Il Cairo, Egypt. Panoramic view of the construction site of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Egypt, with numerous construction cranes in the desert landscape and the Pyramids of Giza visible on the horizon.

The pyramids of Giza and digital culture: where it all began

Grand Egyptian Museum, Cairo

At a difficult historical moment for architects, when the construction sector was overwhelmed by the economic crisis, we were fortunate to be called to contribute to the construction design of the facades for the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo. For the first time, as we embarked on an international commission, we had to engage with a highly complex BIM protocol that required us to design in Revit. The first challenge—for a team accustomed to working in Archicad—was precisely to identify a reliable method for model interoperability. Although we had already been adopting virtual building—three-dimensional design with drawing extraction directly from the model—this opportunity allowed us to link data to the models and fully grasp the potential of parametric information design.
Through this experience, we not only discovered the power of parametric BIM design, but also came to realise the importance of investing in this methodology—already widely used across the Middle East but still in its early stages in Italy. It was in this fertile ground that DVA put down its roots: with an awareness of its own technical know-how, but placing a bold bet on a design approach driven by a completely new vision. This very vision of architecture is what we have carried forward since DVA became an independent company in 2015, with the goal of sharing the opportunities offered by BIM with all actors in the construction supply chain—private clients, contractors, and investors alike. Now, five years later, just as the GEM finally opens its doors to the world, we are proud to say that our bet has paid off.
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Group companies
Bimfactory, DVA
Category
Digital consulting
Assignment
Working drawings and construction design
Client
Italmesh
Year
2013
Il Cairo, Egypt. Panoramic view of the construction site of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Egypt, with numerous construction cranes in the desert landscape and the Pyramids of Giza visible on the horizon.

480.000

GFA

[m²]

47.835

MESH PANELS

4

DUPLICATED PARAMETRIC ELEMENTS

“BIM applied to one of the most iconic construction sites in the world. It was 2013 when we first stepped onto the site—what an incredible experience to work under the watchful gaze of the Pyramids of Giza.”

Armando Casella
Architect | Co-founder DVArea

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Mixed use
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©Cascina Ri-nascita

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