Claiming the Place; Informal Placemaking, Power and Territorial Identity in Heliopolis, Cairo

Abstract

The bottom-up or informal placemaking process is "illegal", practised only by the "poor" and "unintellectual" classes. The author argues that various classes practise informal placemaking regardless of their economic status or educational level. Studying the spatial manifestation of informal placemaking helps to understand the concrete needs of the residents and reconsider their role in identifying places. Aiming to comprehend informal placemaking and its importance, this study investigates informal placemaking in Sheraton Residence, Heliopolis, Cairo. The area is chosen for its formality, socio-economic and cultural patterns. Cases of informal placemaking in Sheraton Residence are described and analysed to pinpoint their role in creating a sense of place, territorial identity and comprehending their meaning. A comparison with cases in informal low-income housing is conducted to construct diversities and similarities. The study encourages the re-thinking of the public role in placemaking as a place of negotiation and belonging. We can improve their urban quality by re-thinking informal placemaking and looking at how people use the place. The general impression that only informal housing and low-educated classes practise informal placemaking is incorrect.

Street vendors and power relations among actors: process of place making in Borobudur food and craft market

“…The concept of place is strong with the elements of actors/human actions that transform. The action of transforming a place is called “place-making.” In other words, place-making is an action to transform a space into a place (Saad, 2022). Place-making is a collaborative process that strengthens relations between actors internally to transform certain places (Germen, 2015).…”

“…The act of power can be divided into two methods, namely formal/top-down or bottom-up/ informal methods (Saad, 2022). The informal/bottom-up approach is typically used by individuals or communities naturally, whereas the formal/top-down approach is typically used by actors that have access to legitimate resources.…”

Women and Places; Female Street Vendors, Territorial Identity and Placemaking

“…Territorial identities merge as they are triggered by self-expression, and they are significant aspects in creating place and territorial borders [20, p. 225], [21], [22]. Since the person's existence defines the individual identity in a particular place [23, p. 26], female street vendors' routinised activities imprint the place with territorial identity.…”

Acts of Deforming a City; Top-Down Placeless-Making in Pretorian Cairo

“…It promoted public street trams, comfortable and safe physical activities and collective social life. It introduced various place identities and distinguished urban characters (Saad, 1994(Saad, , 2022a(Saad, , 2022b. It adapted similar to the "Neo-mamluk" style defined by Nasser Rabbat (2010) but in a celebrative visual mixture.…”

“…Placemaking is also defined as the participatory act of imagining and creating places for human activities (Derr et al, 2018) or as the art of making better places for people (Richards & de Brito, 2017). Furthermore, practising placemaking requires residents' or users' contribution as they have the ability to create a sense of place, place identity and diversity (Saad, 2022a). Despite the necessity of introducing a bottom-up process in placemaking, top-down interventions triggered much debate as placemaking projects.…”