November 24, 2013
Cairobserver is a webzine that leads a conversation about the Egyptian capital. It tells the stories of Cairo’s buildings and builders, residents and municipalities. As part of our Fall 2013 Special Report on the Future of the City, the Cairo Review curates some of the perceptive posts from Cairobserver.
City Politics
The City and Egypt’s Constitution
Mohamed Elshahed, 10 September 2013
Issues related to city life—the right to housing, the right to information (such as transparency of municipal budgets), and so forth—were not part of the debate surrounding President Morsi’s 2012 constitution. Will the country’s new constitution address everyday challenges faced by Cairenes?
Two Court Cases and the Future of Cairo
Mohamed Elshahed, 11 September 2013
In central Cairo, the governor tried to confiscate private property. On Qursaya Island, an agricultural oasis on the Nile, residents are fed up with the military’s presence. In both cases, courts have supported locals in their complaints against authorities.
Imbaba Gets a Countryside-themed Park and More
Mohamed Elshahed, 8 August 2013
Construction of a new public park is underway in Imbaba, a working-class neighborhood in central Cairo. Seeking to emulate the award-winning Al-Azhar Park, the project has grand aspirations. But it’s already falling short for several structural reasons.
Cairo’s Informed/Informal Brick Cities
Jason Hilgefort, 12 October 2013
There is much to learn from informal settlements, which house nearly two thirds of the residents of Cairo. Working with these communities presents architects and urbanists with opportunities for innovation.
Buildings and Monuments
Ouzonian Building, 1950
Mohamed Elshahed, 9 August 2013
A close look at a modernist treasure situated on Talaat Harb Street, in hectic downtown Cairo.
Destruction Alert: Historic Gate Demolished without Official Approval
Mohamed Elshahed, 1 June 2013
In historic Cairo’s Darb El-Ahmar district, the old home of Egypt’s grand mufti was destroyed, to the outrage of local residents. This alert is one of the Cairobserver’s up-to-the-moment warnings about threats to the cityscape.
Cinema Radio Comes Back to Life
Mohamed Elshahed, 18 November 2012
Built during the Golden Age of Egyptian cinema, the Cinema Radio Theater remained vacant for years, raising questions about the regeneration of downtown Cairo. The theater is now home to comedian Bassem Youssef’s popular weekly television show.
Fire at the Institut
Ophelia Celine, 21 August 2013
Institut d’Égypte, founded by Napoleon in 1798, contained some 200,000 volumes of French texts from the past four centuries. The building burned down amid protests in December 2011. State TV reported that activists shot Molotov cocktails at the Institut, but there is more to the story.
Landmark: The Tiring Department Store
Mohamed Elshahed, 24 December 2012
Built in 1910, the beautiful five-story building is screaming for attention. But the current governance structure makes revitalization virtually impossible.
The Streets
Walking the City: An Interview with Nabil Shawkat on the Pleasures of Exploring Cairo on Foot
Mohamed Elshahed, 17 March 2013
Linguist, baker, freelance writer and Cairophile Nabil Shawkat leads walking tours of Cairo neighborhoods, finding haunts off the beaten track. Along the way, he encounters “amateur historians,” who share their local history. According to Shawkat, “The funniest bit is when people assume that we are ‘lost.’”
Mohammad Ali Street and the Shifting Symbolism of Cairo’s Cityscape
Joseph Ben Prestel, 5 February 2013
Muhammad Ali Street, constructed in the 1870s, provided a practical short cut between government offices near at the Citadel and the bustling commercial district of Azbakiyya. Despite architectural flourishes that mimic Rue de Rivoli, Muhammad Ali Street has always represented more than “Paris on the Nile.”
Walks: Parks and Squares
Mohamed Elshahed, 11 November 2012
Part of an ongoing series on the Cairobserver: guided tours. If you’re outside of Cairo, enjoy a virtual walk through historic neighborhoods oft-overlooked by tourists and residents alike.
The Builders
Cairo’s Nineteenth Century Transformation in Seven Points
Mohamed Elshahed, 15 May 2013
Stabilizing the Nile banks, creating new boundaries, new neighborhoods and new islands. Major urban transformations initiated during Khedive Ismail’s reign continue to shape the city.
Hassan Fathy: Architecture for the Rich
Mohamed Elshahed, 6 January 2013
Hassan Fathy is Egypt’s most prominent architect, famous for his 1945 scheme to relocate a Luxor village. But his legacy is ambiguous. His housing designs for Egypt’s poor are reminiscent of “a colonial project.”
Profile: Mahmoud Riad
Mohamed Elshahed, 9 July 2013
The modern architect behind some of Cairo’s most iconic structures, notably the Arab League Building.
Lessons from Elsewhere
The “White City” and Egypt’s Modernist Heritage
Mohamed Elshahed, 28 April 2012
Tel Aviv and its Bauhaus structures were added to UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites in 2003. Cairo, too, has a wealth of modernist buildings, conceived and erected by local architects.
Paris Was Never Along the Nile
Mohamed Elshahed, 14 December 2011
Nostalgists and Orientalists draw endless comparisons between Cairo and European capitals. In fact, Cairo’s architecture is unparalleled, its urban planning distinct. By calling it “Paris on the Nile,” authors obscure the city’s diverse character and perpetuate “the belief that modernity is a European business.”
Looking to Beirut from Cairo (Part I)
Mohamed Elshahed, 11 June 2013
There are lessons to be learned from Beirut’s thriving middle class and how they cope with instability, such as daily electricity cuts and sporadic political violence. Furthermore, opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing between Beirut and Cairo would benefit both Arab capitals.
Looking to Beirut from Cairo (Part II)
Mohamed Elshahed, 26 June 2013
Denizens of Beirut are proud, showing off their city’s quirks and secrets in specialty guidebooks. Uptown to downtown, innovations in Beirut might inspire creative interventions in Cairo.