Stepping inside this unexpectedly modern Cairo mansion might feel like one has walked into a museum, but it is not only a window to contemporary art and design in Egypt, it is also warm and hospitable.
“We have a saying in Egypt which translates roughly as ‘the best doesn’t exist when it comes to your own home’ and this is particularly true for designers,” says Aynour Soufrakis with a laugh. “You will never have enough time, so I built my home gradually.” She is a co-founder at family-run design and architecture practice DB Architects, which has become known for its impressive projects. They represent a kind of maximalism that embraces a rich layering of textures, materials and objects – an antithesis to the “less is more” philosophy.
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Soufrakis leads the interior design arm of the Cairo-based practice, including bespoke furniture, art and décor, so it comes as little surprise that the same rich aesthetic has flowed into her own home in Cairo’s First District. She describes it as a “neighbourhood of classical-style villas”, but one glance at her abode is enough to make clear that she has broken ranks with tradition.
“I wanted to introduce modernity to the area,” says Soufrakis, explaining how she was given permission to overhaul the existing columned building and effectively start from scratch. The resulting, somewhat deconstructed villa hints at her boldness and creative freedom, especially when it comes to materials. “I wanted it to be very modern, and thought of changing the colour of the building to black, but because it is quite hot in Cairo, I went for a charcoal-grey that still gives it that new, modern look,” she explains. The special paint finish features marble segments mixed into the pigment, a technique used by the Ancient Egyptians to enhance insulation properties.
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The three-storey villa sits within a vast landscaped garden with ample breakout seating and areas for entertaining guests, as well as an outdoor pool. It is elevated at the back to follow the natural slope of the land, which gives way to the garden.
“I think this gives it character,” says Soufrakis, who moved back to Cairo 24 years ago following her design studies in London; she had already been renovating homes across the UK. “I used to buy homes, refurbish them and sell them,” she says.
Upon returning to Egypt, Soufrakis remembers feeling disconcerted about its built environment, although her love for the country’s historical Art Deco and Art Nouveau architecture persisted. “Egypt has a very different architecture – a new kind of baroque, which I never liked, but thankfully it has changed a lot,” she asserts. “There are many modern homes now, and a lot of beautiful architecture, but I was a bit early for my time. I was living abroad, and to change the concept of design in a society is not easy; it takes time.”
Old and new converge in Soufrakis’ designs, a confluence of two worlds that stems from her love of antiques and art with intricate detailing – unlike much contemporary art today. “The abundance of materials in old palaces is something that really inspires me,” she says. “It was normal to see so many different materials, different colours, and they all adjusted into a great concept. I would love to see more of that in new homes. That is always my vision when I start a project. If it was done before, why can’t it be translated into a modern version to fit our times?”
The walnut sculptural staircase in Soufrakis’ majestic Cairo mansion is a great example of this, although the entire home lends itself to the approach of balancing old and new; it’s brimming with intricate objects, cabinets, artworks and sculptures. It has the curvature of Art Nouveau, but it is not inspired by it, the designer insists, instead referencing jets and planes as her source, their organic shapes informing the bannister.
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Her husband’s wish to keep the existing structure of the steps posed a challenge with its curved shape, which was extremely complicated to build. “It took us a year and a half to complete it,” she remembers. “It was like a sculpture: I had to cut from it, add more on this side and that side. But now it is the talk of the house, the main attraction.”
When it comes to art and furniture, Soufrakis is both a creator and a collector. “My work is all about being bespoke. I never repeat designs, or even materials. That is essential in my studio here in Cairo,” she says, adding that 90 per cent of the pieces in her home are self-designed.
In the atrium in front of the staircase, a tentacular chandelier hangs from the ceiling, inspired by the shape of a walnut, its fuzzy texture made using fibre strings. A galvanised-steel fireplace in the shape of an egg sits in another room, while a giant papier-mâché flower (bought at auction in Paris) brightens the kitchen. In the main salon, a hefty Murano-glass sculpture with a metal architrave by Egyptian artist Wael Shawky hangs from the ceiling – it weighs almost 800 kilograms. The terracotta mural in another room is inspired by an antique artwork that Soufrakis missed buying at auction, but decided to readapt herself, with the help of young Egyptian artist Ashgan Makarem. “Art brings me happiness and inspiration,” Soufrakis enthuses. “When I have no ideas in my head, art is what I turn to.”
When asked how she creates a sense of comfort in the midst of such grandeur, Soufrakis says: “To me, beauty is number one and grandeur is number two. Any designer can lie to you and say you can have both, but beauty doesn’t usually come with comfort. And for me, beauty comes first.” @db.architects
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