Develop a road, the method of the donkey.

Michael Balaroutsos

architect

Ever wondered why, when we cross the mountains, roads make continual zigzag, during the ascent and descent;

Since antiquity, humans as social beings, wanting to communicate with other sites in the near and the distant territory, invented the vehicle.
This is to be able to move safely, required the invention of the street.
Observe first, that moved from the accessible and secure areas, leaving behind a trail as it slowly grew, while being cleared of any vegetation. 

This was the discovery of the first road.

Time flowed steadily, and human evolution has reached a breaking point, the discovery of the wheel.

A huge station.
The greatest of discoveries.
Constructed so as his first car, the stroller. Then he started to load more things to carry them where they had needs. But the need grew, the carriages grew, the trace of the paths created unwittingly grew.

He had tamed many animals that help with the housework, but also in development.
One of these was the donkey.
The donkey in the stroller, he thought, what would I offer it; And so came the discovery of the trolley, but grew more the trail left behind when passing. Then discovered the main road.

Admittedly, this history does not end so easily.
First shows that forced the man to discover the road, and it slowly began to perfect constantly, until today we have at our disposal the most sophisticated roads crossing the plains and mountains, hills and slopes, with tunnels and large impressive bridges.

Let go back again, however briefly.

Having invented the wheel was subsequent to discover the trade.
The need for more communication at longer distances was inevitable.
So I had to open up more major roads that can move many coaches simultaneously.

The roads had to go through easily but difficult areas.
From the field and from the mountains to make the routes shorter.
But how scratched these roads in the mountains, without the current expensive machines, without the necessary measurements, the necessary maps with elevation contours, like those we use today;

Observing the behaviour of animals.
Especially those that were domesticated and pets, which many times they took with them to help.
The dog for protection, the cows for plowing, the horse and donkeys for transportation.
Watching the last two, they found that although the horse if you did not find bush territory stopped its course, and the donkey continues to move, looking instinctively smooth points, to walk more easily.

Especially, when we had to climb a mountain or hill, not going vertically like goats, but went slightly uphill sloping line, and once he found a smoother place, turning in 180 degrees and continue uphill again inclined straight until the next point considered suitable for turning.
Similarly acted in downhill.

Therefore give rise to an easy and comfortable passage for the same, and the boss also

This was the first official development road in the mountains.

In all parts of the world where the culture was developed, created a complex web of roads, trails, hidden and obvious passages.

                                  a path system in the Paros Island in Greece

He joined the outlying parts, led the man to cultivate more land, but also led soldiers in faraway wars.
Maybe that's why mostly from ancient roads outlined in the military.
Indeed, that was until 40 years ago in less modernized countries.

 This is the method of the donkey, and if you ask an old road engineer, surely knows.

Great Mosque of Algiers

This is a project that has caused much ink as the controversy was great! Archi-Mag take the intiative to publish this grandiose project, which is the third largest mosque in the world, just after the mosques of Mecca and Medina, which has dethroned the Hassan II in Casablanca. North Africans competing! with mosques performed by groups of European architects! When is a cathedral in Geneva made by an architect from us? Especially in these times of crisis where it is forbidden to erect minarets in Swiss territory?

Presentation of the mosque by Krebs und Kiefer
The new Grand Mosque of Algiers rise in the middle of the bay of Algiers on a plot of ca. 275,000 square meters near the sea will be about the size of the mosque, the third world. The working group formed by Krebs und Kiefer with KSP Engel und Zimmermann has won the international competition for the project in January 2008. In July 2008 the contract was signed for the overall planning and supervision of work for the Great Mosque of Algiers in the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It is a unique aspect that connects the entire mosque religious and secular institutions. The construction is designed to receive each day up to 120,000 visitors.

The architecture of the mosque with his wholesale lumber square connects modernity and tradition.Tradition because it goes back to the oldest type of mosques, the mosque with columns. A brand of style are, among others, the columns that open up like flowers while also providing space for conduction techniques. They are found in the whole complex of buildings. A bar of buildings, welcoming center cinemas and shops, trains west of the field early for the northern part of the whole.

