Ivory Dunes is an art gallery located in Egypt's White Desert, known for its stunning rock formations formed by wind erosion over millions of years. This contemporary art gallery seamlessly blends architecture with art, making the surroundings integral to the gallery's charm.

Ivory Dunes offers an open-air atmosphere that complements the desert landscape, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor experience. The gallery's symmetrical floor plan, achieved through the innovative use of the CUBUS design method, promotes balance and harmony. Initially, experimenting with CUBUS didn't reveal its spatial potential until the CAD pattern was translated into SketchUp, showing its design versatility. The CUBUS method involves creating shapes and patterns that can be symmetrical, asymmetrical, rotational, or reflected and can be translated into floor plans.

The central theme of "Ivory Dunes" revolves around light and space, a vision articulated by the client. Materials were carefully chosen to fulfil this vision. Mirrored material on curved walls reflects the White Desert's majestic landscape, creating an illusion of an endless oasis, a sensation that can be both comforting and awe-inspiring. At night, the gallery takes on a different persona as the lights bounce off the mirrored surfaces, transforming the space.

Classic travertine, used throughout the gallery, blends harmoniously with the desert landscape, making it feel like the gallery was shaped by the same wind erosion that shaped the natural rock formations.

Including water in the design may seem unexpected in a desert setting, but it complements the contemporary design of the art gallery. The shallow 100 mm water feature allows visitors to cool down while remaining grounded in the gallery's unique atmosphere. Red travertine stones guide visitors through the space, creating a captivating journey.

Ultimately, the design of Ivory Dunes was conceived to enhance, rather than detract from, the White Desert's natural splendour. This achievement is credited to the innovative use of CUBUS in design, thoughtful material selection, and ingenious lighting of the mushroom lanterns. The CUBUS method was instrumental in creating an interesting and unique floor plan suitable for a contemporary art gallery and in line with my design vision.