W Cairo Enshrined With Monument by Egyptian Artist Shosha Kamal
Scene Home – 2024
The upscale lifestyle hotel chain, nestled in One Ninety New Cairo, was designed to reflect Egypt’s long history of hospitality.
A monument that at once looks two-dimensional, only to unveil seven layers of meaning once you shift your perspective, just a little bit; the W Monument stands in the heart of One Ninety New Cairo, a prominent mixed-use project in Egypt, where it has been designed by Egyptian artist Shosha Kamal to convey W Cairo’s layered commitment to luxurious hospitality.
W Cairo, developed by Egyptian real estate company LMD, represents the introduction of W Hotels, an upscale lifestyle hotel chain owned by Marriott International, into Egypt. As such, Shosha Kamal was tasked with embodying the history and hospitality of the nation, while acknowledging the modern innovations that keeps that spirit alive in the present. In doing so, she has constructed seven W-shaped layers, each paying homage to a different epoch of Egyptian history, from the grandeur of the Pharaohs to the artistic brilliance of the Islamic era.
“I found meaning in a papyrus dating five thousand years old, which we considered the first hospitality teachings the world has ever witnessed,” multidisciplinary artist Shosha Kamal tells SceneHome. The papyrus was written in an informal ancient Egyptian script, the fragments of which have been carved into the first layer of the monument. “The W is made out of seven layers, representing seven cultures,” she adds. The integration of each culture reflects W Global’s dedication to celebrating each of their unique qualities.
Much like the monument, W Cairo is developed with the Egyptian capital’s historical, cultural and commercial significance in mind. W Cairo is the first W experience in Egypt, while W Residences stands as the first of its brand in Africa. The project represents a milestone in LMD’s undertaking to transform Africa’s hospitality sector with new hotels and lifestyle destinations that reflect the vibrancy and diversity of Egyptian culture.
