Cairo

AGA KHAN TRUST FOR CULTURE
Historic Cities Support Programme
C A I R O: U R B A N R E G E N E R AT I O N
I N T H E D A R B A L -A H M A R D I S T R I C T
A Framework for Investment

CONTENTS 1
A N I N T E G R AT E D C O N S E RVAT I O N 2
A N D D E V E L O P M E N T S T R AT E G Y
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 6
IN DARB AL-AHMAR
• Data Collection
• Housing and Open Space Upgrading
• Access to Credit
• Employment
• Basic Social Services
• Cross-cutting Issues
D EVELOPMENT O PPORTUNITIES 14
IN BURG AL-ZAFAR
• Proposed New Development and Urban Rehabilitation Initiatives
• Interventions along the Historic Wall

and the Adjacent Archaeological Areas
U R B A N H U S B A N D RY 22
IN THE ASLAM NEIGHBOURHOOD
• Bab al-Mahruq and Aslam Square
• The Abou Hureiba Street Vocational Training Centre
• The Northern Section of Darb Shoughlan Street
• Vicinity of the former Darb Shoughlan School
M O N U M E N T S A S C ATA LYS T S 32
FOR DEVELOPMENT IN BAB AL-WAZIR
• The Southern Entrance to Al-Azhar Park
and the Complex of Tarabay al-Sharif
• The Khayer Bek Complex and its Open Spaces

• Restoration of Monuments and Improvement
of Public Spaces in Bab al-Wazir
• The Um al-Sultan Shaaban Mosque and its Surroundings
LIST OF DONORS 44
A N D A C K N OW L E D G E M E N T S
2
A N I N T E G R AT E D C O N S E RVAT I O N
A N D D E V E L O P M E N T S T R AT E G Y
T HE NEW AL-AZHAR PARK on the edge of historic Cairo, completed by the

Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in 2004, has created welcome
opportunities for parallel rehabilitation efforts in Darb al-Ahmar, the impoverished
and densely built-up district that borders the Park. Darb al-Ahmar lies south of
the prestigious al-Azhar Mosque and the popular Khan al-Khalili, Cairo’s
principal tourist bazaar, and is bound by al-Azhar Street to the north, the Ayyubid
Wall to the east, and Darb al-Ahmar Street to the west. In spite of its central
location, pedestrian scale, historic buildings and active community of artisans,
N
the development of the area has lagged behind other parts of Cairo and living
conditions have actually worsened over the past few decades. This is due to
(Above) Map of central Cairo with the lack of maintenance of infrastructure, coupled with low family incomes and
the position of the Darb al-Ahmar the severe deterioration of monuments and private housing. The latter has
District and al-Azhar Park. The red line
shows the location of the Fatimid City. been aggravated by outdated planning constraints, widespread insecurity of
(Below) Panorama of Cairo by tenure and unrealistic rent controls. In spite of these serious shortcomings,
Pascal Sebah around 1880, with Darb al-Ahmar remains socially far more cohesive and architecturally more
Darb al-Ahmar and the remains
of the east Ayyubid Wall in the genuine than other parts of Cairo, such as Gamalyia, which have been irreversibly
foreground (Courtesy of the American altered by tourism and pervasive commercial redevelopment.
University in Cairo, Rare Books
and Special Collections Library).
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture believes that the downward spiral of
disinvestment and deterioration can be stopped, and that this area offers the
pre-conditions needed to preserve its urban qualities, as well as the potential to
regenerate its economy. The formula advocated by AKTC consists of improving
the area’s physical assets through greater public and private investment and
raising family incomes through small-business loans and employment generation
programmes. No all-encompassing projects and no far-fetched social engineering
agendas are required; rather, what is needed is an incremental improvement of
what is already in place, and a strengthening of the available social capital and
positive economic trends. This formula is very different from conventional
Pyramids
of Giza
Bab Zuwayla
Fatma Amir Altunbugha Amir Qijmas (1092)
al-Nabawiyya al-Maridani Aslam al-Silahdar al-Ishaqi
Mosque Mosque Mosque Mosque Sultan
(c. 1850) (1340) (1345) (1481) al-Mu’ayyad Mosque
(1420)
A N I N T E G R AT E D S T R AT E G Y 3
urban renewal approaches based on grandiose programmes that call for

demolition of the historic fabric, displacement of the residents and the
introduction of disruptive new functions and automobile-oriented urban
patterns. As demonstrated by too many unfortunate precedents, such massive
redevelopment schemes not only destroy the physical character of an area,
they also deprive it of the social base that sustains the life of the community.
Since the year 2000, AKTC and its partner funding agencies, with support from
the Governorate of Cairo and the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), and
with the direct participation of the area’s residents, have developed a series of
projects on the eastern edge of Darb al-Ahmar that combine social and economic A contemporary view of
Darb al-Ahmar with the Citadel
initiatives with physical improvements. These include micro-credit for business
in the background. In spite of
development and housing rehabilitation, employment-generation, as well as transformations and the deteriorating
direct investment in the restoration of monuments, the re-use of historic building stock, the area preserves
its traditional character to this day.
buildings, and the improvement of small-scale infrastructure and open spaces.
The historic fabric and its preservation are central to this programme, but not
as something frozen in time, like a museum, or commercialised as a tourist
attraction. Rather, the old buildings and traditional social ties are seen as a
resource for positive change, as they embody the very essence of the place
with its complex stratification of spaces and uses. Although run-down and in
need of intervention, the historic fabric cannot be separated from the living
community that inhabits it, and remains a vital asset for the future of the district.
Preserved and respected for their intrinsic qualities, the monuments, old buildings
and traditional open spaces must be re-integrated into the everyday life of the
residents and reconnected to the complex, multi-dimensional social and cultural
character of the area. These rehabilitated physical assets will thus become the
building blocks for a realistic and harmonious development of Darb al-Ahmar.
AKTC’s proposed urban improvement programme requires not only

simultaneous physical, social and economic actions, sustained over an extended
period of time, but also institutional capacity-building. Here the task will be to
support the formation of local NGOs in various domains until they are ready to
Muhammad Bey Abul Dahab Al-Hakim Mosque

Mosque and Tekkiya (990-1010)
Al-Ghuri (1774)
Mosque and Khanqah Al-Azhar Mosque Burg al-Mahruq
(1503) (970) (c. 1170)
4
carry on with reduced assistance from AKTC. Eventually, it is hoped that a

public/private “Development Corporation” can be established as an umbrella
organisation in Darb al-Ahmar under the auspices of the District Authorities to
coordinate ongoing activities, generate income from restored facilities and
services provided, and eventually be responsible for a self-sustained
rehabilitation process. Meanwhile, AKTC has concentrated its efforts in three
Action Areas, each with its own special character, needs and opportunities:
• The blighted Burg al-Zafar Street and its immediate surroundings, located in
the northeast corner of the District, call for public funding and private investment
aimed at comprehensive urban development to reverse the present decay, raise
housing standards and introduce new commercial uses and economic activities.
• The intimate and densely built-up residential fabric in the Aslam

neighbourhood requires a combination of private local financing and limited
public and donor funding towards small, targeted interventions to improve
housing, up-grade infrastructure and develop community-based initiatives.
• The Bab al-Wazir area and its extension along Darb al-Ahmar Street, in the
southeastern sector, requires public and donor funding to improve the
infrastructure and revitalise dormant assets, in particular its outstanding
monuments, which can serve as catalysts in attracting an increased visitor
presence and stimulating the economic development of the area.
The individual action area plans are linked to a comprehensive socio-economic

development programme for the Darb al-Ahmar district—all presented in this
brochure. Together, the action area plans and the socio-economic programme
are part of an integrated urban planning concept for the eastern portion of the
Darb al-Ahmar district, which is being prepared in coordination with the District
authorities. The relevance of these different initiatives goes beyond this
(Top) Urban blight in Burg al-Zafar
and its immediate surroundings. particular district as it offers an alternative model of urban management and
(Middle) A pedestrian street development for neglected and economically depressed historic areas that has
in the Aslam neighbourhood. wider applicability in Cairo and indeed other Islamic cities.
(Bottom) Bab al-Wazir contains
some of historic Cairo’s most
important monuments. AKTC’s initial six-year effort in Darb al-Ahmar has substantially enhanced the
image and perception of the area and it provides a sound framework for collateral
investment and donor participation. Mobilising jointly public institutions, donor
organisations, residents, local business people and private investors now is
essential to achieve the critical mass needed to make the final turn-around
happen. The following blueprint for continued action—complemented by
specific project proposals included as separate attachments—is being presented
to stakeholders, donors and prospective investors. The proposals are based
on a careful assessment of available opportunities and build upon the
investments and initial results obtained by AKTC and its partners. The presence
of a dedicated project management structure, backed by the Cairo Governorate,
will ensure the co-ordination of future donor efforts and partnership
arrangements needed to maximise the long-term benefits in Darb al-Ahmar.
A N I N T E G R AT E D S T R AT E G Y 5
N
100 0 500 metres
Burg al-Zafar
Street Action
Area
Aslam
Neighbourhood
Action Area
PLANNING AREAS
AND PRIORITY ZONE S
OF INTERVENTION
Al-Darb al-Ahmar
Bab al-Wazir
Action Area Historic District
Boundaries of the
Pilot Conservation
and Development Plan
Action Areas
Priority Buildings adjacent

to the historic Ayyubid Wall
Western Gates
to al-Azhar Park
6
S OCIO-E CONOMIC D EVELOPMENT

