When crisis becomes all what can be seen around, only 2 scenarios emerge; either to witness danger destroying everything or to pursue a chance of immortality. This paradox has always reflected vigorously and aesthetically upon architecture resulting in various innovative contributions each of which is considered a breakthrough. Hence, “Aquatecture” appeared in response to the undeniable crisis facing the waterfront urban settings providing a chance for the endangered coastal areas no to lose their existence and vanish into the blue. 

In this project several aspects are precisely taken into consideration introducing different and various approaches to the design where research topic, community, location and history collide together and merge producing an adaptive, resilient, sustainable and efficient building that is concerned about community development and welfare as much as its consideration about the functional, technical and  pragmatic role. 

As a result of the extensive research for a place that provides a proper urban and contextual setting as well as an appropriate research setting, our site in El Meks - Alexandria was chosen where it’s one of the most aesthetically beautiful places in Egypt where it’s called “Venice of the east” due to the use of branched canals as a way of transportation by the locals whose houses rest on the canal’s both sides. Moreover, the undeniably great history of Alexandria has always sided with knowledge, development and continuous provision of resources which will create a perfect research setting for those who seek it. 

On the other hand, what’s more concerning about the place that it’s one of the most endangered areas in Egypt not only by industrial pollution and aquatic life turbulence but also with communal exasperation and frustration about the current situation there. Consequently this project aims to function in two main ways that are dependently integrated, one of which is acting as a shield against the deluge of the Mediterranean and the whole place by industrial pollution through providing creative work spaces that enhances researching and experimenting, using adaptive strategies that helps in the resilience of urban waterfront and coastal communities and also offering a welcoming setting that can attract international committees to interact with it and use it and that can put Egypt back on track of the international competing research hosting countries. Furthermore, the other main scope of the institute is to wholly serve the community and bring the best out of it through addressing their crucial demands and needs providing education, jobs, awareness and socio-cultural services enhancing their sense of belonging to the place and linking them directly with the development taking place. Thus, not only establishing a new entity in the place but looking back to the old place and revitalizing it to be better, and to raise the beauty out of residue.