DesignMUGAMMA REVISITEDYear: 2019 Location: Downtown, Cairo Client: Mada Masr Scope: Design The government administrations housed in the infamous Mugamma building at Tahrir Square are most likely set to be replaced by a luxurious hotel, while the square itself is being renovated. Amid the digitizing of many government services and the relocation of core government functions…
DesignBIKE LANES IN DOWNTOWN CAIROYear: 2019 Location: Downtown, Cairo Client: UN-Habitat Scope: Research and Design Greater Cairo, a megacity of approximately 18 million, faces daunting traffic jams and severely polluted air. Responding to the city’s transport challenges, the Cairo governorate (an administrative region, similar to a state or province), in partnership with the United Nations…
PublicationsCREATIVE INITIATIVES: ECONOMIC IMPACT ON DOWNTOWN CAIROYear: 2018 This Creative Initiatives Toolkit offers stakeholders and researchers alike a guide to measuring the economic impact of the independent arts and culture sector as a segment of the creative sector on a district, in this study, downtown Cairo. Through an economic impact assessment of the arts on…
Digital PlatformsAMMAN STAIRWAYSYear: 2018 The Amman Stairways Mapping Project builds upon on earlier archives and databases developed by local art, architecture and urban communities in Amman, as well as research practices developed by CLUSTER in collaboration with the Center for Spatial Research (CSR) and Studio-X Amman at the Columbia Global Centers | Amman. The project…
DesignSTREET STORYYear: 2018 Location: Downtown, Cairo Client: National Organization for Urban Harmony Scope: Research and Design The National Organization for Urban Harmony (NOUH) commissioned CLUSTER to develop a concept design proposal for the Downtown street signage project. The project aims to highlight how the streets, together with the urban fabric of Downtown Cairo, have evolved…
DesignCINEMA RIOYear: 2017 Location: Downtown, Cairo Client: Zawya Scope: Research and Design The importance of Rio Cinema lies within the opportunity it poses as one of the few outdoor venues in the heart of Cairo. The project is intended to renovate Bab al-Luk’s Rio Cinema with the aim of turning it into a space that…
PublicationsALEXANDRIA WALKING TOURYear: 2017 Alexandria contains some of Egypt’s finest examples of architectural and urban heritage. One of the first cities in Egypt to experience modernization, beginning in the early 19th century, Alexandria’s booming economy, cosmopolitan culture and diverse historical layers have all contributed to a robust Downtown. Over the past few decades, downtown Alexandria…
MappingAMMAN STAIRWAYSYear: 2017 Location: Amman, Jordan Client: Columbia University Scope: Mapping and Research Amman is a city characterized by its distinct topography–hills and valleys– through which it has evolved along cascading/climbing urban development. A hilltop-slope-valley cross section may offer a topological condition to understand not only Amman’s urban evolution, but its social, economic and cultural…
ResearchECONOMIC IMPACT OF CREATIVE INITIATIVES IN DOWNTOWNYear: 2017 Location: Downtown, Cairo Client: British Council Scope: Research This study aims to offer stakeholders and researchers alike a guide to measuring the economic impact of the independent arts and culture sector on downtown Cairo. Through an economic impact assessment of the arts on the district, it aims…
DesignSOUQ BAB AL-LUQYear: 2017 Location: Downtown, Cairo Client: DEDI Scope: Research and Design The Bab al-Luq market was established in 1912 as a modern covered market inspired by Les Halles in Paris. It was state of the art when it came to accessibility, light, hygiene and organization. The market has been decaying since then, and…