Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and Raafat Miller Consulting (RMC) have been appointed by OSL for Entertainment Projects, an Orascom Investment Holding Company (OIH), to reimagine and refine the visitor experience for the popular Sound & Light show at the historic UNESCO World Heritage site of the Pyramids and the Sphinx at Giza, Egypt.
SOM will act as lead designer for the concept, design and masterplan for the project which will see the existing facilities transformed into a world-class visitor experience with a programme that will ensure the highest level of environmental and preservation measures.
“It is an honour for our company to be among the participants in the development of archaeological sites in Egypt. To implement this project, the expertise of the largest international and local design firms will be used to obtain state-of-the-art designs that befit this magnificent location and its ancient and unique history, and that help transform the visitor experience making it a distinctive mark imprinted in the memory of every visitor to Egypt, ” said Naguib Sawiris, CEO of Orascom Investment Holding Company.
“This project demonstrates the current focus on upgrading services provided to Egyptian and foreign visitors to the Pyramids area and utilizing first-class expertise and state-of-the-art technologies for developing the venue and the Sound and Light show to properly demonstrate Egyptian civilization, and to contribute to the tourism promotion of the region,” said Mohamed Abdel Aziz, Executive Managing Director of Misr Company for Sound & Light and Tourism Development. “This is in line with the Egyptian government’s efforts to develop and upgrade tourist destinations, with particular emphasis on the Pyramids area due to its great historical significance being one of UNESCO’s listed world heritage sites.”
“Visiting Giza is a rare, transformative experience that offers a glimpse into centuries of human history. As one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Giza welcomes millions of people every year; in reimagining the experience, our priority is to honour and preserve its history and create a sustainable future for the UNESCO World Heritage site,” said Chris Cooper, SOM design partner. “We have worked for five decades in the Middle East to marry the region’s rich cultural heritage and vernacular architecture with our expertise in delivering meaningful design to some of the most sensitive and complex sites in the world.”
