Abstract
There are currently 30 natural protected areas in Egypt that represent more than 15% of the total area of Egypt. These large numbers and areas of natural protected areas in Egypt and the growing need of it reflect the significance of examining the foundations of sustainable architectural design for the buildings needed in these natural protected areas. The chosen natural protected area is the Nabq Protected Area, which includes a number of local residents who live in a residential village at the protected area named "Al-Gharqana". The residents are living in inappropriate living conditions and a desperate need to establish an alternative residential village. This natural protected area was chosen to experience the foundations of sustainable architectural design by designing a sustainable housing model and involving local residents and beneficiaries in making design decisions in the various stages of the project. The research aims to develop a sustainable architectural design approach for the Fishermen Village, Al-Gharqana, Nabq Protected Area, Sharm El Sheikh, through an integrated participatory approach with the beneficiaries and using sustainable building technologies & materials and appropriate simulation software to help review and develop the architectural design, in order to apply this approach in other protected area in South Sinai and Egypt in general. This research followed the inductive approach and then an experimental approach to reach its objectives. The research studied the foundations of sustainable architectural design for the natural protected areas in Egypt and then applied these foundations through an integrated experimental approach in the Fishermen Village in Al-Gharqana, Nabq Protected Area, Sharm El Sheikh. Through this approach, the research reached a sustainable architectural design for the village using local building materials and new building technologies, in partnership with the concerned local residents using environmental simulation software to ensure access to the best architectural solutions.