Grand Egyptian Museum
Encyclopedia
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), also known as the Giza Museum, is a planned museum of artifacts of ancient Egypt
. Described as the largest archaeological museum in the world, the USD 550 million museum is scheduled to open in 2013. The museum will be sited on 50 hectares (123.6 acre) of land approximately two kilometers from the Giza pyramids and is part of a new master plan for the plateau.
from Dublin, Ireland, winning 250,000 dollars. Second place was awarded to Coop Himmelblau. The building is designed by Heneghan Peng
Architects, Buro Happold
and Arup
. The exhibition masterplan, exhibition design and Museology is by Metaphor and Cultural Innovations Ltd
The building is shaped like a chamfer
ed triangle in plan. It sits on a site two kilometers west of the pyramids, near a motorway interchange. The building's north and south walls line up directly with the Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Menkaure. In front of the building is a large plaza, filled with date plants. One of the main features of the Museum is the translucent stone wall, made of alabaster
, that makes up the front facade
of the building. Inside the main entrance is a large atrium, where large statues
will be exhibited.
On February 2, 2010 Hill International
announced that Egypt's Ministry of Culture had signed a contract with a joint venture of Hill and EHAF Consulting Engineers to provide project management services during the design and construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum.
The total estimated project cost is US$ 550m, US$ 300m will be financed from Japanese loan and remaining will be financed by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and other donations and international funds
The new museum is designed to include the latest technology, including virtual reality. The Museum will also be an international center of communication between museums, to promote direct contact with other local and international museums. The Grand Egyptian Museum will include a children's museum, conference center, training center, and workshops similar to the old Pharaonic places.
"With the selection of a project manager, we have achieved yet another milestone in the development of the Grand Egyptian Museum," said Farouk Hosny, the Minister of Culture. "In Hill/EHAF, we have the expertise of a world-class project management team to ensure that this project will be completed successfully," the minister added.
"This is an iconic, once-in-a-lifetime project", said Raouf S. Ghali, President of Hill's Project Management Group (International). "Hill and EHAF are proud to have been selected to manage the construction of this world-class project," added Ghali.
"We are glad to participate in managing this historical project, and we shall use outstanding Project Management Systems that are to the level of the humanitarian value that this project presents, "said Mohamed Fahmy, the Vice President of EHAF.
laid the foundation stone of the Grand Egyptian Museum. On August 25, 2006 the Statue of Ramesses II was moved from Ramses Square in Cairo
to the Giza Plateau, in anticipation of construction of the museum. The Statue of Ramesses II, estimated to be approximately 3,200 years old, will be cleaned and touched up, and will be situated at the entrance of the museum by 2010.
In 2007 GEM secured a $300 million loan from the Japan Bank for International Co-operation. The Egyptian Government will fund $147 million while the remaining $150 million will be funded through donations and international organisations.
In late August 2008 the design team submitted over 5,000 drawings to the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. Following this, the construction tender was announced in October 2008. Earthmoving has begun to excavate the site for the building.
Tendering was due in September 2009, with an estimated completion date of 2013.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Described as the largest archaeological museum in the world, the USD 550 million museum is scheduled to open in 2013. The museum will be sited on 50 hectares (123.6 acre) of land approximately two kilometers from the Giza pyramids and is part of a new master plan for the plateau.
Overview
The design of the building was decided by means of an architectural competition. The competition was announced on the January 7, 2002. The organisers received 1557 entries from 82 countries, making it the largest architectural competition in history. In the second stage of the competition, 20 entries were asked to submit additional information. Judging was complete by June 2, 2003. The competition was won by the company Heneghan PengHeneghan Peng
Heneghan Peng architects is an Irish architecture firm. The company was established in New York in 1999 but relocated to Dublin in 2001. It was founded by Roisin Heneghan and Shi Fu Peng....
from Dublin, Ireland, winning 250,000 dollars. Second place was awarded to Coop Himmelblau. The building is designed by Heneghan Peng
Heneghan Peng
Heneghan Peng architects is an Irish architecture firm. The company was established in New York in 1999 but relocated to Dublin in 2001. It was founded by Roisin Heneghan and Shi Fu Peng....
