Vitruvian Character: The Case of the Egyptian Museum

In Vitruvius’ treatise, what makes good architecture is its ability to communicate to the public particular messages that reflects the program of the building with spaces and components arranged in an orderly way. According to Vitruvius these messages when acknowledges by the public the building posses strong character. This research discusses this idea by reflecting on the 1895 competition of the Egyptian Museum project. Marcel Dourgnon, the French architect of the winning scheme, showed profound understanding of character resulting in a building that had positive vibe with the local community. Today Vitruvius’ idea is still living with us. Norman Foster succeeded in upgrading the British Museum in a way that addressed all cultures of the world through his grand atrium design. Similarly, Emad Farid and Ramez Azmy revived the presence of the Egyptian Museum in public cognition. Spatial experience that evokes similar perceptions to all its visitors is a timeless piece that transcends cultural boundaries.

Keywords: Vitruvius’ character; Beaux-Arts; Egyptian museum; British museum; Darwin CenterII; Vitruvian vibe.