Rebirth of Cairo

REBIRTH OF CAIRO

BACHELOR THESIS PROJECT

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

CAIRO UNIVERSITY

2007

Location:

Mokattam Mountain, Cairo

At the boundary of ancient Islamic City

In front of Salah al Din Citadel     

     The project is a part of series of projects reviving the idea of a City Rebirth. The challenge started from the context. Historically, it is the boundary of the ancient islamic city that hosts Salah al Din Citadel, on the other side it was the natural border and the highest point in Cairo's topographical Map. During urban fabric and infrastructure Sprawl the natural and ancient border was replaced by two main roads that are connecting the city from east to west and represent a new metropolitan boundary.

     The strategy was divided into 3 levels, from the ground which is connecting the project with the citadel under the 2 roads. This level hosts the open public spaces and crafts schools and workshops to enhance the local economic potentiality, then the higher level consists of culture/research center and at last the top as an urban terrace.

     It had various challenges. First of them was dedicated to the community development around the site,  as it is a voind in between Slums, cemeteries and a touristic attraction spot with lots of social problems, lack of urban facilities and open spaces, and a promising potential among the local crafts economy. Then in the scale of infrastructure, it was necessary to re-conceive the physical and mental border -roads- by creating common ground that gathers the citadel open spaces, the ground level of the project and the backyard informal-settlement.