IN D ARB AL-A HMAR
Monthly
income levels
301-500
D URING THE LAST QUARTER OF 2003, an extensive socio-economic survey
was carried out within the thirteen shiakhats that make up the District of
Percentage of population
in Egyptian 32%
Pounds (LE)
Darb al-Ahmar. Social and economic data were gathered and general actions
201-300 and specific sectors of intervention aimed at stimulating the social and economic
20% 501-700 > 700LE development of the area were defined. The main objective of this survey was to
101-200
16% establish a baseline to track ongoing development in the intervention area. In
15%
13% addition to providing AKTC with the relevant reference points for measuring
0-100LE
future progress, the survey also brought to light important directives for detailed
4%
project design.
(Top) View of a typical residential

alley in Darb al-Ahmar DATA COLLECTION
characterised by poverty and
building decay. (Above) Average The baseline survey showed Darb al-Ahmar households, particularly those
levels of income are less than
100 USD per month, making close to the Ayyubid Wall, to be among the poorest in Egypt. By late 2003,
Darb al-Ahmar families among the average yearly incomes were reported to be no more than EGP 1200 (USD 193)
poorest in Egypt (6.2LE=1USD). per capita. This means that people in this part of Cairo have to survive on less
than the equivalent of one dollar per day. Not surprisingly, average household
expenditure levels show that more than 50 percent of people’s incomes are
spent on food items. Also, very little money is spent on rent, not just as a
percentage of actual expenditures, but also in absolute terms. Such low rents 1%
Savings 4%
are typical of very old rental agreements; they are also indicative of the near Debts
complete negligence of housing maintenance in the area. 3%
Rent 5%
Utilities
A Monitoring & Evaluation Unit was established in the framework of the project
to measure socio-economic progress by looking at pre-determined quantitative 8%
Health
and qualitative indicators. Improvements in the quality of life of Darb al-Ahmar’s
residents are assessed at three levels: results are measured through quantitative 17%
Education
indicators; an impression of effectiveness is gained by taking into account
quantitative and qualitative indicators; and finally, impact is considered by
8%
looking at the indicators in relation to the time factor, objectives and lasting Business 54%
changes in people’s attitudes and outlook. Food
In response to the survey’s findings, it was decided that the Darb al-Ahmar
socio-economic programme would focus on the following development sectors:
Housing and Open Space Upgrading, Access to Credit, Employment and Basic
Social Services (the latter subdivided into Health, Education & Solid Waste Break-down of average monthly
Disposal). These sectors are combined and integrated in order to lay the expenditures for a five-person
household in Darb al-Ahmar.
foundation and create the pre-conditions needed for the physical and social Over 50 percent of the family budget is
rehabilitation of the area. In addition to these sectors, three priority issues spent on food. (Source: AKCS-E/ADAA
were identified as “cross-cutting”, in other words, they interact with all five baseline survey, December 2003).
development sectors. These cross-cutting issues are: the environment, gender

and organisational and institutional development.
Main sectors
of intervention
The Environment, Gender and
Organizational and Institutional
Development cut across
Housing and open and interact with all
space upgrading sectors and sub-sectors
of intervention
Access to credit Basic social services

Socio-Economic sub-sectors
Development
Programme
for Darb al-Ahmar
Employment Health
Access to basic
Education
social services
Solid waste
disposal
8
2%
Debris
HOUSING AND OPEN SPACE UPGRADING
3% removal
Roof
Grants, loans and a combination of the two are available for rehabilitating
housing in the three Action Areas, thus serving both lower income households
16% and households with extremely low levels of income. Although the rate at
Carpentry 16%
Masonry which the project’s Housing Rehabilitation Programme has developed has been
slower than expected, the programme is committed to its original target of 200
15% houses (13% of houses in the three Action Areas) by the end of 2009. Obtaining
Plumbing 22%
Wood this financing, an estimated investment of USD 4 million, is not the only important
flooring limiting factor for the development of this sector of activities. Another constraint
13%
Interior continues to be the legal documentation required before rehabilitation can
plaster start, not to mention the need to convince the various parties occupying each
single house to collaborate in the rehabilitation effort. A social housing team
has been engaged by the project to assist with these efforts. It is working full-
4% 5%
Electrical Floor tiling time to make sure that all the non-physical conditions are met before physical
4%
rehabilitation can take place. Following a preliminary agreement reached with
Stair the residents of the buildings earmarked for rehabilitation, an independent
construction
credit team carries out an assessment to establish the credit-worthiness of the
individual families concerned. One measure of the success of the housing
rehabilitation and open space upgrading sector will be the multiplier effect it
has in the somewhat less poor areas adjacent to the Project’s three Action
Areas, by stimulating similar but privately financed rehabilitation initiatives.
(Top) A break-down of construction

costs for a typical housing
rehabilitation project in Darb
al-Ahmar. Budget are reviewed
and monitored to contain costs
while ensuring good quality results.
(Above) Works also include
improvements to interior services,
such as this sub-standard, unsafe
kitchen located under a staircase.
(Right) A family kitchen following
improvements carried out by AKTC.
The first group of nineteen buildings
has been rehabilitated and returned
to the residents.
ACCESS TO CREDIT
Specific activities in support of income-generating activities have been combined

into a single Micro-Credit Programme, which is run through a local entity. The
services provided by the programme go beyond supporting handicrafts and
retail operations, where the absorptive capacity is small due to the modest
working capital and limited need for equipment. On the other hand, as the
housing rehabilitation programme expands and new businesses are introduced
in the sectors of construction, tourism and services, it is expected that the number (Top left) One of the recipients of
of clients will grow in these sectors and that the size and nature of the programme a micro-credit loan bought a stove
will graduate to supporting more ambitious initiatives favoured by their close to bake bread and produce hot meals
for sale to workers and residents in the
proximity to the Hussein Hospital, al-Azhar University and the new al-Azhar Park. area. (Top right) This coffeeshop owner
took out a loan to buy equipment
New loan-tracking software was recently installed and a comprehensive micro- and expand his business.
(Above) A loan enabled this woman
credit operation manual developed. With more than 425 new outstanding loans to buy a press to stamp metal
disbursed and a 99-percent recovery rate within seven months after overhauling components for nearby workshops.
the credit programme, the importance of credit for the development of Darb al-
Ahmar has clearly been demonstrated. Just over half of all loans (53%) went to
the retail sector, 35 percent to cottage industries and 12 percent to service and
transport businesses.
During 2004, women had taken out 25 percent of the loans disbursed. This
percentage is expected to increase to 30 percent by the end of 2005. Although
loans have been disbursed to borrowers in larger numbers than originally
anticipated, their combined value is somewhat less than what had been forecast.
To a large extent, this reflects the small scale of the local economy and the very
low income levels prevailing in Darb al-Ahmar. It is foreseen that between 2004
and 2008 USD 1.5 million will have been invested in credit facilities. The number
of loans is projected to reach 2,000 by the year 2006.
10
EMPLOYMENT
In order to help reduce unemployment in Darb al-Ahmar, both the supply and
the demand side of the employment equation are being addressed. On the
supply side a series of activities are being set in motion aimed at empowering
and motivating the target group. In addition, efforts are being made to upgrade
individual qualifications and skills. A Training Needs Assessment of individuals
looking for employment is the first step. After this initial counselling session,
job seekers are further assessed and their employment plans refined.
Individual job plans are produced within two months of the initial counselling
(Above) Preserving wood panels session. Job search skills training will continue to be held at regular intervals
in the Khayer Bek complex. AKTC’s
throughout the project implementation period.
restoration projects provide direct
employment opportunities for Egyptian
conservators. (Below) The project On the demand side employment opportunities are mapped and categorised.
supports many small workshops
Project staff then act as brokers for job placement. During the first four and a
and retail outlets in Darb al-Ahmar
by providing credit to purchase half years of project implementation, close to 2,500 job referrals have been
equipment and materials, thus made, resulting in almost 1,300 people finding employment. Regular contact
generating new employment
between staff involved in the credit programme and staff concerned with
opportunities.
employment activities has also helped create apprenticeships in the area and
facilitate actual placement of apprentices. Efforts are being made during the project’s
second phase to at least double the number of people to find employment.
BASIC SOCIAL SERVICES
Basic social services in the context of the Darb al-Ahmar Project include the
sub-sectors of health, education and solid waste disposal. Health activities
are aimed at raising the quality of healthcare in Darb al-Ahmar. In particular, the
activities under the project’s Family Health Development Centre (FHDC)
concentrate on improving access to existing healthcare facilities, providing
physical examinations (in particular for female patients and addressing
especially pregnancy-related matters) and offering limited clinical care. A family
health clinic, set up to provide care not found in other facilities, continues to be
operated by the FHDC. Other than its clinic, the FHDC also runs two outreach
programmes. One addresses reproductive and sexual health, and the other
concentrates on the handicapped and the aged. Both programmes have been
well received, with the number of participants from the target group increasing.
The number of patients visiting the Centre is expected to rise to 800 per month
by the end of the Project’s duration.
Education is the second of the three basic social services taken on by the
Project. In addition to its inherent importance, the education programme also
has an impact on the other sectors in that its activities—e.g. vocational and
(Top) Outreach programme meetings
administrative training—contribute to a better-educated and better-skilled
are held periodically to address issues
labour force. These activities are helping improve the credit sector, which is related to health and family planning.
supporting the development of small- and medium-size enterprises, as well as (Above) Early childood development
classes have provided educational
leading to higher levels of assertiveness among those participating in the life-
opportunities for young children from
skills training sessions. Literacy classes, particularly those organised for the area. (Below) Administrative and
women, are expected to contribute to improving living conditions in the District, institutional training for NGOs is a
means of fostering local competencies
greater upward mobility and ultimately higher levels of income. The main
and skills towards the establishment
components of the Education Programme are: of independent and self-sustainable
local organisations.
• Early Childhood Development (ECD). Working in close collaboration with the
Aga Khan Foundation, which started an ECD training centre in Aswan, AKTC
expects to have established three ECD centres (one in each Action Area) by 2008.
12
• Vocational training (from 2005 this will include existing training for carpenters
and stone masons) aimed at improving product quality and marketability. Most
of the vocational training will be centred on the rehabilitation of an historic
mansion in Abou Hureiba Street, which is expected to be completed in late 2006
or early 2007. Training in traditional crafts will later be added as a subject.
• Administrative training (computer literacy and book-keeping) classes will start

in 2005. Office management and book-keeping skills are much needed for
strengthening the business sector in Darb al-Ahmar and will thus complement
the micro-credit and housing finance programmes. Women are expected to
(Top) View of the nineteenth-century become major beneficiaries of this programme component.
mansion on Abou Hureiba Street
in its current poor condition.
(Above) Rendering showing the
• Adult literacy classes. An average of 60 to 70 adults graduate each year from
restored mansion after its conversion these classes. AKTC works in close collaboration with a local NGO to maintain
into a vocational training centre. this programme, and efforts are being made to increase the number of adults
The rehabilitation of the building
foresees on-the-job training
graduating each year.
for builders and craftsmen.
• Capacity-building of local non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Activities
focus on institutional development and organisational strengthening, as well
as the development of subject-matter knowledge, with a view to these
organisations eventually taking over a number of AKTC-initiated activities in
Darb al-Ahmar.
Solid waste disposal is a major issue in Darb al-Ahmar, one that is immediately
apparent to anyone visiting the project area. Although much has been already
accomplished, clearly more needs to be done as solid waste and litter are still
dumped in empty plots and on street corners throughout the neighbourhood.
(Top left) The project’s solid waste
A small team, headed by a Solid Waste Manager, is engaged exclusively in
officer works in coordination with
resolving the problems and logistics of collecting and disposing of the District’s ENSER’s cleaning staff to ensure
rubbish. A good working relationship has been developed with ENSER, the timely collection of garbage in Darb
al-Ahmar. (Top right) A master welder
local cleaning organisation subcontracted by the municipality. As a result,
trains an apprentice. Apprenticeship
many parts of Darb al-Ahmar, where previously there had been no cleaning programmes have been developed
whatsoever, are now covered by a daily service. AKTC frequently starts special within the framework of the Project’s
employment component and
cleaning campaigns with people from the neighbourhood, targeting rubbish
will be reinforced with the creation
on rooftops and empty plots. These actions are then followed by a distribution of a vocational training centre.
of bins and regular collection. AKTC staff and representatives from ENSER (Above) An environmental awareness
meeting targeting women is one
meet regularly to discuss problems and actions to be taken. To enhance
of several cross-cutting initiatives
cooperation in the neighbourhood, the team launches periodic awareness developed by AKTC.
campaigns, with a particular focus on the young.
CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES
The environment, gender and organisational and institutional development