This bar towards the esplanade, a vast square surrounded by several buildings in U and which allows access to the minaret. Underneath the plaza there is a parking garage on three storeys for 6,000 vehicles. The minaret, with its height of 270 m will be the tallest in the world. It is divided into various functional areas that can be reached by panoramic lifts. In the area of the foot minaret there is a spacious entrance area with fireplace that extends into the bar following buildings.

In stages 4 to 20 are a museum of Islamic art and history and an appropriate research center. There are several sky lobbies, distributed over the entire height, offering space for recreation and communication. In the tip of the tower is provided a platform for restaurant, which will also be accessible to visitors by two panoramic lifts.

To the east lies the sacred area of the mosque with prayer hall and avantcour, every faith 22,000 sq ft base and ca. 70 m in height. The entire mosque north is separated from buildings to the south by a spacious park. The cultural center, located in the southern part of the land, houses an extensive library and a multimedia room with video and film library.

In another building is arranged a conference center with a capacity of about 1,500 participants. The "Dar Al Quran (Koran school) offers the opportunity to 300 postgraduate students from the country and abroad, to deepen their knowledge of Islam and Islamic culture. Apartments for students and teachers are also provided on the nature of a field south of the campus together.
Technical responsibility for the project under the direction of Krebs und Kiefer faces a great challenge.The coordination of the planning team, consisting of over 100 architects and engineers is crucial to the success of the project. The result to be delivered to Owner must be integrated planning in all areas that guarantees a construction project without a hitch. Coordination with the Owner in Algeria is also part of the decisive tasks of general planning and technical responsibility.

The Owner shall at all times be informed of the current state of planning and integrated into the study process so that the progress of planning still reflects the ideas of the Owner. To this end it will be used including a communication system based on Internet that is administered by Krebs und Kiefer. A special task for the designers of the framework in Krebs und Kiefer is protection against earthquakes.The project is located in an area with the highest risk classification, and must remain intact and should work even after an earthquake. Because the project largely overcome the CE standards applicable thereto as well as local regulations, an intensive exchange at the highest professional level with the authors of the standards will be required. Another special factor in the planning of the mosque is security. In Algeria it attaches great importance to the safety of public institutions, in consideration of the troubled history of incidents and unfortunately still present.

Appropriate measures and facilities for the defense of terrorist acts must be integrated into the planning, according to agreement with local safety authorities. A singularity is also the general public effect of the project in Algeria. The project progress is monitored personally by the President. The press and public opinion on the project should always be considered. In Germany there was also a dialogue with the press on the uniqueness of this project. Ultimately however, the extraordinary thing this project will further its architectural dimension especially the culture. Each participant in the planning is known to be concerned with culture and religion of Islam to understand the function of the building and to bring it properly into the planning. Intensive dialogue between engineers study German and Algerian master of structure is on this point a positive example for the exchange between cultures, which form the basis for mutual understanding.

