Canvas of Sounds

Responding to the studio theme “The Secret in Architecture”, the design imagines two contrasting states: one visible, active, and public, the other concealed, seasonal, and quietly performative. These dual conditions shift in contrast and complement, allowing architecture to change identity over time.
This vision unfolds through a seasonal interchange between a Souk and an Opera. The project’s shell vibrates subtly in response to ambient urban noise, using PFIG (Piezoelectric-Fiber Integrated Geometry) systems embedded in electroactive lashes that cover its panels. These responsive components detect variations in sound, prompting the panels to lift or lower. When noise peaks, the panels rise, fully revealing the architecture and reconnecting Attaba with Khedival Cairo.
In the Souk state, modular boxes descend to ground level, hosting spaces for trade, exchange, and gathering. In the Opera state, the boxes rise, clearing the ground for festivals, audience movement, and cultural events. Elevated, they host complementary functions for galleries and performance.
By shifting vertically between everyday commerce and seasonal culture, the architecture adapts both form and function—reviving the spirit of the historic opera and re-establishing Attaba Square as a contemporary cultural hub.