Protruding into Mediterranean Sea, the strategically defendable position of El Mahdia gives it a unique character. At the time of its creation, this ancient city of the Maghreb has become a considerable cog in the urban development of the Sahel. Marked by a moving past, the city of El Mahdia has always managed to maintain the wealth that characterizes it for several centuries.
Project name: Arsenal Museum, a Phoenician legacy.
Location : Punic Harbor, El Mahdia, Tunisia.
Status : Concept
Model of the anciant punic arsenal – National Museum Of El Mahdia
Considering the existence of a Phoenician harbor in the old town of El Mahdia, came the idea for a memorial pavilion for the image of the great Hepter warship.
The Punic hepter warship
The interior space of the pavilion is an upscale version of an inverted hull of the warship, The central position of the “Hepter” ship exposes the visitors to its imposing aspect. Half the structure of the hull is open to the harbor and the old town to maintain a visual link. The South-East elevation is a series of altered panels to create a shading system.
Concept model and sketch
Fatma Ben Hfaiedh
Fatma has been driven by creativity and experimental design, which led her into architecture studies. She is interested by architectural answers to social and environmental problems, through the research and reinvention of existing infrastructure.
After a Bachelor degree in Architecture and completing her Master’s thesis project at The National School of Architecture and Urbanism of Tunis, she is currently Working as an intern architect at a Tunisian architecture firm.