are cross-cutting issues which affect all the development sectors. They are
being addressed at an organisational level by a three-member advisory team of
independent Egyptian specialists. They meet with senior project staff twice a
month to review ongoing initiatives, results achieved, proposed actions and
suggested policies from an environmental, gender and institutional points of
view. The organisational and institutional development of local initiatives is
especially important to the District, as it is through local organisations that the
different development activities started by AKTC must continue. This is
reinforced throughout the Project by helping community leaders to acquire
specific skills and management abilities, and by enabling NGOs to participate
directly in project activities as part of a special capacity-building process.
14
D EVELOPMEN T O PPORTUNITIES
IN B URG AL-ZAFAR
S TRATEGICALLY LOCATED near the main vehicular artery of al-Azhar Street and
the popular pedestrian zone on either side of it, Burg al-Zafar is an area of
paramount importance in the future revitalisation of the Darb al-Ahmar District.
Moreover it lies within easy reach of Khan al-Khalili, historic Cairo’s market
and an important tourist attraction. In addition, the area faces the new al-
Azhar Park, 30 hectares of green in the middle of the metropolis, and the
newly excavated northern stretch of the Ayyubid Wall and its associated
archaeological areas. Burg al-Zafar’s proximity to these visitor attractions
make it a prime site for investment and new development. This applies
particularly to Burg al-Zafar Street itself, with its many ruined buildings and
(Top) An aerial view of Bateniyya, under-used plots along the excavated historic Wall.
the neighbourhood bordered by
Burg al-Zafar Street and the Ayyubid
Wall. The Burg al-Mahruq bastion The area in fact had witnessed a marked decline in recent decades. A thriving
is visible in the centre of the image. drug trade in the 1980s left it with a reputation for being crime-ridden and
(Above) Urban conditions in Bateniyya unsafe. Little or no investment was the outcome, a situation exacerbated by the
have worsened in the last fifteen years,
with many buildings empty 1992 earthquake and the continued use of the Darassa Hills as a dumping
and on the verge of collapse. ground until 1997. The lack of maintenance of most of the area’s traditional
buildings has meant that an overwhelming number are today crumbling and many
are beyond repair. But the neighbourhood’s poor reputation and unattractive
BURG AL-ZAFAR 15
and unhealthy physical environment also discouraged the indiscriminate urban

development that permanently altered other parts of historic Cairo over the last
twenty years.
The creation of al-Azhar Park provides an ideal opportunity for renewed

investment and, ultimately, a complete turn-around of the area. Today, Burg al-
Zafar is free of drugs and safe. The former mounds of rubble and debris that
deterred private investment have become the western slope of the new Park,
providing Burg al-Zafar Street with views of green hills unparalleled in Cairo.
Unlike other parts of Darb al-Ahmar, this neighbourhood has the additional
advantage of good vehicular access from other parts of Cairo, al-Azhar Street
immediately to its north and the Salah Salem highway to the east.
The monuments and archaeological attractions close to Burg al-Zafar constitute

an additional asset. Al-Azhar Mosque is one of the city’s most renowned
monuments and a centre of learning known throughout the Islamic world. Two
famous Ottoman residential buildings, the Harawi and Zeinab al-Khatun
merchant houses, are also located in the vicinity. Their restoration was completed
in the 1990s and both buildings are now used for cultural events and performances,
attracting many visitors and greatly contributing to reversing the negative
(Top) The three-storey defensive bastion
image of the area. These attractions are complemented by the recently unearthed
of Burg al-Mahruq as seen from the
eastern section of the Ayyubid Wall, between Burg al-Zafar Street and al- top of al-Azhar Park. (Above) The gate
Azhar Park. This section of the Ayyubid fortifications includes two significant of Barqiyya, also viewed from the Park,
has been restored and will be the
architectural features: a three-storey defensive tower, Burg al-Mahruq, destined
principal northwest point of access
to become an exhibit space, and the recently discovered Bab al-Barqiyya, a to the Park.
gateway into the city which has been restored as an entrance to the Park.
These cultural assets and the area’s strategic location provide unique opportunities
for private investment in housing, visitor facilities and commercial space. A high
demand for housing exists in Darb al-Ahmar, as newly constructed apartments
are very limited and older properties virtually unavailable. Young families from
the area seeking reasonably priced housing are forced to move elsewhere,
often to sub-urban areas where the range of facilities and services that are
readily available in central locations are lacking. The many ruined and vacant
lots in Burg al-Zafar can be used to meet the current housing shortage with new
residential developments that are attractive to local residents and outsiders alike.
Facilities for visitors are also sorely lacking in historic Cairo. Hotels are especially
limited, and the few that exist around Khan al-Khalili are shabby and often
unhygienic. Burg al-Zafar is an ideal location for small-scale hotels that are
comfortable yet simple, easily accessible from the rest of city, and which offer
tourists the chance to stay within walking distance of most of historic Cairo’s
attractions. In addition, the Burg al-Zafar area with its promising location could
help meet Darb al-Ahmar’s lack of retail space, and the many small businesses
and workshops in the area would finally be able to sell their products locally.
Attractions such as Burg al-Mahruq and the other proposed amenities would
help maintain the critical mass needed to sustain these business activities.
16
AKTC has already undertaken substantial development initiatives aimed at

improving housing and the physical environment of the Burg al-Zafar area.
These include the lowering of the Burg al-Zafar roadway built in the 1970s on
top of the historic wall, a serious threat to the monument, as well as removal of
centuries of debris to reveal the Ayyubid Wall itself. AKTC is also
Model of the Burg al-Zafar Action Area
showing the context of the principal implementing a comprehensive conservation programme for the wall and its
interventions envisaged by AKTC: towers in the Burg al-Zafar area. The programme includes rehabilitation of
several traditional houses in Aftet Asaad, a small residential cul-de-sac
1 New Mixed-Use Development
abutting the Ayyubid Wall. Infrastructure works to re-route pipes and cables
2 Housing Rehabilitation from atop the wall ramparts have also been carried out.
3 National Youth Club

The importance of AKTC’s and its partners’ ongoing interventions goes
4 Burg al-Zafar Street beyond these immediate results. The work carried out to date lays the
foundation for future initiatives in Burg al-Zafar that take into consideration
5 Atfet Asaad
the existing social and physical context, and promote the full redevelopment
6 Archaeological Triangle of the area. These include proposals for new developments and urban
rehabilitation along Burg al-Zafar Street, as well as plans for the creation of
7 Bab al-Barqiyya
visitor facilities and exhibits along the historic wall and the adjacent
8 Burg al-Mahruq archaeological areas.
Al-Azhar
University
Al-Hussein
Hospital
Al-Darb al-Ahmar 1
2 4
Al-Azhar Park
5
8
BURG AL-ZAFAR 17
To al-Azhar Street
N
6
Scale: 1:2500
Archaeological Triangle:
A protected zone along
Al-Azhar University the western edge of the Wall
et
Stre
to include archaeological
To al-Azhar Mosque
remains and a visitor centre
far
and Khan al-Khalili
l-Za
Al-Hussein
g a
7 Hospital
Bur
Zeineb Bab al-Barqiyya:
al-Khatun
The restored gate forms
House
the connection between
Burg al-Zafar Street,
Muha
mma
d A Muhammad Abdu Street
b du
Str
eet
and al-Azhar Park Tower 15
Al-Harawi
House
1
New Mixed-Use Development:
The proposed new
development contains Tower 14
two multi-functional National
wikala-type structures Youth Club
Ayyubid Wall
Tower 13
2 3
Housing Rehabilitation: National Youth Club:
Proposed rehabilitation Bab al-Barqiyya Proposed repair of wedding
et
of traditional housing along hall and gym, improved

re
St
the southern portion of open-air sports facilities,

ar
af
-Z
Burg al-Zafar Street landscaping and new fence

al
rg
Bu
4
BURG AL-ZAFAR
Tower 11
Burg al-Zafar Street: ACTION AREA
Proposed infrastructure
improvements and conversion Action Area boundary
into a pedestrian-only street
Existing fabric
Monument restoration
Burg
al-Mahruq Landscaping and
archaeological presentation
8
*
Housing rehabilitation:
Burg al-Mahruq:
Geometric completed
The tower’s interior space
Tower 9 gardens
is being restored to house
an exhibit on the history of
Housing rehabilitation:
To Midan Aslam the fortifications proposed
Proposed mixed-use
development
5
Atfet Asaad: Road and infrastructure
Recently completed improvements
rehabilitation of houses Al-Azhar Park
complemented by street
Access to and from
paving and infrastructure
al-Azhar Park
improvements Saleh Salem
park entrance
18
N PROPOSED NEW DEVELOPMENT

Entrance AND URBAN REHABILITATION INITIATIVES
to parking
New Mixed-Use Development

