Achieving the Visual Perception and Gestalt Psychology in Sultan Hassan Mosque Building

The gestalt principles are perception and what is visually communicated by objects. These principles describe the visual language within which we work. Understanding how a designer realizes things visually will help designers communicate better. Many designers use Gestalt principles to have a structure visual stimulus, so as to create interfaces that are easy for users to understand. Because the understanding of visual perception is a critical item in any designer’s toolkit. Islamic heritage buildings also contain many architectural values, especially the Sultan Hassan Mosque in Cairo. Through this paper, we will verify the use of gestalt principles of visual perception in the building design. Because the psychological organization of the design, achieves the understanding and awareness of the current relationships between the elements, depending on the extent of regularity, accuracy, and consistency of the design elements. This makes us recognize the esthetic values of Sultan Hassan’s building and mosque. The visual delight we get from architecture begins with how we perceive it. So, in order to understand how visual delight arises, we must first understand how we perceive and interpret visual stimuli. Especially since the principles of gestalt confirm that the human brain tends to make tricks and illusions. Therefore, we found the mosque designer had exploited this fact during the design process, to exclude any possibility of the resulting misunderstanding. The designer achieved the psychological preparation of the visitor by using some principles of visual perception of the Gestalt theory, such as growth, continuity, and hierarchy.

Use Energy Efficiency, Eco-Design, and Eco-Friendly Materials to Support Eco-Tourism

The term “Eco-lodge” is used to identify a type of nature-based tourism facility that will respond to the principles of ecotourism. The research aims to study, develop and design such types of facilities in an environmentally sensitive manner, using local materials or recycled materials, with a design that serves the environment and is consistent with the nature and cultural background of the place, through Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies. This leads us to the ideas and foundations of seeking to preserve natural energy, respect the environment and reduce the impact of construction thereon. The research applies environmental and sustainable design standards to a proposed model designed by the Author for desert lodges, and the most important advantages of supporting ecotourism, by observing the principles of good design consistent with the local environment and culture, preventing the use of internal pollution sources, adapting to the climate, using alternative environmentally friendly materials, the efficiency of production and use of energy to promote the use of clean renewable energy. As important elements in the development of tourism and to help to preserve natural heritage and biodiversity. Such architectural solutions aim to achieve the objectives of eco-design, in terms of reducing the cost of energy in buildings, using natural energy instead of mechanical power systems, in addition to creating a healthy and comfortable environment.