Global dialogue of cultures: Egyptian architect on the lessons of "The Birth of Scale" exposition
International experts gave high praise to the significance of the architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale" at the National Centre RUSSIA. The exposition became a platform for meaningful expert dialogue. The final day of the exposition, held on July 30, brought together representatives of the professional community from various countries at the National Centre RUSSIA.
Participants of the business and educational programme on the final day of the exposition "The Birth of Scale" included:
– Walid Arafa, founder of the bureau Dar Arafa Architecture (Egypt);
– Alireza Taghaboni, architect and founder of the bureau Next Office (Iran);
– Rajendra Kumar, director of the School of Architecture at Lovely Professional University (India);
– Nadia Tromp, founding director of Ntsika Architects (South Africa).
"The path to the future lies through understanding traditions. In this context, 'The Birth of Scale' exposition turned out to be highly informative, especially for me as a visitor from another country. It told the story of the rich cultural diversity of traditions within the Russian Federation — concisely, vividly, and engagingly. This is one of the most visual and interactive ways to share one’s own traditions with people, so that they can move forward consciously, relying on their unique roots. Each country accumulates its cultural context over centuries, if not millennia. What matters most is that both Russia and Egypt strive to understand their roots," noted Walid Arafa.
The architect emphasised that contemporary architecture must take into account both global environmental changes and the transformation of cultural paradigms.
"The architect of the future must not see architecture as merely a visual image, but as the result of a thoughtful perspective on how humanity can develop and live with dignity. And based on this vision, architecture becomes a tool — an active conductor of this life," added the Egyptian expert.
Following the large-scale architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale", a unique book titled "Architecture. The Birth of Scale" was published. The publication was presented by the head of the curatorial team and chief architect of the exposition, Andrei Chernikhov. In the near future, visitors to the National Centre RUSSIA will be able to purchase the book at the Department Store.
