Karim El Kafrawi - Disruptive Streetscapes of Central Cairo

This talk will be hosted on Thursday, 23 May 2024 at 6:00 pm.

Central urban districts of Cairo are overrun with a host of major issues that include but are not limited to general physical dysfunction, overpopulation, high built-up density, intense pollution (air quality, noise, trash), paralyzing vehicular congestion, poverty, and social and income inequality.

Despite these macro-scale challenges, there are pressing micro-scale factors on the streetscape level that inhibit the central city’s functional, social, and cultural cohesiveness and harmony. The issues of insufficient public space, connectivity, legibility, and disorganized streetscapes where vehicular movement takes precedence over all other purposes are key factors that cause considerable parts of the macro issues Cairo faces.

These issues are collectively manifested in various forms, however they are simultaneously caused by or causing the condition of physical and perceptual spatial segregation. Vehicular congestion, overcrowding, or bad transport planning are valid but oversimplistic to explain these conditions. Unexplored micro factors in the spatial dynamics of this type of urban condition in Cairo play a significant part in facilitating this form of segregation.

The study to be presented explores the urban spatial dynamics of Al-Azhar Street stretching from Downtown’s old Opera Square to Saleh Salem Street. This street is one of the most congested commercial streets and one of the most dominant types of physical and perceptual spatial segregation and division in central Cairo. The
study will show observational, theoretical and illustrative analysis of the existing conditions and potential solutions to reintegrate these surrounding neighborhoods with improved spatial quality, cohesiveness and harmony.

About the speaker

Karim El Kafrawi is a distinguished architect with 15 years’ experience, specializing in Climate Responsive Architecture and Urbanism. Karim is the co-founder of Karm Architecture Lab and KarmBuild, founded in 2013 as a multi-disciplinary firm advancing solutions for a commercially viable, climate-responsive, and culturally sensitive approach to the built environment. He also completed his graduate studies with a master’s in architecture at the University of Texas in Austin. His work focuses on the fusion of old and new methodologies in architecture design, urban design, and construction. Karim’s key contribution lies in recognizing the importance of learning from past architectural and urban heritage, integrating these lessons with contemporary sustainable architecture design and urbanism. Currently, he is researching how to adapt urban environments to rapid technological advances and environmental shifts resulting from non-integrated mass urban developments and climate change.

Attention!

The lecture starts at 6 pm. The number of seats is limited and we work on a first-come, first-served basis. We open our doors at 5:30 and close them at 6:15 or earlier in case the lecture room reaches its full capacity. This talk will not be recorded nor livestreamed.