Short History Project
At first, in October 2007 after launching the competition, architects Algerian skeptics
The third biggest mosque ever built in the history of mankind after the two Haramin of Mecca and Medina, which millions of Algerians fantasize, is currently a design. A poorly designed plan, in the words of a brilliant brilliant architect with us. This huge monument, which should provide a core cultural, philosophical, religious and architectural course at the Bay of Algiers, is the center of a big controversy.A whopping $ 3 billion swallowed up by this project is incommensurate with the importance of structure, denounced the architects. This huge infrastructure is salivating big names in modern architecture because it is located in the beautiful Bay of Algiers is on the market as a small book in which the amateur and the approximation are law. Focus on the sub and the bottom of the Great Mosque of Algiers.
In the beginning was the word ... That of Bouteflika who wanted to immortalize his time at the head of the country by the erection of the 3rd largest mosque in the world at the heart of the capital. The idea is almost unanimously for a city that is beginning to tire of his Maqam shaheed (martyrs' shrine) of ex-President Chadli. But the $ 3 billion announced for its construction are dizzying to many Algerians. On the other hand, the sacred pot turns heads manufacturers. Experts expect a rush of Algiers architects in the world to register their names for posterity through such a phenomenal book. But first bad surprise: only 17 bids were received at the office of the National Agency for the realization of the Great Mosque of Algiers (ANRGMA), following international consultation launched. For architects, this result is a very bad start.
To cause a little competition for an opera in Paris and the simple layout of a courtyard of the Louvre Museum have attracted hundreds of responses, the most celebrated names in contemporary architecture! However, Algiers and its bay are historically known to be fertile ground for inspiration and creativity of great names. Buchenal are invented neo-Moorish architecture, and Le Corbusier have built a theory of urbanism in the 1930s, Roland Simounet revisited the Casbah and Vernacular Architecture, Oscar Niemeyer is then proposed to "revolutionize the revolution."
Mohamed Larbi Merhoum, President's Award 1999 and the Republic National Award of Architecture 2004, and his colleague Mohamed Abdelhalim Faidi, 1st prize Tony Garnier - Paris 1990 and winner of the French Academy of Architecture 1st prize Construction - Paris 1993, have a heavy heart to see this gem in the budget so badly disproportionate advantage. They note first that this imposing monument deserves more than ... 3 pages of specifications prepared. For comparison, the attainment of a hospital has required 5 filing paperwork in a neighboring country! This text to codify and detail all aspects of the project does not even identify what is the purpose and nature of this mosque that Algeria wants to build. The architects call the "founding text".
This is actually the cultural, civilizational and architecture in this mosque which should fit to give him an identity in Algeria. "You have to specify the content before the architects could never imagine the container. This is the match between the content and form that was born the idea of genius, "says Larbi Merhoum learnedly. The Great Mosque of Algiers is unclassifiable if one relies on the specification since it is not defined. It should, therefore, inevitably espouse any form of Islam (Salafi Ibadite, Hanbali ...) since its identity is summarized in the phrase "boilerplate" synthesis between authenticity and modernity.
This is to the cultural foundations of this mosque. Regarding the management of the project, the designers did not bother to lean their approach to international standards. Thus, while international competitions in architecture and urbanism have been codified by the General Conference of the United Nations at its ninth session in New Delhi, December 5, 1956 - Article II, also increased ANRGMA this procedure by adapting it to "home standards." Indeed, an assistant to the owner (consulting client)-class certainly was selected to allow the development of modern methodological tools and ensure project success.
Canadian Dessau Soprin had to bring its expertise in customer support for a serious operation by experienced professionals. But this expert was quickly ostracized by the public institution charged with the project manager. The ANRGMA in this case has chosen not to invite his Canadian assistant paid for it, preferring to use the means at hand or the system involved in D itself and its own means of accessing, mode of competition, the specifications, the consultation procedure, selection criteria and analysis of bids!

"We have been excluded! "
The appreciation of our architects have taken it upon themselves to denounce the "incredible malfeasance" is unequivocal: "The consultation is not a contest of ideas or a limited consultation. It did not match any legislation and the specification is in a few pages out forms and standard contracts."Abdelhalim Mohamed Larbi Merhoum and point by point are the inconsistencies and irregularities that have marked the process of construction of the mosque. Starting with the jury of 45 persons who had been appointed and whose contractors (registered architects and built with references) can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The worst part is that even the assistant to the owner retained (Dessau Soprin) is not among the jury, despite his expertise.

