thailand

​“The jury found the idea of this project clear and respectful of the Nile’s banks. However, they felt that the project was overly structured and its scale was too large. The jury noted that the presence of the two separate parallel paths might make it confusing for users at both ends of the bridge to start their journey across (in spite of the two paths connecting at several points and in the middle). Nonetheless, this project is off to a good start, as its overall form and structural system complies with river navigation requirements. The project could have benefited from simplification to the structure.”

ATELIER AZIZ ALQATAMI (Aziz Alqatami, Khalid Algharaballi, Christophe Martinese and Gilbert Caneba)

Kuwait

​“The jury felt that this project offered a simple solution; however, such a straightforward geometrical form could use further development so as to emphasise a visual continuity with the Nile and both of its banks. Furthermore, the judges felt the connection of the bridge to both Nile banks is very vertical and completely enclosed (which serves the purpose of creating a floating effect for the bridge) but this decreases practicality for such a densely populated city.”
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COdESIGN (Anna Cornaro, Valerio de Divitiis, Francesco De Tulio and Maya Roufail)

Dubai, UAE

​“The jury felt that this project has a lot of potential with the idea of the meeting banks and the use of observation decks is interesting. Its idea is direct and clear; however, the presentation did not provide enough clarity on what happens at the point of contact of the two slabs of the bridge, and more insight on this moment would have been appreciated. The observation deck facing the museum will not be able to look at old Cairo due to the height of buildings, therefore, realigning the observation decks in another angle would have given users a much better view.

“While the jury commended the architects’ unconventional approach, the execution needs further development in order to become more successful.”
 

LULO (Juan Esteban Porras, Isabella Jaramillo, Jana Valentina Guevara and Avril Figueroa)

Cali, Colombia

​“The jury found the form of this project interesting, and the scheme addresses the shading for the bridge during the hot months of the summer. However, the historical reference could have used further research. The view looking down from the west bank is exaggerated in the renderings.

“The jury also noted that the use of the two threads (spines) would look interesting, but they could have used more interaction and connection between the two forms.” 

KarmBuild (Karim El Kafrawi, Diaa Diab, Mariam Maged, Farah Faheem)

Cairo, Egypt 

​“This project presents an interesting take on traditional bridge forms and uses these forms to offer viewing and gathering spaces for users on the river. The mass in some places though is exaggerated. It could have used some structural simplification to make the bridge have a lighter impact on the banks. Furthermore, the connection with the banks is vertical, which is not practical for such a densely populated city. When you look at the bridge, it doesn’t entirely blend in with the banks; rather, it seems imposed on them and this is because of the verticality and the limited integration with the site.”
 

Mostafa Hazem and Ola Ahmed Maged

Giza, Egypt

“This project responds to Cairo’s lack of green spaces by offering a green pathway for visitors to go from the East Bank to the gardens of Al Jazira, which is separate from the second available pathway which offers a more direct connection between the two banks. Although the project features two pathways, it appears practical here as the two spines intertwine at several points offering users the ability to switch between them. The jury also appreciated the project’s consideration of views, and the incorporated access to the rooftop of the museum. However, on the Western Bank, the bridge appears to stop abruptly, and further clarification of the bridge’s integration with the site would have been appreciated.”

The Rifat Chadirji Prize is named after the prolific Iraqi architect Dr Rifat Chadirji, and is a thematic international prize that seeks designs responding to local challenges. The prize, which is part of Tamayouz’s programme of championing and celebrating architecture in the Near East and North Africa, aims to introduce local challenges to the world and invite architects, designers and planners to submit their concepts. It also aims to establish an uncompromising open source of ideas that tackle social issues through design.

For its inaugural cycle in 2017, the prize sought solutions for Mosul’s housing crisis, and in 2018, it called on participants to supply designs schemes to transform Baghdad’s old governorate buildings in Baghdad Design Centre. In 2019, the award sought proposals for a museum in Sharjah to house modern Arab art. Information about previous winners can be found in the following links: 20172018 and 2019

​Tamayouz Excellence Award is sponsored by Coventry University, the Iraqi Business Council in Jordan, Kufa – Makiya Charity, JT+Partners (People’s Choice Award sponsor), Dewan Architects + Engineers, Ayad Al-Tuhafi Architects, Bonair Ltd, British Airways, LWK + PARTNERS, Final Fix Interiors, and the United Nations Global Compact – Iraq Network.