AKTC proposes a mixed-use development scheme for the blighted area one
Courtyard block north of Burg al-Mahruq. The proposed scheme calls for two independent
but closely connected multi-functional wikala-type structures modelled after
traditional Islamic commercial buildings. The two buildings are organized around
interior courtyards and present a single porticoed commercial front along the
western side of Burg al-Zafar Street. The difference in level between Burg al-
et
L
re
L
St
Courtyard A Zafar Street (lowered by AKTC during excavations of the adjacent Ayyubid
ar
W
af
-Z
al
ID Wall) and the western section of the site makes it possible to create a parking
rg
Bu
B
U structure underneath the courtyards. The complex integrates retail, office, short-
Y
Y
A Al-Azhar term rental units and residential space within a low-rise structure that conforms
Park to the prevailing building heights in the area, and is easily accessible from al-
Tower 11
Azhar Street. In addition to helping meet the demand for housing in the area,
the new complex will offer the community commercial facilities to spur the
(Above) Ground floor plan of
growth of the local economy. These commercial spaces, located at street level,
the proposed mixed-use development
showing the commercial portico along will provide neighbourhood artisans with local retail outlets instead of their
Burg al-Zafar Street. Shops surround having to sell their products to middle-men in other parts of Cairo.
the two interior courtyards.
Housing Rehabilitation
The blocks of traditional housing on the southern stretch of the Burg al-Zafar
area will be included in the housing rehabilitation programme initiated by AKTC.
Priority is being given to houses along Burg al-Zafar Street and close to
Burg al-Mahruq in order to reconstitute the edge of the street. The housing
programme will raise living standards and help create the attractive, well-
maintained environment needed to encourage private investment in the area.
(Above) View of one of the interior

courtyards in the proposed complex.
(Right) The portico along the
pedestrianised Burg al-Zafar Street
will introduce a series of retail shops
and create new economic opportunities
in the area.
BURG AL-ZAFAR 19
Upgrading the National Youth Club

The National Youth Club, located at the intersection of Burg al-Zafar and
Muhammad Abdu streets, is one of Darb al-Ahmar’s few open-air sports
facilities. The club also includes a hall for wedding celebrations and an enclosed
gym. However, structural problems have led to the gradual deterioration of the
facility and eventual disuse of these two spaces. AKTC recognises the club’s
importance to the local community, and intends to rehabilitate the wedding hall
and gym, as well as introduce additional amenities within the complex as part of
the general urban improvement of Burg al-Zafar.
Infrastructure and street improvements

Burg al-Zafar Street will be turned into a pedestrian street, to keep the constant
vibrations and exhaust fumes from damaging the Ayyubid Wall. Primary
infrastructure and connections serving the district will be permanently re-routed
underneath the street, the surfaces paved, and the city-side of the historic Wall
and ramparts restored. The pedestrianised Burg al-Zafar Street will thus become
a commercially active and attractive streetscape where visitors will be able to
(Top) Two elevations comparing the
walk along the Wall and wander through the shops planned for the ground
east side of Atfet Asaad Alley before
floor of the new mixed-use development. and after intervention. (Above) A view
of the alley after rehabilitation.
Atfet Asaad
The recently completed rehabilitation of the houses in Atfet Asaad, the small
residential cul-de-sac abutting the historic Wall, will be complemented by new
paving, improvements to the infrastructure and by the introduction of income-
generating activities.
20
INTERVENTIONS ALONG THE HISTORIC WALL

AND ADJACENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL AREAS
The Archaeological Triangle

The triangular-shaped archaeological site north of Burg al-Zafar came to light
when a sizeable portion of the Ayyubid Wall facing the city was uncovered,
together with other important remains from the Fatimid and Mamluk periods.
The plans developed by the SCA and AKTC take these recent archaeological
discoveries into account and call for enclosing and connecting the area with
the adjacent Park via the newly discovered Barqiyya Gate (see below). The
archaeological triangle will create a protective zone between the Wall and the
city to avoid the risk of future development in this sensitive area. The SCA
plans to create a visitor centre at the northern edge of the archaeological triangle
to illustrate and explain the evolution of this part of the city and the Wall’s
relationship to the historic urban fabric.
Bab al-Barqiyya
(Above) The Barqiyya Gate, dedicated
The recently unearthed Ayyubid gateway has been restored and will form the
in 1187, as it looks after restoration by
AKTC. (Below) The proposed Barqiyya connection between al-Azhar Park and the northern section of Darb al-Ahmar.
gateway to al-Azhar Park as it will Located halfway between the Burg al-Zafar Street planning area and
appear to visitors entering the Park
Muhammad Abdu Street, which leads to the Harawi and Zeineb al-Khatun
from Darb al-Ahmar.
houses, the gate will draw visitors and residents of historic Cairo toward the
Park. In turn, the gate will encourage visitors to the Park to explore the adjacent
BURG AL-ZAFAR 21
Burg al-Mahruq
41.68
Al-Darb al-Ahmar
Ayyubid Wall ramparts
37.43 Level of Burg

al-Zafar Street
36.50
33.47
Al-Azhar Park
Ottoman
arch
Archaeological exhibit
28.77
28.55
27.96 28.10
Ayyubid Wall
promenade 27.00 Exhibit and display area
historic quarter and its monuments. To this effect, Bab al-Barqiyya will be
linked by a stepped ramp to the National Youth Club and the porticoed
commercial front of Burg al-Zafar above, as well as al-Azhar University and
Mosque and the Khan al-Khalili via Muhammad Abdu Street. The solid wall of
the Club will be replaced with a metal fence, thus permitting a direct visual link
to al-Azhar Park.
Burg al-Mahruq
This three-storey tower, the largest and most visible feature of the eastern
Ayyubid Wall, is currently being restored by AKTC. Parallel archeological
work at the base of the tower on the city side has shed light on the history of (Top) Section through Burg al-Mahruq
this part of Islamic Cairo. Given the structure’s architectural significance following its proposed conversion into
an exhibit area accessible from the
and size, AKTC and the SCA intend to use it to house an exhibit interpreting Park. (Above) View of the below-level
the history of the city fortifications. The interior of the tower and the exhibit archaeological exhibit on the city-side
areas will be accessible from the Park through one of the original tower doors. of the bastion. The remains of the
medieval street and recently found
This entrance will also provide access to the archeological site behind arched passage are displayed.
Burg al-Mahruq at the original, much lower street level. The archaeological
remains of the old street, which include the original paving, an ancient
archway and remains of a cemetery will be covered by a walkway, allowing for
the continued use of Burg al-Zafar Street as a pedestrian thoroughfare. On the
Park side, at the foot of the western slope, a new amphitheatre outside the
tower will be used for open-air performances, where Burg al-Mahruq and the
eastern Ayyubid Wall form a very suggestive backdrop.
22
U R B A N H U S B A N D RY
IN THE ASLAM NE IGHBOURHOOD
T HE ASLAM NEIGHBOURHOOD, a densely built-up quarter east of Bab Zuwayla,
the former southern gate to the old Fatimid City, occupies the eastern edge
of the Darb al-Ahmar district. It is notable both for its turn-of-the-century
architecture and its role as a hub of artisan activity. The neighbourhood’s
principal focus and only open space is Aslam Square, located just inside the
Ayubbid Wall’s al-Mahruq Gate. The square contains a rich array of social and
economic activities and is distinguished by a fourteenth-century Mamluk
monument, the Aslam al-Silahdar Mosque, still used by local residents. The
neighbourhood’s productive base remains fairly active, if struggling, with a
large number of small artisans’ workshops engaged in carpentry, shoemaking,
(Top) The former school as it appears inlay cabinetry and metalwork. In addition, there are many shops catering to
today after its restoration and the daily needs of residents, as well as numerous coffee shops and bakeries.
conversion into the Darb al-Ahmar
Community Centre. (Above) The former
Darb Shoughlan School, located at the Like other parts of Darb al-Ahmar, the area has witnessed socio-economic
edge of the Aslam neighbourhood and decline and increasing deterioration, aggravated by the 1992 earthquake when
close to the historic wall, as it appeared
before its rehabilitation and adaptive many residents were forced to abandon their houses. The local workshops are
re-use. losing ground to better-equipped competitors in other parts of Cairo. They
suffer from a lack of capital to expand their businesses and tend to produce
items of poor quality as they struggle to find a wider market for their products.
ASLAM NEIGHBOURHOOD 23
The Aslam neighbourhood stands to gain considerably from the recently

completed al-Azhar Park. The Ayyubid city gate, Bab al-Mahruq, will provide
a second link between the Park and Darb al-Ahmar, bringing visitors and
stimulating the local economy. In addition, the view of the Park from this section
of Darb al-Ahmar will no doubt encourage the development of many of the
ruined plots in the area—currently used as informal rubbish tips. The
transformation of these plots from unsightly health hazards into new residential
and commercial space will improve the area in every sense, and, in turn, attract
more investment in adjacent locations.
In order to bring about significant improvements in the conditions of the

neighbourhood, AKTC has undertaken various initiatives since 2001, including
a solid waste collection and management programme as well as apprenticeship
and employment programmes. In particular, AKTC has established a lime
production centre and a carpentry workshop in the neighbourhood, which
provide on-the-job training and employment for local carpenters and
construction workers engaged in AKTC’s restoration projects and in the
production of furniture for project buildings and facilities. As of 2005, both
have become part of AKTC’s vocational training programme.
(Top) One of the many workshops

Recently, the ruin of a prominent turn-of-the-century building, which later
found in the Aslam neighbourhood.
housed a school, has been restored and now contains the Darb al-Ahmar Although fairly active, workshops in
Community Centre. The many social initiatives of the centre include educational, the area are in need of capital and
struggle to find suitable outlets for their
cultural and women’s activities, as well as a library and media room for children
products. (Above) The children’s library
and teenagers. In addition, eleven residential structures, mostly along Darb is one of several social services recently
Shoughlan Street, have been rehabilitated with local residents contributing to established in the Darb al-Ahmar
Community Centre.
the rehabilitation costs. This initiative provides a sense of what the area would
look like if fully rehabilitated and maintained, and has raised considerable
interest among residents. Numerous applications for housing rehabilitation
loans are currently pending and testify to the willingness of local inhabitants
to invest in their homes. Finally, AKTC is completing the restoration of the
twelfth-century eastern Ayyubid city wall that forms the eastern edge of the Aslam
neighbourhood. The restored wall will include a visitors’ circuit along the ramparts
and restoration of the historic al-Mahruq gate. Together these interventions
form a sound base for the development of further actions in the area.
Unlike Burg al-Zafar, where substantial public and private investment is required
to achieve meaningful results, the strategy pursued in this neighbourhood
concentrates on small-scale interventions. These target areas of opportunity,
particularly where physical improvements can help foster economic growth
and community initiatives. By promoting local pride and contributing to the
stability of the area, these interventions are ideally suited to counteracting the
current pattern of abandonment and disinvestment. This planning approach has
been termed “urban husbandry” as it expresses a reliance on managing and
carefully developing what already exists, rather than demolishing and building
anew. Its strategy consists of promoting small, incremental improvements rather
than a radical transformation of the social and physical context.
24
In the Aslam neighbourhood, AKTC foresees that institutional support, housing

