The Cityscape Architecture Workshop, powered by RIBA in partnership with Cityscape Egypt 2023, aimed to empower students from RIBA-validated universities, offering them a platform to engage in broader conversations and share their perspectives on sustainability and architecture. With the theme of Sustainable Transport Solutions, the focus of the RIBA and Cityscape student design charette was the vital link between architecture and sustainability.
The students' design criteria for the charette made sensitive considerations to the context and materials of the site chosen by students in Cairo and considered the following agenda:
- consider new transportation systems
- create a sustainable public transportation systems
- re-design existing Infrastructure and / or new routes and connections
- address electric and hybrid vehicles and the reduction of carbon emissions
- create a more human friendly city
Students from three RIBA-validated architecture courses in Egypt (AAST Alexandria, AAST Cairo, and AAST Smart Village) engaged in this event by forming two teams each, consisting of four students of their choosing. This approach cultivated diverse perspectives by emphasising cross-year collaboration within the same institution.
RIBA's strong belief in the role of Future Architects in advancing net-zero design and sustainability positioned them at the forefront of these crucial discussions. The workshop's agenda featured a dynamic live design charette and a subsequent review on 22 and 23 September. During the charette, teams were given four hours to craft their site ideas and proposals, fostering the generation of innovative design concepts. The subsequent design review on 23 September involved team leaders presenting their proposals to the Cityscape Exhibition audience, sparking vibrant discussions and debates among participants and attendees.
After careful deliberation by the grand jury, the winning proposals are listed below:
First Place Winner
Proposal Title: The Histo-Affinity
School: Arab Academy for Science and Technology Alexandria
Students (Team B):
- Sara Ehab Ahmed
- Nada Mahmoud El-Nenaey
- Hanin Walid Yakout
- Lina Yasser Mohamed
Brief description:
Sustainable transportation development and enjoying the magnificent historical monuments and sites in Cairo shouldn't contradict so our team decided to merge both in our project 'The Histo-Affinity'. By looking at the destruction taking place in parts of the city of the dead, our team decided to expose the importance of our history, attract tourists and give a whole new experience to the selected site in historical Cairo, through enhancing sustainable types of transportation which are walking and cycling while conserving and respecting the historical monuments and sites.
To manifest the issue, The site was selected based on the richness due to the presence of Al Azhar Park and Salah Eldin ElAyubi Citadel among other important historical sites and based on the dis-connectivity which is the main problem in the site. The dis-connectivity of the urban fabric is a result of narrow and dead end streets, street vendors, garbage in streets, absence of clear and safe pedestrian paths and lack of nodes and plazas.
Second Place Winner
Proposal Title: Changing Minds in El-Khalifa District
School: Arab Academy for Science and Technology Cairo
Students (Team B):
- Omar Mohamed
- Shadi Mohamed
- Ahmed Ashraf
- Mohamed Hesham
Brief description:
The site selected for the project is located in a densely populated historic district of Cairo, namely El-Khalifa District. The objective is to promote the shift from carbon intense modes of transportation to more sustainable solutions in order to both help protect the environment and preserve valuable architectural heritage. The project creates a pedestrian-friendly area prohibited to automobile traffic with the introduction of a tram line and lanes for bikes, electric scooters and toktoks.
Other proposed solutions include the introduction of technologies to generate electricity from the movement of people. The project is envisioned to create a better living environment for residents and contribute to better experiences for tourists.
Third Place Winner
Proposal Title: فاصِلة (Comma)
School: Arab Academy for Science and Technology Alexandria
Students (Team A):
- Salma Hossam
- Salma Adel
- Mira El-Menchawy
- Rowan Adel
Brief description:
A Transportation Multimodal Hub. Our transportation system aims to reconnect Cairo, east through west and north through south, our starting point being Ramses station as it is the main node we as citizens of another city end up at when we reach Cairo. A transportation network was constructed using a mesh of different systems to create several nodes that would act as our transportation hubs. Featuring transportation modes ranging through all economical classes, we aimed to hit all the demographics to make public transportation available to everyone.
We designed these nodes through the following analysis;
Firstly analysing the most visited and congested areas in Cairo. On a city scale , we worked how could we add more lines to connect the Capital to the rest of Egypt, so we had to search the nodes where they meet. Zooming more, connecting Cairo together, we started searching for the most used bus stops, as well as adding more metro lines and stations to cover and connect Cairo all together.
Choice of site: We’ve designed a prototye in the area of Old Cairo, this prototype could be differently themed according to the site and context . We tried to be as seamless as possible to respect our context and our rich history .
The students showcased proposals with great connection on sustainable transport solutions in Cairo that are essential for creating a more environmentally friendly, efficient, and liveable urban environment. These proposals are focused on reducing the negative impacts of transportation, such as air pollution, traffic congestion, and greenhouse gas emissions in the country. Incorporating these sustainable transport solutions not only reduces the environmental impact of urban mobility but also enhances the overall quality of life for the residents of Cairo by improving air quality, reducing noise pollution, and creating more vibrant, walkable communities in the future.
Download the students' proposal project full summary and description of their works. (pdf)
We extend our gratitude to our esteemed judging panel:
- Jury Chair - Sandra Woodall, FRIBA, FRSA, AoU, MAPM, Managing Director at TangramGulf, RIBA Gulf Chapter UAE Representative
- 2nd Judge - Sarah El Battouty, Founder of ECOnsult - Green Architecture, High Level Champions, Global Ambassador UNFCCC
- 3rd Judge - Mouaz Abouzaid, Founder, Design Principal at Verform
The workshop was moderated by Emma England, Head of Programmes Delivery, RIBA, and Aldrine Sanchez, Business Development Executive, RIBA.
In addition to the student design charette, the workshop featured Powered by RIBA CPD talks within the theme of Sustainable Architecture. The session included reviving the past and showcasing the successful adaptions that have breathed new life into buildings, understanding conservation architecture, climate resilience case in the sector and deliver new ideas on the use of indigenous and local communities and designing sustainable architecture by applying the core principles of sustainable development to the design of our buildings and cities.
These sessions were designed for architects and industry professionals, offering valuable insights and expertise.
In partnership with Cityscape.
