Abstract
Egypt is facing a housing crisis as a result of the exponential population growth coupled with a struggle to express identity in architecture. This struggle is reflected in the westernized trends in architecture leading to design that is environmentally and socially unsustainable. With the west being viewed as the progressive and technologically advanced part of the world, imitation in the Islamic world is inevitable. Consequently, elements in urban planning and architecture such as separation of markets from houses, and large openings in houses became common in Egypt despite their irrelevance to Egyptian social dynamics and climate. In affordable housing projects, this introduction of foreign elements and restructuring of lifestyle sparked a reaction where people altered and reused architect-designed spaces according to their own needs. In addition, with a large part of the population unable to afford mortgages, they have resorted to self-build options where their houses are built with no intervention from an architect or an engineer. The resulting buildings lack organisation, structural stability, and aesthetic. Recently, many projects addressed the aforementioned problems and aimed to revive identity through creating a modern interpretation of Islamic architecture for housing. This paper analyses examples of such housing and individual house projects in the last five decades to search for a contemporary solution to design for Egyptian Islamic societies. The projects differ geographically, but they share the same aim: to design socially and environmentally sustainable dwelling for a modern Islamic society with a deep understanding of its past forms and cultural expressions.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2021 Special Focus—The Opportunities of Crisis: Resilience and Change in World History
KEYWORDS
HOUSING, SUSTAINABLE DESIGN, ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE, VERNACULAR, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