rehabilitation and the development of social services in combination with private
investment sympathetic to the historic context will gradually turn the area into
an attractive corner of the old city. Residents will benefit from improved physical
Model of the Aslam Neighbourhood and economic conditions and better services and facilities, and visitors will be
Action Area showing the principal attracted by the combination of significant historic monuments and the proximity
interventions envisaged by AKTC:
of al-Azhar Park with its 70 acres of green, restaurants, play areas and magnificent
panoramas of Cairo. In order to bring the revitalization of the Aslam
1 Aslam Square neighbourhood to full fruition, AKTC has identified a series of initiatives in the
2 Bab al-Mahruq following locations within the neighbourhood, which build upon and expand
the projects already ongoing.
3 The Abou Hureiba Street
Vocational Training Centre
BAB AL-MAHRUQ AND ASLAM SQUARE
4 Northern Section
of Darb Shoughlan Street Aslam Square and the Ayyubid al-Mahruq gate together form an important
5 Vicinity of the former node, providing a connection with al-Azhar Park on one side and the rest of
Darb Shoughlan School Darb al-Ahmar and downtown Cairo on the other.
Al-Darb al-Ahmar 2
Tower 5
5
Al-Azhar Park
Tower 4
To al-Azhar Mosque
and al-Azhar Street
N
Scale: 1:2500 3
Abou Hereiba Street
Vocational Training Centre:
Training activities combined with
the rehabilitation of a ruined
mansion and its open spaces
Carpentry
workshop
To Bab Zuwayla
1
Midan Aslam:
Open space improvements
combined with the rehabilitation Lime
of housing and commercial workshop
space, and restoration
of the Aslam Mosque 2
Bab al-Mahruq:
Access to al-Azhar Park
and development of an
4 archaeological exhibit
Northern Section
of Darb Shoughlan Street: Aslam
Development of vacant plots, Mosque
housing rehabilitation and Aslam
infrastructure upgrading, Square
combined with micro-credit
for businesses and improving
solid waste disposal Bab al-Mahruq
(gate to al-Azhar Park)
ASLAM
Visitor circuit
and access to
NEIGHBOURHOOD
al-Azhar Park ACTION AREA
Fatma Tower 5
al-Nabaweyya Action Area boundary
Mosque
Existing fabric
To Bab al-Wazir
Ayyubid Wall Monument restoration
lan
*
gh
Darb Shoughlan Adaptive re-use: completed

ou
Sh
Community Centre
rb
Adaptive re-use: proposed

Da
Tower 4
Landscaping and
Exit from Park archaeological presentation
5
Vicinity of the former
Darb Shoughlan School:
Lakeview
Cafeteria * Housing rehabilitation:
completed
A concentration of AKTC
interventions, including Housing rehabilitation:
creation of the Darb Shoughlan proposed
Community Centre, and
rehabilitation of housing Proposed infill projects
and public facilities
Open space and infrastructure
Al-Azhar Park improvements
Access to and from

al-Azhar Park
To Bab al-Wazir and

Sultan Hassan Mosque
26
N
Aslam
Mosque
Ayyubid
Wall
Bab Zuwayla
Aslam Park
34.25
entrance
Square
Park
ticketing
office Park
35.60
services
36.00 Tower 7
35.60
Bab
n
hla
Stair
al-Mahruq
oug
To Bab
al-Wazir to Park
b Sh
Dar
38.65
Al-Azhar
Park
Tower 6
Aslam Square
The improvement of the square aims at creating an attractive and well-maintained
public space on the city side, thus reinforcing the connection between the Park
and other parts of Darb al-Ahmar. AKTC proposes to:
• Restore the Aslam Mosque, a highly valued community facility and prominent
local landmark. Restoration of the mosque will have an immediate impact on the
quality of the surrounding urban environment.
• Rehabilitate the houses around Aslam Square, enhancing the view of the
square from the Park and enticing visitors to venture down the Park’s western
slope to enter and explore the old city.
• Upgrade the public space within the square itself—infrastructure and paving—
and create new seating areas and a pedestrian area in front of the mosque.
• Issue micro-credit loans to boost local retail businesses (coffee shops,

(Top) A plan showing the proposals for
groceries, retail shops) around the square, including establishment of a cafeteria
Aslam Square and the Mahruq Gate,
which establish a connection between or restaurant on one of the rooftops along the eastern side of the square.
the Park and Darb al-Ahmar.
(Above) A recent view of Aslam Square.
• Promote the square, gate, and link to the Park in guidebook itineraries and
walks through Historic Cairo, especially towards Bab Zuwayla to the east and
the Blue Mosque and Citadel to the south.
The Mahruq Gate

The restoration of the gate will complement the work carried out in the adjacent
public square by establishing an entry point into al-Azhar Park. Recent
archeological work has revealed the original layout of the gateway. Given
its state of ruin—only fragmentary evidence has come to the surface—and
the importance of creating a link here between the Park and Darb al-Ahmar,
AKTC proposes to:
• Stabilise the gateway as an archeological ruin and create a protective platform

over the remains found at the base of the gate. The space below the platform,
accessible via two stairs, will house an exhibit about the history and significance (Above) A view of the proposed
Bab al-Mahruq open “piazza” above
of the gate and display the archaeological findings, including the many ceramics
the gate’s archaeological remains as
and the pipe-making kiln unearthed in one of the towers. seen from the Azhar Park. This space
connects Aslam Square to the park
and provides seated areas and follow
• Use the platform built over the gate as an open “piazza” connecting Aslam
the geometry of the vanished gate.
Square to the Park and provide seating that reflects the geometry of the gate. (Below) Section through the “piazza”
showing the interior of the towers
and the level below grade, which
• Re-use the existing one-story structure at the northern end of the plaza to
are accessible to visitors.
house toilets and a kiosk under the management of al-Azhar Park, to sell
refreshments and small items of interest to visitors.
The gate will thus become a visitor attraction, allowing park visitors to enter
the neighbourhood through Bab al-Mahruq and return to the park from one of
the other Darb al-Ahmar gates. It will be publicised as a visitor destination,
with signs posted in the Park and in Aslam Square to encourage visitors to
enter the neighbourhood from the gate and vice versa. Transport inside the
Park will connect Bab al-Mahruq to other points in the Park, especially the
Bab al-Mahruq
Al-Azhar Park Tower 6
Al-Darb al-Ahmar
Orientation
38.65 area
Ayyubid Wall
promenade
36.00
35.60
34.25
Aslam
Square
32.0
Archaeological exhibit Exhibit

Remains of area
Bab al-Mahruq
28
higher-ground areas—restaurants, children’s playground and sports field—

and avoid the steep western slope being perceived as an obstacle, especially
by elderly visitors and families with young children.
THE ABOU HUREIBA STREET

VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE
The scheme focuses on the eastern end of Abu Hureiba Street, a long street
linking the Aslam neighbourhood to Bab Zuwayla and, eventually, downtown
Cairo. In this vicinity, AKTC has already established two workshops: a carpentry
shop and a lime workshop. The first provides on-the-job training for young
apprentice carpenters making traditional fittings for the buildings under
restoration, as well as furniture for the new Park and Community Centre. The
lime workshop produces the lime required for AKTC’s restoration activities.
These training activities are contributing to employment generation in the area

and to the establishment of a group of skilled artisans who will be able to work
on rehabilitation and construction projects throughout historic Cairo.
Opportunities for future work are not lacking as so many of the houses are in
poor condition, not to mention the large number of vacant plots that could in
(Top) The carpentry workshop was
future be redeveloped as housing. Future initiatives aimed at expanding
established in 2001 to serve as a
training and production facility for vocational training and employment in this area include the proposed
AKTC’s projects in Darb al-Ahmar establishment of a training centre specialising in construction. A suitable site
and al-Azhar Park. (Above) The lime
for the centre has been identified in a ruined nineteenth-century mansion with
production workshop provides a steady
supply of lime for AKTC’s restoration a courtyard large enough to accommodate teaching sessions and
activities. demonstrations. The structure itself can be rehabilitated as part of the training
process. A nearby vacant lot could be used as a car-park for delivery vehicles
to the centre and to prevent informal parking in Aslam Square.
Restoration of House targeted

a registered monument Open space upgrading, for future
and community landmark creation of links rehabilitation
to the Park,
Vocational training commercial development Proposed new infill
and employment in Aslam Square structures
Al-Azhar
Park
Lime workshop Aslam Mosque Aslam Square and Bab al-Mahruq Entry to side alley
THE NORTHERN SECTION

OF DARB SHOUGHLAN STREET
The northern section of Darb Shoughlan Street connects Bab al-Mahruq, Aslam
Square and the Darb Shoughlan Community Centre, AKTC’s major intervention
in the area. This stretch contains several vacant plots and derelict houses. The
ground floors are often used as workshops, even if the upper floors have
collapsed. These buildings can be seen as an opportunity for small-scale private
investment rather than the object of continued donor funding. In particular,
AKTC proposes to:
• Encourage the development of the vacant plots and rehabilitation of the

derelict houses by providing credit and technical assistance to property owners
and local investors.
• Carry out the structural repairs and partial rehabilitation of the houses abutting
or immediately adjacent to the Ayyubid Wall.
(Above) An infill prototype for a
residential building in Darb Shoughlan
• Upgrade the infrastructure and paving along this section of Darb Shoughlan Street using proportions and forms
Street, including drainage, sewage, electricity and water connections to which are compatible with the
character of the traditional buildings
individual houses.
found in the area. (Below) Elevation
of Darb Shoughlan Street showing
• Improve collection and disposal of solid waste along Darb Shoughlan with the work completed and the other
interventions planned by AKTC.
the cooperation of the residents and in coordination with ENSER, the company
responsible for solid waste removal in this area.
• Provide micro-credit business loans to existing workshops and develop vacant

commercial properties along the street as retail outlets for local products.
Children’s library
and community services
Proposed new infill in the former
Houses targeted structures Darb Shoughlan School
for future Houses targeted Proposed early
rehabilitation for future childhood
rehabilitation development
Housing centre and
rehabilitation housing
completed to date
Entry to side alley Entry to side alley and access to former school Entry to side alley
30
VICINITY OF THE
FORMER DARB SHOUGHLAN SCHOOL
AKTC and its partners have invested considerable resources here with the
establishment of the Darb Shoughlan Community Centre, the rehabilitation of ten
private houses through a combination of grants and loans, and the restoration
of approximately two hundred metres of Cairo’s historic city wall. The latter
includes the creation of a visitor circuit with access to the ramparts and the
interior towers and passages. Finally, a plot adjacent to the new Darb Shoughlan
Community Centre is being converted into a guesthouse based on the positive
findings of a pre-investment feasibility study. Future initiatives propose to:
• Rehabilitate a one-storey structure immediately north of the Darb Shoughlan

