大だいエジプト博物館はくぶつかん、二十年にじゅうねん越ごしの構想こうそう実現じつげん――歴史的れきしてき遺産いさんと建築美けんちくびの融合ゆうごう

After more than twenty years of planning and overcoming many difficulties, the Grand Egyptian Museum, with construction costs exceeding 150 billion yen, has finally officially opened.

Irish architect Roisin Heneghan was selected from among 1,556 entries submitted from around the world in an international design competition hosted by the Egyptian government in 2002. When he received the news, he even thought it was a joke because of the sheer scale of the project.

As a result, the design proposal by Heneghan-Peng Architects, led by Ms. Heneghan and her husband, Mr. Peng, was selected, and construction began on a grand museum near the Pyramids of Giza to house over 100,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts.

However, that path is never smooth.

Since its construction was announced in 1992, this project has faced numerous interruptions and delays due to domestic political upheavals in Egypt, the Arab Spring, a military coup, and most recently, the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Nevertheless, the government emphasizes the importance of museums, regards their opening days as national holidays, and aims for economic development based on tourism.

The Grand Egyptian Museum is the worlds largest single museum dedicated to one civilization, exhibiting historical artifacts in chronological order from the Predynastic Period to the Coptic Period, spanning from 3000 BCE to the 7th century.

In particular, the exhibition room displaying 5,000 artifacts excavated from King Tutankhamuns tomb is an impressive highlight that invites visitors into the ancient world.

Papyrus, textiles, sarcophagi, pottery, and other fragile and precious relics such as mummies from thousands of years ago are neatly displayed in the 2,400-square-meter permanent exhibition room.

In terms of architecture, the museum is designed in a modern style, but it respects the majesty of the pyramids.

Concrete, glass, and local limestone are used for the exterior, featuring geometric pyramid patterns, but it is carefully designed so as not to exceed the height of the pyramid.

The slope of the museums roof points toward the top of the pyramid, helping the building blend in with the surrounding landscape.

Furthermore, after climbing a large staircase equivalent to six floors, visitors are greeted by stone monuments and statues of pharaohs arranged in chronological order, and from the top of the stairs, they can enjoy an unobstructed view of the entire pyramid.

Mr. Heneghan and Mr. Penn also focused on bringing natural light into the interior of the museum, ensuring that the light from the folded roof beautifully illuminates the stone exhibits.

This design takes advantage of the fact that stone is less susceptible to light damage than organic materials.

Furthermore, the meticulously maintained gardens and the plaza featuring an 87-ton obelisk also provide visitors with a unique experience.

For an architect, designing a new building next to a World Heritage site is an enormous challenge, but Ms. Heneghan and her colleagues always place importance on harmony with the surrounding environment, basing their ideas on creating a new boundary on the desert plateau.

While attracting the necessary attention as a museum without spoiling the landscape, the design, which emphasizes the horizontal plane, was highly praised and ultimately selected in the 2003 competition.

Currently, Heneghan Peng Architects has also established a base in Berlin and is expanding its international activities, but Ms. Heneghan still adheres to the design philosophy of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

He said that even if he were to receive a similar request again, his fundamental approach would not change.

The Grand Egyptian Museum will undoubtedly continue to attract global attention as a fusion of historical heritage and modern architecture.