The Tram: A Witness to the City’s Memory

For over a century, the tram has crossed the streets of Alexandria, functioning not just as a mode of transportation, but as a crucial thread in the city’s historical and cultural fabric. As a mobile witness to the evolving urban landscape, the tram has carried the voices, routines, and collective memory of generations of Alexandrians. Its routes have long intertwined Alexandria’s neighborhoods, shaping and reflecting the complex social, economic, and cultural dynamics of the city.

“The Tram: A Journey into Shaping the Neighborhoods of Alexandria and Their Complexities” is a multidisciplinary project developed within the framework of the Summer School program organized by the Faculty of Fine Arts at Alexandria University, in collaboration with CT Lab (Faculty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University) and CLUSTER (Cairo). Over the course of twelve intensive days, participating students engaged in site-specific research, critical inquiry, and creative experimentation aimed at reinterpreting the tram’s significance in Alexandria’s urban life.

The outcomes of this process were presented in a final exhibition and featured a range of visual and narrative works that seek to rediscover the tram’s role in shaping the city’s physical and social landscape, offering new perspectives on its enduring presence in Alexandria’s collective memory.