An international competition that we won in a joint venture with Edward Cullinan Architects of London to redevelop the visitor facilities to the world heritage site of Petra in Jordan; one of the seven world wonders. The owner of the project was the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities; the World Bank was financer and technical advisor.
The Nabatean city of Petra is a magical place for the otherworldliness of its topography and geology alone. It is the power of this landscape that must have inspired the Nabateans to make it their sacred home, carving the rock with strength and grace over many centuries to create their city. This is in direct contrast to the legacy of 20th-century additions that have arisen piecemeal around the entrance to the site, to meet the relatively recent demands of architectural design.
The elements can be summarized as follows:
Approach and Amphitheatre, Entrance Porch and Vantage Point, Gallery Descent, Central Garden, Archaeology Court, Model and Return from Petra.
The design applies Nabateen innovations in water engineering and simple sustainable design strategies and most of all over sensitivity for the context in terms of topography, building materials, color, texture, and visual impact.