This paper aims to question the level of success of one of Egypt's contemporary architectural milestones which is the Aga-Khan Award winning project of the Child Park in Sayyeda Zeinab-designed by the Egyptian architect Abdel-Halim Ibrahim; from a community participation perspective. Stemming from the fact that the level of successful community participation in architecture and urban design projects affects the sustainability of the added value, this paper tackles the current process of operation of the Park and the adjacent pedestrian street, as complimentary aspects of a community participatory process, and evaluates the social sustainability of the project as well. The study sheds light on the operation of the park after twenty eight years of the initiation of the project, it explores its functional and social role in the district of Sayyeda, located at the center of Cairo city. However, the project has to be revised and analysed from a critical perspective to evaluate the degree of its success in affecting the local community, and the level to which it contributes to the approach of local community participation. In order to achieve this end, the paper adopts a twofold methodology. The first is a literature review of the initial ceremonial participatory process of building the Park and the initial role intended by the architect whether related to the park itself or to the adjacent Abu-ElDahab Street. The second methodology is a qualitative analysis of the current state of the park and adjacent street, based on site investigations, behavioural mapping of the current status, analysis of the roles of the beneficiaries, interviews conducted with different stakeholders about the present challenges of the role of the park in the district. Based on those two main research approaches, the paper concludes with a framework and several guidelines to enhance the social sustenance of the place through rephrasing the park's role in relation to the changing needs of the community.
During the widespread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the year 2020, "staying home" became one of the crucial means of survival. Being an architect and educator during this crucial time raised many questions of whether our current practice and pedagogy place homes in their adequate socio-psychological status. Thus, this research aims to document, analyze and compare selected examples of home adaptations in 2020. The methodology adopted in the research depended on deductive qualitative methods. Analysis of the spaces was conducted by the researcher based on first-hand data. Surveys were distributed among a wide sample, among whom were the in-depth study sample. And finally, interviews were conducted to assess the level of comfort and tools of adaptations made by the residents during the lockdown. The study concludes with lessons learned from the pandemic outbreak to enhance architectural practice as well as pedagogy while addressing the future of home designs.
For decades, numerous countries have been witnessing the Street Children phenomenon where millions of children worldwide are subjected to risks. Despite the crucial role of intermediate non-residential interventions - using drop-in centers- in protecting and rehabilitating street children, there is a paucity of research addressing the quality of design of these centers and how architecture might influence their operational process. Those observations invite investigating drop-in centers used in practice from a design perspective and question adapting architectural applications for humanitarian emergencies, focusing on “Child-Friendly Spaces”. The study aims to provide solutions for better quality design, facilitating operational challenges. The methodology undertakes the investigation through primary and secondary axes. This involves conducting literature and international precedents review and secondarily, an Egyptian contextual first-hand documentation and qualitative analysis of selected centers.
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