The design of the NJIT Cairo Campus was an interdisciplinary effort, bringing together teams from Urban Design, Landscape Design, Architecture, and Interior Design to collaboratively develop the conceptual design for the campus.

The design of the interiors for NJIT's Cairo campus draws inspiration from the ancient quarries of Egypt, particularly exploring two distinct types: soft stone quarries and hard stone quarries. In the soft stone quarries, we observed captivating reliefs and textures left by the extracted stone, influencing a color palette characterized by beautiful earth tones—a blend of sandy hues and various shades of greys. This set the foundation for the primary finish palette across all buildings. The warm palette, prominent in larger open spaces, not only humanizes the environment but also fosters a comfortable atmosphere. This approach is especially beneficial for a campus designed for young individuals, promoting focus and maintaining a sense of calm.

The inspiration for the secondary palette came from the hues found in ornamental stones extracted from hard stone quarries. This included shades of olive and sage green, hues of sky blue, and ocher. The utilization of these colors can be observed in upholstery or surface materials such as flooring and paint colors.

We establish a connection to the NJIT brand in New Jersey by incorporating the primary color of crimson red in certain buildings. In others, this brand color is reflected in elements such as upholstery, lighting, carpets, and environmental graphics throughout the Cairo campus.

For each building we are investigating the primary finish palette which includes neutral earthy tones. As we go through the program and different zones of the buildings with this reduced palette we begin to show destinations and start to introduce color.

The shared feature among the buildings across the campus is the intricately carved atrium spaces, and the connecting element is the open staircases that link the spaces on upper levels. The unique identity of each building is defined by the color applied to these open staircases, with all nine buildings having a primary color assigned along with a complementary color.