Community Centre to house small commercial outlets and a rooftop café. The
rooftop is currently rented by AKTC and used for storage. These facilities
would be in close proximity to the Darb Shoughlan Centre with views of the
Park and direct access to the visitor circuit, and could thus offer facilities, such
(Above) View of the houses in Darb
as refreshments and restrooms, that are not available in this section of Darb al-
Shoughlan recently rehabilitated by
AKTC with a combination of grants Ahmar or the southwestern section of the Park.
and housing loans to the residents.
(Below) Plans for Darb Shoughlan
Street are based on a detailed analysis
to ensure that the character of the area
would not be compromised by the
proposed interventions.
Outdoor carpentry
workshop space Use of the street is
constantly changing
according to the types
of activity taking place
Parked
school bus Furniture at different times of
in evenings stainer the day, and depending
Upholstery on the exposure
Carpenter workshop to direct sunlight
Stored
Small tree Grocer
furniture
An important frames Men
around
intersection with multiple tea
layers of activity, tables
including outdoor work Scooter Stored work benches
repair Scooters Small tree and supplies
spaces near workshops shop
and a gathering point for Shoemaker
Coffee
people after work shop
Grocer
Men
playing Stacked
Shoemaker cards Infomal
furniture
frames housing
Religious
tomb
In addition to serving
Stacked local men after work,
straw for the coffee shop brings
nearby Shoemaker
upholsterer Video games tea to nearby workshops
throughout the day
Grocer
Grocer
Parked cars
People Parked truck Primarily residential
sitting alleyway
Guesthouse
Proposed guesthouse
Al-Darb al-Ahmar and rooftop café
Recently completed
housing rehabilitation
in Darb Shoughlan Street
The new
Darb Shoughlan
Proposed housing and Community Centre
Early Childhood Centre and
community services building
Tower 4 Al-Azhar Park
Access from al-Azhar Park to

the Ayyubid Wall visitor circuit
• Develop a semi-ruined plot, owned by the Ministry of Religious Endowment A model projecting the final
and informally occupied by poor residents, immediately south of the new aspect of the area near the former
Darb Shoughlan School upon
Community Centre and adjacent to the historic Ayyubid Wall, as a mixed-use completion of the proposed
residential and community services building. The proposed development would interventions. Over half of the
accommodate the existing families on the upper two stories, following traditional programme has been completed,
including restoration of the Ayyubid
precedents for housing in Cairo (the rab’—usually a duplex unit). A kindergarten Wall, conversion of the former school
is proposed for the ground floor with a connection to the newly established into a community centre, and the
Community Centre, formerly a primary school. There is a general lack of rehabilitation of eight residential
buildings.
children’s facilities in the district and their creation has been identified as a
priority by the residents.
• Preserve an open, unbuilt strip parallel to the Ayyubid Wall to maintain

the integrity of the wall and provide an open-air play area for the
kindergarten. The children’s library and computer facilities, currently located
in the adjacent Darb Shoughlan Community Centre, will complement the
kindergarten’s facilities.
32
M O N U M E N T S A S C ATA LYS T S
FOR D EVELOPMENT IN B AB A L - WA Z I R
T HE BAB AL-WAZIR area makes up the southern section of the Darb al-
Ahmar District. Its main spine, Darb al-Ahmar Street, connecting the Fatimid
City with the Ayyubid Citadel, is lined with splendid medieval mosques and
historic houses constructed between the thirteenth and the nineteenth centuries.
In the last century, however, the neighbourhood witnessed a steady social and
economic decline, with a negative impact on the monuments and the urban
fabric as a whole.
Since inception of al-Azhar Park in 1997, AKTC has worked to strengthen the
links between the Park and the Bab al-Wazir area, envisioning the Park as a
(Top) The mosque and minaret means to helping reverse the area’s decline. To this end, AKTC started with a
of Khayer Bek is part of a larger number of key monuments in the neighbourhood, notably the restoration of
monumental complex under restoration
by AKTC. (Above) Cleaning and the Khayrbek complex and the rehabilitation of the madrasa of Um al-Sultan
restoration of the decorated shaft Shaaban.
of the Khayer Bek minaret was
a painstaking endeavour.
These projects demonstrated that the restoration of significant historic buildings
can bring about the social improvement of an impoverished neighbourhood.
Not only does restoration preserve and improve important community assets,
it also provides an opportunity for social and economic development by creating
BAB A L - WA Z I R 33
jobs for local residents, training in traditional crafts, and by re-establishing

the intangible link between a community and its monuments. The physical
links are equally important in Darb al-Ahmar’s development, and AKTC is
currently constructing a gateway to connect al-Azhar Park and the Bab al-
Wazir area.
During the second phase, AKTC foresees a larger-scale development plan for
the neighbourhood, aimed at improving and developing the area’s public
infrastructure and open spaces, and creating better conditions for private
investment. To drive urban development in the Bab al-Wazir area a combination
of interventions is proposed involving monuments, public open spaces and
housing of historic interest. In parallel, selected commercial activities in the
adjacent urban fabric, such as coffee shops and workshops, are to be promoted
as economic development activities.
Today, many of the open spaces surrounding the historic buildings are
neglected and have been turned into informal rubbish dumps. Planning the use
of these public spaces and encouraging the development of ruined buildings
and vacant plots is essential in order to sustain any upgrading or restoration
work in the area. Moreover, such spaces can help create nodes linking the
different AKTC projects.
Housing rehabilitation activities are seen as a complement to the restoration of

monuments and the schemes to improve open spaces. Individual housing
rehabilitation projects are selected according to location with respect to the
open spaces earmarked for upgrading and the historic and architectural value
of the houses in question. (Top) The minaret of the fourteenth-
century Um al-Sultan Shaaban Mosque
has recently been restored by AKTC,
including reconstruction of its
top pavilion. (Above) Restoration work
in the Khayer Bek complex: a wood
conservation workshop was set up
on site to restore the numerous
mashrabiyya screens found throughout
the complex. (Below left) The ongoing
cleaning and restoration of a decorated
wooden ceiling.
34
Ayyubid Wall Al-Azhar

1
Park
Al-Darb al-Ahmar
Cemetery
Model of the Bab al-Wazir Action Area In order to achieve the above-mentioned development objectives and
showing the principal interventions implement the complementary programmes needed to up-grade the Bab al-
envisaged by AKTC:
Wazir area, AKTC has identified a series of initiatives to be carried out with
1 Um al-Sultan Shaaban other institutional partners and private investors. These have been divided
Mosque and surroundings into the following clusters of activities on the basis of their location within
2 Khayer Bek complex the area:
3 Bab al-Wazir Street T H E S O U T H E R N E N T R A N C E T O A L -A Z H A R P A R K

4 Southern entrance AND THE TARABAY AL-SHARIF COMPLEX
to al-Azhar Park and the
Tarabay al-Sharif complex This area is a connecting point between Bab al-Wazir, al-Azhar Park and the
Ayyubid Wall, and has excellent views of the adjacent Tarabay Mausoleum
and the Alin Aq Palace. It will become the main southern gateway to the Park,
providing direct access for local residents and offering park visitors an
opportunity to explore al-Darb al-Ahmar. Given the area’s location and its
historical significance, AKTC proposes to:
To Bab Zuwayla To Midan Aslam

N
Scale:1:2500
Scale: 1:2500
Al-Darb al-Ahmar
To Salah Salem
Street and
Park entrance
hlan
oug
Zawyet
b Sh
al-Hunoud
Dar
Al-Azhar Park
Beit al-Razzaz
3
Um Ibrahim Aga Bab al-Wazir Street:
al-Sultan Mustahfazan Restoration of monuments,
Shaaban Sabil and upgrading of open spaces,
Mosque Mausoleum public transport improvements
and micro-credit initiatives
for local businesses
1
Um al-Sultan Shaaban Mosque
and surroundings:
Extension of current
restoration activities to adjacent Al-Darb
monuments. Infrastructure and al-Ahmar
open space improvements Sports Club
combined with social
upgrading programmes Ayyubid Wall
Aqsunqur
Mosque
Omar Aga
Mustahfazan
Sabil and
Mausoleum Bab al-Wazir
(gate to al-Azhar Park)
Khayer Bek
Rab’ al-Tabbana complex
Alin
Aq
BAB AL-WAZIR
2
Khayer Bek complex:
Palace ACTION AREA
Re-use of monuments for
community and cultural Action Area boundary
activities that include
administrative and training Existing fabric
facilities, a gallery, performing
arts centre and associated Monument restoration
community service offices
Tarabay Archaeological presentation
al-Sharif
Zawyet
Housing rehabilitation
al-Sheikh
Morshid
Proposed new facilties
4 Landscaping and open space

improvement
Southern entrance
to al-Azhar Park and
Tarabay al-Sharif complex: Bab Road and infrastructure
Open space improvements al-Qarafa up-grading
to provide access to the Park Aytumish
combined with the restoration al-Baghasi Access to and from
of surrounding monuments Mosque al-Azhar Park
To Sultan Hassan and

Ibn Tulun Mosques
36
• Restore the Tarabay al-Sharif complex (built in 1503) and the historic Bab
al-Wazir Gate and clean up the surrounding area, which has been used for years
as a rubbish dump. The water trough adjacent to Bab al-Wazir will be re-used as
an information point.
• In parallel, restore the Aytumish al-Baghasi Mosque, founded in 1383, and

retain the building’s use as a neighbourhood mosque. In addition to the mosque’s
historic significance and community value, it forms an important visual landmark
along al-Darb al-Ahmar Street. Moreover, it marks the entrance to the Tarabay
area as well as the future southern entrance to al-Azhar Park.
• Create a southern entrance to al-Azhar Park from the Bab al-Wazir

neighbourhood. This will involve a general cleaning of the area and the
introduction of street furniture, paving, lighting, as well as the re-organisation
of pedestrian circulation. The design for the southern gateway itself calls for
the creation of an axis aligned with the Khayer Bek minaret and includes a
terrace overlooking the complex of Tarabay, thereby creating a viewing point
(Above) The Tarabay al-Sharif complex
and circulation node in a key location overlooking the area’s monuments. As
as it appears today. (Below) Model
showing the proposed new southern this entrance will be directly connected to the Park, it will attract visitors to the
gateway overlooking the Tarabay Bab al-Wazir neighbourhood, boosting the area’s commercial activities and
complex.
promoting the historical and cultural resources of the area.
Ayyubid Wall
New southern
gateway to
al-Azhar Park
Cemetery
Al-Darb al-Ahmar
Tarabay
al-Sharif complex
Aytumish al-Baghasi
Mosque
Bab al-Qarafa and
Aytumish al-Baghasi water trough
Restored
Ottoman house Restored
and sabil Khayer Bek
at 27 and 25 Mausoleum
Bab al-Wazir Street and Minaret
Aqsunqur Alin Aq Tarabay al-Sharif
Mosque Ayyubid Palace complex
Khayer Bek Wall
Al-Azhar Park Mosque
Open space in
front of Alin Aq Palace
Open space between currently used
the Rab’ Tabbana and Khayer Bek complex as a bus stop
THE KHAYER BEK COMPLEX The proposed improvement

