2.3.3. The Luxor Cultural Center (1970)

The Luxor Cultural Center was a complex designed by Hassan Fathy in 1970 for the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. The center was planned to be in the Middle of Luxor, close to the Sidi al-Wahsh Fatimid Mosque. However, only the main hall was finished. Moreover, the architect's plans for natural ventilation were disregarded. The entire interior space was to be cooled using a large windcatcher [34]. As seen in the sections in Figure 23, Fathy's design of the windcatcher was open on opposite sides: one opening was the inlet, which faced northeast, and one was the outlet that let the hot air escape, facing southwest. This iteration of the windcatcher seems to have been an experimental approach for the *malqaf* by Hassan Fathy, as seen in the Experimental Rooms for the Ministry of Scientific Research designed by the architect (Figure 24). Unfortunately, the envisioned windcatcher was closed off, making the roof form meaningless [35].

**Figure 23.** (**a**,**b**) Sections of Luxor Cultural Center by Hassan Fathy, 1960s, the arrows signify the air flow. Reprinted with permission from [35]. 2023. Courtesy of the Rare Books and Special Collections Library, The American University in Cairo.

**Figure 24.** (**a**,**b**) Sections and plans for the Experimental Rooms for the Ministry of Scientific Research by Hassan Fathy, the arrows signify the air flow from the wind catcher and into the space it ventilates. Reprinted with permission from [36]. 2023. Courtesy of the Rare Books and Special Collections Library, The American University in Cairo.
