RAHEEL | Museum of Bedouin Heritage

RAHEEL – Museum of Bedouin Heritage

Graduation Project | Architecture | 2026

Location: Marsa Matrouh, Egypt

Site Area: 50,000 m²

Built-up Area: 18,670.209 m²

Structural System: Steel Frame

Facade Material: Sandstone

Project Overview

RAHEEL – Museum of Bedouin Heritage is a cultural museum located in Marsa Matrouh, Egypt, designed to preserve and reinterpret the Bedouin heritage through a contemporary architectural experience.

The project is based on the idea that heritage is not only something to be displayed, but something to be experienced through movement, space, material, and atmosphere.

The museum creates a connection between the cultural identity of Marsa Matrouh and contemporary museum architecture, providing visitors with a journey through the different stages of Bedouin life and its transformation over time.

Concept – The Journey of the Tent

The main concept of RAHEEL is inspired by the Bedouin tent.

The tent is not interpreted as a literal architectural form, but as a symbol of movement, gathering, temporary settlement, and identity.

For the Bedouin, the journey of the tent represents a continuous cycle of movement and settlement. This idea was translated into the architecture through a sequence of separated masses connected by circulation paths.

Instead of creating one unified building, the museum is experienced as a journey between different architectural volumes. Each volume represents a different chapter of Bedouin heritage, allowing the visitor to gradually move through time and experience the evolution of the culture.

Architectural Journey

The visitor's journey begins at the entrance and continues through a sequence of exhibition spaces.

The museum contains five main exhibition halls, each representing a specific stage in the development of Bedouin heritage:

01 – Birth of the Tent

The journey begins with the origin of the Bedouin tent, introducing its role as a shelter, gathering space, and symbol of identity.

02 – Nomadic Life

The second hall explores the lifestyle of the Bedouin community and the relationship between people, movement, and the desert environment.

03 – Traditional Crafts

The third hall focuses on traditional crafts and handmade production, presenting the relationship between material, skill, and cultural identity through an interactive exhibition experience.

04 – Beginning of Settlement

This stage represents the transition from nomadic movement toward settlement and the development of a more permanent architectural identity.

05 – Contemporary Identity

The final exhibition explores how Bedouin identity continues to evolve in the present, connecting traditional heritage with contemporary life and architecture.

The sequence transforms the museum visit into a continuous narrative rather than a collection of isolated galleries.

Site & Context

The project is located in Marsa Matrouh, an important coastal city with a strong relationship to both the desert environment and the Mediterranean Sea.

The selected site is located near Souq Libya, an important commercial area that has a strong connection to the local Bedouin character and traditional handicrafts.

The choice of the site was not based only on accessibility and centrality. Its surrounding context provides a living source of inspiration for the project, allowing the museum to become an extension of the existing cultural identity rather than an isolated cultural object.

The relationship between the desert, the city, the sea, and the local community became an important part of the architectural experience.

Form Development

The building masses were developed as a series of fragmented volumes rather than a single block.

The fragmentation reinforces the idea of movement and creates a sequence of exterior and interior spaces. The masses are connected through a clear circulation system that guides visitors from one stage of the museum journey to another.

The architectural language combines solid sandstone masses, controlled openings, shaded spaces, courtyards, and transitional zones.

The contrast between heavy solid volumes and transparent openings creates a balance between the traditional character of the desert environment and contemporary museum architecture.

Spatial Experience

Circulation is one of the main architectural elements of RAHEEL.

The visitor moves through a carefully organized sequence of spaces, transitioning between exhibition halls, courtyards, transitional areas, and gathering spaces.

These transitions create moments of compression and expansion, allowing the visitor to experience changes in scale, light, material, and atmosphere throughout the journey.

The central outdoor spaces act as pauses within the exhibition sequence, providing orientation and visual connections between different parts of the museum.

Functional Program

The museum program includes:

Five main exhibition halls

Transitional exhibition space

Entrance and reception

Administration

Workshops

Lecture / seminar hall

Laboratories

Storage areas

Gift shop and supporting storage

Cafeteria with kitchen and services

Service areas

Loading and service access

Outdoor exhibition and gathering spaces

Parking areas

The different functions are organized to provide a clear separation between public, administrative, exhibition, and service circulation while maintaining a continuous visitor experience.

Structural System

The project uses a Steel Frame structural system.

The structural grid is organized around approximately 9-meter column spacing, allowing the large exhibition spaces to remain flexible and adaptable.

The steel structure supports the fragmented architectural masses while allowing large exhibition halls and open interior spaces to be achieved with minimal visual interruption.

The structural system was selected to complement the contemporary architectural language while responding to the large spans required by the museum's exhibition spaces.

Materiality

Sandstone was selected as the primary façade material because of its relationship with the desert landscape and the natural colors of the surrounding environment.

The earthy sandstone surfaces give the museum a strong connection to its context while creating a sense of solidity and permanence.

The material is combined with carefully controlled glazed openings, allowing natural light to enter the interior while maintaining the massive and grounded character of the building.

The contrast between solid sandstone and transparent glass reflects the project's main architectural dialogue between tradition and contemporary design.

Environmental Approach

Environmental strategies were integrated into the architectural design through:

Deep and controlled openings

Shaded circulation spaces

Internal courtyards

Natural daylight

Natural ventilation opportunities

Reduced direct solar exposure

Sandstone façade as a thermally massive envelope

Landscape and shaded outdoor areas

The courtyards and transitional spaces help create a more comfortable microclimate while providing natural light and ventilation to selected interior spaces.

Design Philosophy

RAHEEL is ultimately an attempt to transform Bedouin heritage from a static collection of objects into a spatial experience.

The visitor does not simply observe the heritage; they move through it.

From the birth of the tent, to nomadic life, crafts, settlement, and contemporary identity, the museum tells a story of movement, transformation, and continuity.

The project therefore becomes a journey through both space and time, where architecture acts as a medium for preserving cultural memory while presenting it through a contemporary architectural language.

RAHEEL is not simply a museum about heritage — it is a journey through heritage.