Details
About the Book:
Trespassing Cairo's downtown old wealth of architectural marvels, I stumbled upon the information that an association for pension houses still exists in the heart of Cairo. The realization that these houses are the remaining pulse of downtown was the concept behind this project. Pension Houses, scattered guest-houses that host residents from all walks of life; long term residents, travelers, regulars and random stays. Withered by the effect of time and age, they still hold to the essence of what they once were and still are. While shops, offices and warehouses, which constitute the vast majority of downtown's buildings close down as they end their working hours, pensions and the few remaining residents of those glorious buildings keep downtown Cairo pulsing with life: The core of this project.
Forgotten Rooms is part of a project called Photobook Egypt. Photobook Egypt is a powerful series of photography books; each dedicated to a theme or a project photographed and narrated by remarkable Egyptian and regional photographers (whether emerging or established) and illustrated and published by Photopia Cairo. It is a series of wonderful picture books that reflect the power of the region's photographers and their ability to recount facts and hopes through their lens. It is an ongoing project of enjoyable and visually rich photography that proudly represents Egypt's and the region's prominent photographers. Collecting them would be like owning a small part of Egypt on your bookshelf.
About the Photographer:
Born and raised in Cairo, Karim El Hayawan is a street photographer and interior architect. After learning the technical fundamentals from a longtime Reuters hand, Alaa Abdel Naby, Karim found his passion in street photography. Cairo wanderings are his prime visual interest and vocabulary, exploring the city's busy multi-layered cultural skin from its recognized gems to its abandoned architectural marvels, recording people who represent the genuine essence of what the city has to offer. Karim's photos were exhibited at "The Grid Cape Town Biennial in South Africa", - Off Biennale Cairo "Something Else" - The Benchmark forum in GUST Kuwait, Al-Ahram's Salon for Fine Arts and Darb1718 in Cairo as well as CNN's connect the world and various local and international publications. Karim is also the Co-Founder and Principal Interior Architect of Design Point Studio based in Cairo. Specialized in high-end residential, retail and resort projects with a range of 40 projects to date, including 7 hotels in the resort area of Sharm El Sheikh - Red Sea. Design Point Studio has a permanent team of professionals consisting of 15 architects and designers collaborating with teams all over the world.
Book Specifications:
Name: Forgotten Rooms
Publisher: Photobook Egypt
Photographer: Karim El Hayawan
Price: 150 AED
Cover: Hardcover