AND ITS OPEN SPACES of Bab al-Wazir Street near the
Khayer Bex complex. The plan foresees
the remodelling of the street and its
The restoration of the Khayer Bek complex is one of AKTC’s key initiatives, related open spaces in conjunction
comprising the Mamluk palace of Alin Aq, the mosque, the mausoleum and with the restoration of monuments
and the adaptive re-use of the historic
sabil-kuttab of Khayrbek and two Ottoman houses, covering a total area of buildings lining the street.
approximately 8,000 square metres.
The boundaries of the Khayer Bek complex extend to the Ayyubid Wall and
include a large open area currently used as a community sports club and
storage area. Given its location adjacent to the southern gate to al-Azhar Park
and next to the monuments of the Khayer Bek complex, this open area is ideal
for re-use as an open-air theatre for the local community. Combined with
improvements to the existing sports club, this cultural facility would not only
attract local residents but also Park visitors and tourists who could attend a
variety of local events.
The initiative would ameliorate the area’s social and cultural level while offering
residents a wide range of upgraded community services. In particular, AKTC
proposes the following for the Khayer Bek complex and its adjacent open spaces:
• Complete the restoration of the Khayer Bek Mosque to render this outstanding
monument a major tourist attraction and finalise the restoration and
reconstruction of the two Ottoman houses (Nos. 25 and 27) in Bab al-Wazir
Street for re-use as community service offices.
38
• Stabilise and rehabilitate the Mamluk palace of Alin Aq in preparation for its
possible re-use as exhibition space for traditional local arts and crafts. This
space would be located on the ground floor, while the upper level of the palace
is to be preserved as an archaeological ruin to serve as the backdrop for an
enclosed performance area for musical events.
• Expand the existing on-site carpentry workshop, which trains local carpenters
and provides restoration projects with high-quality fittings. This fast-growing
workshop has initiated the revival of traditional carpentry and has helped
develop the skills of local carpenters, enabling them to meet the high standards
required for architectural conservation work.
Model showing the proposed re-use • Re-use the area at the back of the Khayer Bek complex as an open-air theatre.
of the area behind the Khayer Bek
complex including the proposed This cultural facility, currently lacking in the neighbourhood, is recommended
open-air theatre. in view of the area’s unique location and suggestive atmosphere.
Bab al-Wazir entrance Proposed

to al-Azhar Park open-air theatre
Khayer Bek
Mausoleum
Al-Darb al-Ahmar
Alin Aq Palace
Rab’ al-Tabbana
Cemetery
Aqsunqur Mosque
RESTORATION OF MONUMENTS
AND IMPROVEMENT OF
T H E P U B L I C S P A C E S I N B A B A L -W A Z I R
The section of Bab al-Wazir Street between the Wazir Gate and the Um al-
Sultan Shaaban Mosque contains both monuments and houses of historic
interest. Some of the monuments are registered, maintained and open to
visitors, but many others are neglected and used as informal rubbish dumps.
However the minarets of the Khayer Bek and Um al-Sultan Shaaban
mosques, reconstructed by AKTC in 2003, form positive focal points and
the restored facades already constitute a strong visual improvement of Bab
al-Wazir Street.
As the main spine between the Citadel and the commercial area of Khan al-
Khalili, Bab al-Wazir Street hosts a wide range of commercial activities that
contribute to its vibrant character. By day, the street life is predominantly
craftsmen and retail activities. In the evening, the coffee shops along the street
animate the public spaces surrounding the illuminated monuments. However,
the infrastructure along the street is in very poor condition. Blocked drains
and burst pipes mean that water often flows down the street, while the
poorly managed traffic has adverse effects on the area’s socio-economic
activities. Parked buses not only endanger the surrounding buildings but also
weaken the social relationship between the public spaces and adjacent
houses. A large number of houses along this section of the street date back to
the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and although some have been
partially modified, most still have their original features. Lacking proper
protection, they may be subject to alteration or even demolition and (Top) This food stand in Bab al-Wazir
replacement by modern concrete frame buildings that would destroy the is one of the many popular cafés
integrity of the historic urban fabric. and restaurants which give the street
its vibrant and lively character.
(Above) The Zawyet el-Sheikh Morshid,
In order to improve the condition of the buildings and the quality of the a fifteenth-century shrine, is one of the
public space, while strengthening the economic and social fabric, AKTC monuments lining Bab al-Wazir Street.
proposes a number of initiatives. The first is to register a group of presently

unlisted buildings on the SCA list of monuments. These include the Zawyet
al-Sheikh Morshid, which was built in the fifteenth century. Currently in poor
condition, the former shrine is being used as an informal rubbish dump by
the surrounding houses. The other significant structure is the Rab’ al-
Tabbana, a traditional residential building constructed in 1522 in front of
the Khayer Bek complex. The latter is four storeys high and consists of
fourteen vertical units accessible from the rear façade. Uncontrolled
modifications by individual owners, however, have led to the partial destruction
of the rab’: Several of the units have recently been pulled down and new
buildings have replaced these, without any reference to the old building’s
architectural and historical value. AKTC proposes to re-use the rab’ as a
community facility. The rehabilitated rab’ and the restored Khayer Bek
complex together constitute an important piece of a larger redevelopment plan
for the area.
40
In addition, AKTC plans to participate in the restoration of two other important

monuments. The first is the Aqsunqur Mosque (Blue Mosque) built in 1346 by
the Mamluk Amir Aqsunqur. Although this mosque is a major Bab al-Wazir
area landmark and one of Islamic Cairo’s most visited mosques, it is currently in
a very poor state of conservation. The second is the Omar Aga Mustahfazan
sabil, mausoleum and house, dating from 1652 and located opposite the Blue
Mosque. At one time, the building was used as an office by the SCA, only to be
abandoned due to its poor state. The upper storey of the sabil has collapsed.
Once restored, the building could be re-used by the SCA, allowing them to
supervise the monuments in the area close at hand. There would also be room for
keeping historic documents and information about the area’s historic properties.
Finally, AKTC’s plans include the upgrading of the following open spaces:
• The busy intersection and corner in front of the Aytumish al-Baghasi Mosque,
starting with the replacement of the deteriorated infrastructure and improvement
of public services. Located at the junction between Bab al-Wazir Street and the
road leading to the Wazir gate, it is an important node that brings together
various activities, including several coffee shops and small craftsmen’s
workshops. It is also an informal meeting place where casual labourers wait
for people with work to offer.
• The public open space between Rab’ al-Tabbana and the Khayer Bek complex.
This is lined with historic buildings but the infrastructure is in a very poor state,
with water often over-flowing into the street. The area is in need of basic
upgrading and rehabilitation. Also parking needs to be limited as it endangers
the surrounding historic buildings.
(Top) A view of the Rab’ al-Tabbana,
the sixteenth-century residential • The Bab al-Wazir bus stop facing the Alin Aq Palace. It is recommended that
complex located in front of the Khayer the possibility of relocating the terminal to an adjacent vacant plot of land be
Bek complex. (Above) The bus stop
opposite the Alin Aq Palace to be
explored in collaboration with the Cairo Governorate and District authorities.
relocated to a nearby vacant plot. The terminus is essential as the buses provide residents with transport to the
(Opposite) A model showing the rest of the city. However, frequent traffic jams due to the poor condition of the
proposals for the southern section
of Bab al-Wazir.
roadbed and the very heavy traffic at peak hours, coupled with the lack of
a reserved area for waiting buses have a deleterious impact on the area. The
suggested plot of land would allow for a more efficient and better-organized
service as it is off Bab al-Wazir Street, with room for several parked buses away
from the street. The small coffee shops and workshops along this street would
benefit from increased business opportunities occasioned by the move.
THE UM AL-SULTAN SHAABAN MOSQUE

AND ITS SURROUNDINGS
A large number of valuable monuments and houses of historic interest may be

found in the area surrounding the mosque of Um al-Sultan Shaaban, including
Bayt al-Razzaz, one of Cairo’s finest Ottoman residences, currently being restored
by the American Research Center in Egypt. AKTC has already achieved an
important goal with the restoration of the Um al-Sultan Shaaban Mosque itself,
Um al-Sultan
Shaaban Mosque Al-Azhar
Park
Al-Darb al-Ahmar 1
3
Cemetery
4
The proposed interventions along

Bab al-Wazir Street and in the open
areas surrounding the Khayer Bek Khayer Bek
Complex
complex:
1 Sabil, mausoleum and house

of Omar Aga Mustahfazan
2 Aqsunqur Mosque
5
3 Rab’ al-Tabbana
4 Public space between

6
Rab’ al-Tabbana and
the Khayer Bek complex
5 Proposed new location for

the Bab al-Wazir bus terminal
6 Zawyet al-Sheikh Morshid

7
7 The corner in front of the
Aytumish al-Baghasi Mosque
N
42
(Right) The minaret of the

Um al-Sultan Shaaban Mosque before
and after its partial reconstruction by
AKTC. (Below) An elevation of the
minaret and the Bab al-Wazir Street
façade of the mosque.
the area’s most important architectural asset. The reconstruction of the upper
portion of the minaret has reinstated the building’s importance as a visual
landmark, while the phasing of the restoration work on the mosque proper has
permitted daily use of the building by the local community to continue
uninterrupted. Facing the monument is a plot of land upon which stands the
Zawyet al-Hunoud minaret, one of the oldest Mamluk minarets in the area. The
same plot also contains a nursery for children. This combination of a valuable
historic building and an important social service on the same plot provides an
interesting opportunity to intervene and rehabilitate both a physical landmark
and a community service at the same time. AKTC proposes to:
• Finalise restoration of the madrasa of Um al-Sultan Shaaban (phase 2) and

carry on the interior restoration of the mosque (phase 3) to complete the full
restoration of this exceptional and much used monument.
• Register the residential upper floor of the Ibrahim Aga Mustahfazan sabil,
mausoleum and house on the SCA list of monuments and restore it. This small
group of monuments, built in 1640, includes a sabil and mausoleum of
outstanding quality. Their restoration, combined with the rehabilitation of the
two Ottoman housing units on the first floor of the building, would provide a
good example of small-scale restoration combining several uses (a monument
open to visitors with housing units above).
• Improve the open space around Um al-Sultan Shaaban, creating another node
along Bab al-Wazir Street. AKTC has already started to restore the infrastructure
at the entrance of the mosque, but more extensive general improvements will
also be required. The urban treatment of the area in front of Um al-Sultan
Shaaban is a starting point for a general improvement of the street paving and
furniture. Collaboration with local residents and owners of workshops and
coffee shops in the upgrading process will help maintain the area’s original
activities, while boosting its economic development.
(Above) The northern section

