Contemporary Architecture of Egypt Reflections on Architecture and Urbanism of the Nineties

At the end of the 20th century, and as we approach the beginning of the third millennium, a moment of reflection and contemplation is really needed. In the past decade there have been radical changes in architectural practices in Egypt. It has become common to observe that major shifts are occurring in the realms of architecture and urbanization. These shifts are dramatically changing the public face of Egyptian architecture. On the one hand, there have been changes that will definitely alter the role architects and planners can play. These are due to the emanation of new architectural services, complex building types and activities, and bilateral and multinational projects. It is evident that the profession in Egypt is being diffused into several new activities and roles. There emerge specialists in architectural programming, cost analysis/control, office and construction management, landscape architecture, client relations, research, real estate development and architectural marketing. On the other hand, we have witnessed more involvement of local architects and urban planners, together with international agencies, government, NGOs, and the private sector in urban development, historic preservation, and sustainable urban conservation projects. A wide range of innovative designs representing disparate trends can also be observed. Along with these trends, movements toward green design and a more culturally and environmentally responsive architecture are implicitly and slowly dawning. With these honest attempts to tame architectural and urban development processes, one can assert that while Egyptian architects generally manage individual buildings well enough, the overall built environment is increasingly mismanaged, and the process of architectural education has been slow to respond to these shifts. This paper investigates the current status of architecture and urbanism in Egypt. It bases its argument on the recent developments in the field, links these developments with socioeconomic contexts, explores the nineties architectural trends, and examines the role of different actors in these processes. The paper relies heavily on presenting examples of projects that exemplify various architectural and design positions. Results of interviews with name Egyptian architects, and conclusions drawn from questioning architectural advertising in major newspapers are discussed and associated with the overall argument. The paper ends with a conceptual vision for the future of architectural profession and the blinking new paradigm. ________________________________________ Dr. Ashraf M. A. Salama is Assistant Professor of Architecture, Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. Currently, he is the Acting Head, Department of Architecture, Misr International University (MIU) in Cairo. He has written over 20 articles in International Conferences and Archival Journals, and has written two books: New Trends in Architectural Education: Designing the Design Studio (1995), and Human Factors in Environmental Design (1998). Salama has contributed to the UNESCO Charter of Architectural Education. He is the Director of Architectural Education Work Program of the UIA, Region V, and cocoordinator of IAPS Education Network. He was the recipient of the first award of the International Architectural Design Studio, University of Montreal, Canada (1990), and recently won the Paul Chemetove Prize for his project on Architecture and the Eradication of Poverty, a UN International Ideas Competition (1998). He is a technical consultant for Environmental Quality International, Tourism Development Authority, and other local and international