The Hassan Fathi Award for Architecture 2009

, Khaled Asfour Catalogue Alexandria and Mediterranean Research Center (Alex Med)

Available in: English - Arabic

The Hassan Fathi Award for Architecture 2009 is an annual Egyptian award organized by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in collaboration with the Architecture Committee of the Supreme Council for Culture. The theme of this cycle was “Identity in Contemporary Egyptian Architecture”. The objectives of this competition are to promote contemporary Egyptian architecture, to encourage and commemorate Egyptian architects, and to eternalize the name of Hassan Fathi, one of the pioneering architects of Egypt.

BA Quarterly Newsletter Issue 5

, BA Newsletter

Available in: English

A Quaterly Newsletter issued by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Omar Toussoun: Prince of Alexandria

, Sahar Hamouda Other Publications Alexandria and Mediterranean Research Center (Alex Med)

Available in: English - Arabic

A member of the Egyptian royal family, Princen Omar Tousson acquired a legendary status as a nationalist, scholar, man of action, patron of many of Alexandria’s societies, agricultural reformer, and archeologist. This study of his life shows the Prince of Alexandria as he lives through some of the most momentous events of Egyptian history, from the bombardment of 1882 to World War II.

BA Quarterly Newsletter Issue 4

, BA Newsletter

Available in: English

A Quaterly Newsletter issued by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

A Taste of Alexandria: A Cosmopolitan Flavor

, Mohamed Awad and Sahar Hamouda Book Alexandria and Mediterranean Research Center (Alex Med)

Available in: English

This book will take you on a journey through the existing as well as lost eateries of Alexandria, all the way from Agami in the west to Abu Qir in the east. On the way, take your pick of the goodies offered by street vendors and learn about the eating habits of the different communities–it’s all a taste of Alexandria. Try recipes from around the Mediterranean and sample dishes served during occasions and festivities. Your journey in space and time will help you savor the flavor of gastronomy in cosmopolitan Alexandria!

Seven Days at the Cecil

, Other Publications Alexandria and Mediterranean Research Center (Alex Med)

Available in: English

Seven Days at the Cecil is the personal recollections of Harry Tzalas as he returned in the 1990s to his city of birth (he left in 1956), and spent seven days at the Cecil Hotel. The book is largely a journey of remembrance throughout the Alexandrian streets, sites and people.

Annual Report 2008-2009

, Bibliotheca Alexandrina Annual Report

Available in: English - French - Arabic

The Annual Report covers all the events, activities, financial statements, and organizational structure of the BA during the reported period.

Annual Report 2007-2008

, Bibliotheca Alexandrina Annual Report

Available in: English - French - Arabic

The Annual Report covers all the events, activities, financial statements, and organizational structure of the BA during the reported period.

Architecture for a Changing World

, Bibliotheca Alexandrina Other Publications

Available in: English

In its celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina organized an exhibition and published a new and updated edition of the Award `s catalogue, which summarizes and brings together winning projects over the last 25 years. Through photographs, designs and detailed descriptions, the catalogue portrays 95 projects from 28 countries throughout the world, and recounts the work of teams of artists, architects, engineers and builders. The projects differ in style, spirit, composition and purpose; they cover a wide range of interest, varying from traditional approaches to landscaping and urban design, from contextual architecture to restoration and new housing.

New Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Reflections on a Journey of Achievements

, Mohsen Zahran Other Publications

Available in: English

On the occasion of its fifth anniversary, the BA published Dr. Mohsen Zahran`s account of the revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria. Responding to Dr. Mostafa El Abbadi call`s over three decades ago, Dr. Zahran became one of the most forceful advocates in implementing the project and, in 1989, was appointed Executive Director of the General Organization for the Alexandria Library (GOAL). The book traces the journey of the BA beginning with the time it was no more than a figment of creative imaginations and ending with endless future outlooks, promises and horizons.

A Landmark Building: Reflections on the Architecture of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

, Ismail Serageldin Other Publications

Available in: English - French - Arabic

Located in a place very near to where the Old Library once stood and rising from the Alexandrian ground like a sun-disk, Bibliotheca Alexandrina decorates the scenery with its extraordinary design and welcoming cultural plaza. This book provides a thoughtful critique of the Library`s breathtaking architecture, placing it within its cultural, physical and international context. A detailed and illustrated description of the vast complex and the institutions it comprise is also included.

Much More than a Building

, Ismail Serageldin Other Publications

Available in: English

Celebrating its fifth anniversary, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina published a commemorative book in its attempt to present the fruits and triumphs won along five years. It sets off from the time the BA was no more than a dream and traces its gradual development as it slides into the world of reality, coming to life again after sixteen hundred long years. The book documents the multifaceted program of activities the BA presented from 2001 to 2007, continually envisioning its aspiration to encourage the pursuit of knowledge, promote dialogue between peoples and cultures and, eventually, advocate world peace and harmony.

Hassan Fathy

, Ismail Serageldin Other Publications Alexandria and Mediterranean Research Center (Alex Med)

Available in: English

Written on Egypt's best known architect since Imhotep, this book presents a detailed biography of a man who, rooted in his local surroundings, strove for cultural authenticity and was, as a result, universally appreciated. Born on 23 March 1900, Hassan Fathy was destined to influence the architectural trends and modes of his century. A renowned name in his field, Fathy was still a lonely guru who, though marginalized by his contemporary peers, never compromised his vision; he continued to reject the Western modernist norm and design for human beings. This must-read book presents an illustrated documentary of the projects and buildings Fathy so masterfully designed.

Cocktails and Camels

, Jacqueline Carol Other Publications

Available in: English

Cocktails and Camels is a lively and humorous portrait of a family of Lebanese origins living in the heyday of cosmopolitan Alexandria during the 1930s and 1940s. Throughout the book, the author wittily evokes the diversity of cultures in a thousand small details that make this book a delightful read from beginning to end.

From Camp Caesar to Cleopatra’s Pool

, Esther Zimmerli Other Publications Alexandria and Mediterranean Research Center (Alex Med)

Available in: English

This monograph is an English translation of Esther Zimmerli Hardman’s memoirs, in which the author recounts her childhood in Alexandria and the lifestyle of her family and of the Swiss community in the city, with its traditions and customs living alongside the other foreign communities as well as the Egyptians.