Giza, Egypt

 “Visiting Giza is a rare, transformative experience that offers a glimpse into centuries of human history,” states Chris Cooper, SOM design partner.

“As one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Giza welcomes millions of people every year; in reimagining the experience, our priority is to honor and preserve its history and create a sustainable future for the UNESCO World Heritage site.”

“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,” he continues.

Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM) and the local Egyptian practice Raafat Miller Consulting (RMC), together with lighting engineers Misr Company for Sound & Light and Tourism Development, have been named by OSL for Entertainment Projects, an Orascom Investment Holding company to revamp 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 the lead designer for the concept, design, and masterplan of the project which will see the existing facilities transformed into a world-class visitor experience with a program that will ensure the highest level of environmental and preservation measures.

Currently, the Sound & Light Show at the historic UNESCO World Heritage site takes visitors through a portal into Ancient Egypt, taking them on a journey that goes back thousands of years to learn about pharaohs and the mysteries of the pyramids’ construction. 

The pharaonic history is narrated by the sphinx, exploring the history of Egypt’s ancient kings; Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.

 “It is an honour for our company to be among the participants in the development of archaeological sites in Egypt,” states Naguib Sawiris, CEO of Orascom Investment Holding Company.

“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.”

“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, the executive managing director of Misr Company for Sound & Light and Tourism Development. 

 “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,” concludes Cooper

Project: Visitor Experience Redesign at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP and Raafat Miller Consulting
Lighting Design: Misr Company for Sound and Light
Client: OSL for Entertainment Projects, Orascom Investment Holding Company
Photographers: Jorge Láscar