• Restore the minaret of the Zawyet al-Hunoud, built in 1315, located opposite
of Bab al-Wazir Street contains
the mosque of Um al-Sultan Shaaban, and improve the nursery located in numerous monuments earmarked
the grounds of the Zawyet al-Hunoud complex. This nursery is currently run for restoration, including the minaret
of Zawyet al-Hunoud shown above.
by a community-based NGO and provides a social focus within the
(Below) A model of the area around
neighbourhood. Dominated by the Mamluk minaret, the early twentieth century the mosque of Um al-Sultan Shaaban
buildings around the central courtyard contain classrooms and offices. showing the improved access to
the mosque, the restored Zawyet
The infrastructure is in poor condition, but the buildings are worth
al-Hunoud minaret and the Ibrahim
preserving and their rehabilitation would improve the nursery facilities, Aga Mustahfazan complex.
thus sustaining an important community service.
Minaret of the
Um al-Sultan Zawyet al-Hunoud
Shaaban Mosque
Ibrahim Aga Mustahfazan

sabil, mausoleum and house
44
LIST OF D ONORS
AND A C K N OW L E D G E M E N T S
DONORS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AKTC’s initiatives in Darb al-Ahmar Stefano Bianca, Director of AKTC’s Historic Cities Support Programme (HCSP), is
have been encouraged and sustained responsible for the general direction of the Project. Francesco Siravo, Senior Project
by its institutional partners: Officer, HCSP/AKTC directed the formulation of planning strategies and preparation of
the Governorate of Cairo, the the Action Area plans. Jurjen van der Tas, Deputy Director, HCSP/AKTC was responsible
Egyptian Ministry of Culture and for the socio-economic and community development aspects of the project. Mohamed al-
the Supreme Council of Antiquities. Mikawi, General Manager, Aga Khan Cultural Services-Egypt (AKCS-E) and Hany Attalla,
Sincere thanks are due to His Darb al-Ahmar Project Manager were responsible for the coordination and management
Excellency Abd al-Aziem Wazier, of project activities.
Governor of Cairo, His Excellency
Farouk Hosny, Minister of Culture and Community development, planning, restoration and housing rehabilitation activities have
Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General, been carried out by AKCS-E staff and consultants working closely with AKTC and its
Supreme Council of Antiquities. partners, as noted below.
Special thanks are also due to Community Development: Souad Abdel Aty, Tamer Iraki, Zeinab Aly Mohamed, Ashraf
the donors who supported individual Nassif, Mohamed Abdel Sadek (Micro-Credit); Gehan Ali, Abeer Nessim, Essam Qotb,
programmes. In particular, the (Employment); Wael Sabry, Mamdouh Sakr (Carpentry Workshop); Said Abdel Bary, Abeer
Egyptian Swiss Development Fund Dorgham, Randa Effat, Marwa Fawzy (Education); Mostafa Fahmy, Nevine Said, Mohamed
for its crucial support in initiating Mostafa, Hend Mohamed, Nahla Mohamed (Health Services); Ahmed Abdel Mawgoud
the Project; The Ford Foundation (Solid Waste Disposal); Jane Handal (Monitoring & Evaluation); Reem Hammouda (Human
for its significant participation in the Resources).
housing improvement programme
and rehabilitation of the Darb Planning and Open Space Unit: Jeffrey Allen, Ahmed Essam, Seif al-Rashidi (Planners).
Shoughlan Community Centre; the
WORLD MONUMENTS FUND® Monument Restoration: Christophe Bouleau, Conservation Architect, HCSP/AKTC
Robert W. Wilson Challenge to (Technical Coordinator): Restoration of the Khayer Bek complex: Nader Ali, Mohammed
Conserve Our Heritage, for contributing Said (Senior Architects); Ahmed Gad, Lara Iskander, Eman al-Kilany, Doaa Ramadan,
yearly matching grants toward Mohamed Youssef (Architects). Restoration of the mosque and minaret of Um al-Sultan
the restoration of the Um al-Sultan Shaaban: Dina Bakhoum, Christian Ubertini (Senior Architects/Engineers); Mohamed
Shaaban Mosque and the Khayer Bek Lashien, Sandra Loucas (Architects). Both projects called on ACE Moharram-Bakhoum
complex; and the Italian Ministry (Consultant Architects and Engineers), and EEC Cintec International (Contractors).
of Foreign Affairs through its
Direzione Generale per la Promozione Historic Wall Restoration: Zeiad Ahmed Amer, Senior Architect, Elisa del Bono, Project
e la Cooperazione Culturale and Manager, Ayman Abdel-Hakim al-Gohari, Senior Architect (Technical Coordinators);
the Italian Embassy in Cairo for Professor Frank Matero, University of Pennsylvania (Scientific Advisor); Noha Nael
its contribution to the restoration Ahmed, Amr Mohamed Atta, Nadine Samir Fikry, Heba Foda, Ehab Lasheem, Robert
of Bab al-Mahruq. A framework Pilbeam, Ibrahim Zakareya (Documentation and Site Architects); Guy Devreux
for the further development of the (Conservation); Nora Abdel-Hamid Shalaby, Peter Sheehan (Archaeologists).
Darb al-Ahmar Project is currently
being finalised with the Egyptian Fund Housing Rehabilitation: Ashtraf Boutros, Senior Architect, Roberto Fabbro, Project Officer,
for Social Development. The agreement HCSP/AKTC, Kareem Ibrahim, Technical Manager (Technical Coordinators); Nivine Akl,
foresees implementation of physical Ahmed al-Beblawi, Mohamed Ebaid, Mahmoud Qodb, Mohamed Abdul Sattar
rehabilitation and community (Documentation and Site Architects); Khaled al-Khouly, Ahmed al-Khozami (Structural
development activities, through Engineers); Heba al-Batreeq, Mohamed al-Sayyed, Dina Shehayeb, Shaimaa Soliman
the year 2007. (Community Liaison and Legal Officers); Hussein Mohsen (Building Maintenance).
PUBLICATION CREDITS
Editorial Coordination: Stefano Bianca and Francesco Siravo / Text: Stefano Bianca, Christophe Bouleau, Seif al-Rashidi, Francesco Siravo, Jurjen van
der Tas / Renderings: Nivine Akl, Mohamed Ebaid, Heba Foda, Kareem Ibrahim, Mahmoud Qotb, Mohamed Said, Nadine Samir, Roberto Simeone, Ibrahim
Zakareya / Graphic enhancement: Jeffrey Allen / Photography: Ayman Abdel-Hakim al-Gohari, Kareem Ibrahim, Matjaz Kacicnik, Ahmed Abdel
Mawgoud, Gary Otte, Mahmoud Qotb, Mohamed Said, Mohammed al-Sayyed, Randa Shaath / Design and production: Jeffrey Allen / Publisher: Artemide
Edizioni, Rome, Italy / Printing: XPress, Rome, Italy / c The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, 2005, 1-3 Avenue de la Paix, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland,
<www.akdn.org> No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent of the Historic Cities Support Programme and
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
AGA KHAN TRUST FOR CULTURE
Historic Cities Support Programme
1-3 Avenue de la Paix, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Telephone: (41.22) 909 72 00 / Fax: (41.22) 909 72 92
www.akdn.org

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AGA KHAN TRUST FOR CULTURE

Historic Cities Support Programme

A Framework for Investment

• Interventions along the Historic Wall

• The Khayer Bek Complex and its Open Spaces

• The Um al-Sultan Shaaban Mosque and its Surroundings

T HE NEW AL-AZHAR PARK on the edge of historic Cairo, completed by the

urban renewal approaches based on grandiose programmes that call for

AKTC’s proposed urban improvement programme requires not only

Muhammad Bey Abul Dahab Al-Hakim Mosque

carry on with reduced assistance from AKTC. Eventually, it is hoped that a

• The intimate and densely built-up residential fabric in the Aslam

The individual action area plans are linked to a comprehensive socio-economic

Priority Buildings adjacent

S OCIO-E CONOMIC D EVELOPMENT

(Top) View of a typical residential

development sectors. These cross-cutting issues are: the environment, gender

Access to credit Basic social services

(Top) A break-down of construction

Specific activities in support of income-generating activities have been combined

BASIC SOCIAL SERVICES

• Administrative training (computer literacy and book-keeping) classes will start

The environment, gender and organisational and institutional development

and unhealthy physical environment also discouraged the indiscriminate urban

The creation of al-Azhar Park provides an ideal opportunity for renewed

The monuments and archaeological attractions close to Burg al-Zafar constitute

AKTC has already undertaken substantial development initiatives aimed at

3 National Youth Club

of traditional housing along hall and gym, improved

the southern portion of open-air sports facilities,

Burg al-Zafar Street landscaping and new fence

N PROPOSED NEW DEVELOPMENT

New Mixed-Use Development

(Above) View of one of the interior

Upgrading the National Youth Club

Infrastructure and street improvements

INTERVENTIONS ALONG THE HISTORIC WALL

The Archaeological Triangle

Ayyubid Wall ramparts

37.43 Level of Burg

T HE ASLAM NEIGHBOURHOOD, a densely built-up quarter east of Bab Zuwayla,

The Aslam neighbourhood stands to gain considerably from the recently

In order to bring about significant improvements in the conditions of the

(Top) One of the many workshops

In the Aslam neighbourhood, AKTC foresees that institutional support, housing

Darb Shoughlan Adaptive re-use: completed

Adaptive re-use: proposed

Access to and from

To Bab al-Wazir and

• Issue micro-credit loans to boost local retail businesses (coffee shops,

The Mahruq Gate

• Stabilise the gateway as an archeological ruin and create a protective platform

Al-Azhar Park Tower 6

Archaeological exhibit Exhibit

higher-ground areas—restaurants, children’s playground and sports field—

THE ABOU HUREIBA STREET

These training activities are contributing to employment generation in the area

Restoration of House targeted

THE NORTHERN SECTION

• Encourage the development of the vacant plots and rehabilitation of the