Build Environment Collective NGO and Madinet Masr Community Developers launch The Renovation of El Khalifa Houses, project. Photos courtesy of Madinet Masr Urben Community Developers.
Renovation of Al-Khalifa district Houses: 500 metres of hope and heritage
At the premises of Sabil Umm Abbas (1867 AD), an Ottoman-style architectural gem in the heart of Historic Cairo, a groundbreaking protocol that promised to renovate and safeguard the urban heritage of the Al-Khalifa district was signed.
The collaborative project, titled Development of Buyut Al-Khalifa (Houses of Al-Khalifa), was launched on Tuesday, 15 April, under the auspices of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, in the presence of Dr. Gamal Mostafa, Head of the Islamic, Coptic, and Jewish Antiquities, Abdallah Sallam, President and CEO of Madinet Masr Urban Community Developers, and Professor Mai El-Ibrashy, Architectural Historian and Chairperson of Build Environment Collective (BEC) NGO.
This unique and unprecedented collaboration aims to restore heritage buildings and rehabilitate the urban fabric while conserving the area's cultural identity and improving residents' quality of life.
The three-year project focuses on Al-Rukbiyya Street in Historic Cairo and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It aims to restore two historic buildings, refurbish 19 facades of modern buildings, and develop 1,200 square metres of public spaces through paving, greenery, and lighting. The project will also establish two urban farms irrigated with groundwater harvested from the dewatering projects of listed monuments, thus enhancing and promoting heritage-based crafts and providing educational and professional opportunities.
"Our collaboration with the Built Environment Collective and the Supreme Council of Antiquities is a true representation of strategic partnerships that create added value for society and reflect our commitment to enhancing the quality of life for individuals and communities," stated Abdallah Sallam, President and CEO of Madinet Masr.
"This is our first collaboration with a real-estate company, obviously as old and well-established as Madinet Masr. They came up with the idea of investing somehow in the historic city, and we talked to them about the gap that exists in support for the residential buildings. We explained to them that we can normally get funding for conserving monuments and activities linked to heritage education and industries, but that there has always been a gap in funding regarding historical buildings although they make up the charm and beauty of Historic Cairo, which has been listed as a world monument site for its urban fabric and not just for its historical monuments. Madinet Masr proved very enthusiastic about collaborating with us," explained Professor May El-Ibrashy, architectural historian and Chairperson of BEC, speaking to Ahram Online.
"As part of Al-Athar Lina (initiative), we have worked in Al-Khalifa Street since 2012 and have achieved several conservation projects and others related to heritage industries and education. We also collaborate with the government to promote Al-Khalifa Street as a tourist destination," explained El-Ibrashy, adding that it is very close to the citadel. Ahmed Ibn Tulun's mosque is here, along with many routes of shrines that belong to the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. Therefore, the idea was to take the 500-metre stretch at the street entrance from El Saliba Street, from the citadel side, and to renovate it completely, including carrying out any required structural work, paving, lighting, and greening. The project will also introduce several urban farms on the rooftops of some buildings using groundwater, a technique that BEC developed. This means that in three years, this 500-metre stretch will be completely renovated, she concluded.
On the other hand, this project is part of Madinet Masr's sustainability and social responsibility strategy and a key milestone in Madinet Masr's heritage revival initiative.
"Since last year, this project has become one of the pillars of our strategy," explained Dena Habib, Vice President of Corporate Relations in Madinet Masr.
Habib added that the three-year project will substantially transform the area. In addition to safeguarding heritage, this transformation includes providing job opportunities to the community and conserving the environment. Hence, the project would embody a comprehensive heritage safeguarding and community development model.
Buyut Al-Khalifa project also aligns with two national tourism development initiatives: the Citadel Square development, located 500 metres east of the site, and the Descendants of the Prophet path, which passes through the area.
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