Architects, Buro Happold
Buro Happold
Buro Happold is a professional services firm providing engineering consultancy, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of buildings, infrastructure and the environment, with its head office in Bath, Somerset...
and Arup
Arup
Arup is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom which provides engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. The firm is present in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, East Asia, Europe and the...
. The exhibition masterplan, exhibition design and Museology is by Metaphor and Cultural Innovations Ltd
The building is shaped like a chamfer
Chamfer
A chamfer is a beveled edge connecting two surfaces. If the surfaces are at right angles, the chamfer will typically be symmetrical at 45 degrees. A fillet is the rounding off of an interior corner. A rounding of an exterior corner is called a "round" or a "radius"."Chamfer" is a term commonly...
ed triangle in plan. It sits on a site two kilometers west of the pyramids, near a motorway interchange. The building's north and south walls line up directly with the Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Menkaure. In front of the building is a large plaza, filled with date plants. One of the main features of the Museum is the translucent stone wall, made of alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
, that makes up the front facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
of the building. Inside the main entrance is a large atrium, where large statues
Statues
Statues is a popular children's game, often played in Australia but with versions throughout the world.-General rules:# A person starts out as the "Curator" and stands at the end of a field. Everyone else playing stands at the far end...
will be exhibited.
On February 2, 2010 Hill International
Hill International
Hill International is a worldwide construction consulting firm. Founded in 1976, the company is currently headquartered in Marlton, New Jersey, United States....
announced that Egypt's Ministry of Culture had signed a contract with a joint venture of Hill and EHAF Consulting Engineers to provide project management services during the design and construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum.
The total estimated project cost is US$ 550m, US$ 300m will be financed from Japanese loan and remaining will be financed by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and other donations and international funds
The new museum is designed to include the latest technology, including virtual reality. The Museum will also be an international center of communication between museums, to promote direct contact with other local and international museums. The Grand Egyptian Museum will include a children's museum, conference center, training center, and workshops similar to the old Pharaonic places.
"With the selection of a project manager, we have achieved yet another milestone in the development of the Grand Egyptian Museum," said Farouk Hosny, the Minister of Culture. "In Hill/EHAF, we have the expertise of a world-class project management team to ensure that this project will be completed successfully," the minister added.
"This is an iconic, once-in-a-lifetime project", said Raouf S. Ghali, President of Hill's Project Management Group (International). "Hill and EHAF are proud to have been selected to manage the construction of this world-class project," added Ghali.
"We are glad to participate in managing this historical project, and we shall use outstanding Project Management Systems that are to the level of the humanitarian value that this project presents, "said Mohamed Fahmy, the Vice President of EHAF.
Progress
On January 5, 2002 then-Egyptian President Hosni MubarakHosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
laid the foundation stone of the Grand Egyptian Museum. On August 25, 2006 the Statue of Ramesses II was moved from Ramses Square in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
to the Giza Plateau, in anticipation of construction of the museum. The Statue of Ramesses II, estimated to be approximately 3,200 years old, will be cleaned and touched up, and will be situated at the entrance of the museum by 2010.
In 2007 GEM secured a $300 million loan from the Japan Bank for International Co-operation. The Egyptian Government will fund $147 million while the remaining $150 million will be funded through donations and international organisations.
In late August 2008 the design team submitted over 5,000 drawings to the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. Following this, the construction tender was announced in October 2008. Earthmoving has begun to excavate the site for the building.
Tendering was due in September 2009, with an estimated completion date of 2013.
See also
- Egyptian Museum in CairoEgyptian MuseumThe Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, known commonly as the Egyptian Museum, in Cairo, Egypt, is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. It has 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display, the remainder in storerooms....
- Egyptian Museum of TurinMuseo EgizioThe Museo Egizio is a museum in Turin, Italy, specialising in Egyptian archaeology and anthropology. It houses the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of Egyptian antiquities outside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo...
- Egyptian Museum of BerlinEgyptian Museum of BerlinThe Egyptian Museum of Berlin is home to one of the world's most important collections of Ancient Egyptian artifacts.The collection is part of the Neues Museum.-History:...