Also, excessive financial capacity (80 million dinars) imposed on competitors such as architects first selection criterion was removed ipso facto the national, even united, can never bring such a bonanza.They explain that the mission will be carried tomorrow (the President should choose the design office of the 17 offers) the winner was "reduced to filing a building permit." The company selected embodiments, it will complete later studied at "its discretion and without the architect." This approach in a market as lucrative and expensive reacted National Order of Architects of Algeria. But his protest "official" and "public" was apparently lost in the ambient noise around the envelope of three billion dollars stretch as desired. Architects complain that national debate and the competition on this project will be held "in camera".
January 2008: Selection of the winner chooses a group Bouteflika Germano-Tunisian
It is ultimately the design office "Kiefef Ste Krebs Und" which will undertake the project of the Great Mosque. The choice of Bouteflika has focused on the Germano-Tunisian group that has made a financial offer of 500 million euros. The announcement was made by the religious affairs minister who believes that the procedure is vitiated by any irregularity since, he said, the specification states that the contractor, in this case the Chief State had the opportunity to choose the person consulting firm.
The minister, who was Thursday's guest of Channel II, has ended the suspense surrounding the project that has caused much ink, which is obviously not to the liking of Goulamallah. "Journalists are writing anything about it. Some have estimated the cost at $ 3 billion. That is their estimate. We are referring to the offer made by the consulting firm selected will also be negotiated, "he said, adding that the proposed architectural order made by this group are not strictly enforced. "This is not the model proposed to be conducted. Changes will be made, "said the minister who hopes to see work begin in 2008. The design department won the architectural competition for the mega project of the Great Mosque of Algiers selction was among four others, namely the French "AS Architecture Studio, the francoanglais" ATSP / Atkins, "the German" Ipro Plan "and the Iranian" Genidar Sarl. The guest of radio has also addressed another topic, namely the management of funds of Zakat. Visibly pleased with the "harvest" of 2006 which is around 50 billion centimes, he thinks that the 2007 vintage will be greater.Ghoulamallah hopes to transform it into a real economic enterprise funds via an agency to be similar to the hajj or the Wakf property which will soon emerge. The proposal was made by his department and is awaiting the approval of the head of government. Concerning the Hajj season, the minister, who acknowledged some failures of those intended to support the hadjys locally, provides an improvement in the situation with the establishment of the Office of the hajj. He nevertheless considers that the national commission so far the operation is clearly above reproach as his financial report was approved but it still adds: "I wonder who approved the accounts of the National Commission hajj. Is it officials or commissioners duly sworn? "Not to change the subject, he will say no mission of the IGF to date has focused recently on the accounts of his department. He also announced the completion of the next status of the imam in the context of reviewing the status of the Public Service, which in his words, will rehabilitate the imam.
At a time when we write this article no longer mentions of Tunisians in this group!
Work begins 2008
The first earthworks of the Great Mosque of Algiers, was launched Wednesday, October 30, 2008, in the presence of the Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, Bouabdallah Ghlamallah who welcomed the "great interest to everyone wears the great mosque of Algiers. It is the symbol of Algeria and its identity, "he said. "This is not the mosques and prayer halls that we are missing, but this symbol that distinguishes us from other nations. The minister said that the project should be delivered 36 or 40 months after starting work. He said, however, that everything depends on "development studies". The Minister of Religious Affairs and Awqaf has also reported "fixes" made to the form, symbolism and design of the mosque following observations and opinions "of thinkers, historians and research departments . Mr. Ghlamallah also stated that the location of the minaret, which peak at 270 m, is not yet settled, although the option of building it in the middle of the mosque seems to be consensus.
It is recalled that the draft of the Great Mosque of Algiers has been given to the Canadian engineering firm Dessau-Soprin and construction in April 2007. According to forecasts by the company, the receipt of the building shall occur before the year 2013, roughly 76 months of work. This monumental institution, the third in the world after Mecca and Medina, should accommodate nearly 12,000 faithful.In addition to the prayer hall, other structures, such as an Islamic institute Dar Al Quran, a library, an auditorium and seminar rooms are also planned.
The Great Mosque of Algiers will be conducted according to the latest seismic techniques used in most developed countries of the world to achieve strategic nature of buildings. The project will consume a budget of over three billion dollars, especially since it is an urban complex and a mosque open to visitors, even non-Muslims. The director of the national agency for implementing the e mosque and its management Lakhdar Aloui said Saturday on the sidelines of the opening-day seminars around the seismic protection systems of the importance of not appointing Mosque of Algiers "masdjid" since according to him is an urban complex and a cultural center that will distinguish the capital. Thus, the mosque will be the largest urban project carried out in modern Algeria, its architecture has 4 square, 3 of which will be open to domestic and foreign visitors. Only a single square will be dedicated to prayer: it will be a huge hall with a capacity for 120 thousand practitioners. According to the agency's director of implementation of the mosque, the earthquake standards are applied, thereby reducing the risk of 540% for these achievements. For his part the director of the center of geophysical Bouzaréah, Mr. Abdelkrim Benyelles ensure the nature of the seismic zone of Algiers and class in the third degree.Experts estimate the project cost exceeds three billion dollars for its vastness and the rehabilitation of around since the base field is located near the ring road north of the highway from Algiers.

1. Boards of Imam 2. prayer room 3. Gallery Women 4. VIP 5. mihrab / Qibla 6. Museum 7. Research / Administrative 8. observation deck 9. cafes / shops / services 10. Cinema 11. Roof Terrace 12. up 13. Administration 14.equipment room 15. ablution 16. shoe storage