Once described as "Paris on the Nile", Cairo is in dire need of a facelift. Nevine El-Aref reports on the latest initiative to beautify the city The urban planning and architectural designs that dominated Egyptian cities during the 19th and early 20th centuries exhibit a multiplicity of styles reflecting the influence of local, regional and cosmopolitan trends and tastes. One simply had to traverse any downtown street to enjoy the splendours of Baroque, Roman-Byzantine, Ottoman, European, Art Deco and Art Nouveau architecture. But modern urban development has disfigured these beautiful buildings, seriously degrading the the urban environment. According to Ahmed Hamid, an architect who teaches the principles of architectural design at the American University in Cairo, the downturn began when the foreign segment of Cairene society began their exodus of the country after the 1956 Tripartite Aggression against Egypt. "Prior to the late 1950s the boundaries of private property were not the four walls of home; they extended right out into the street and the local neighbourhood," said Hamid. This tradition changed with the influx of large numbers of people from the countryside. Villagers were confronted with the new and unknown city life, explained Hamid. A further nail was added to the coffin in the form of rent control; a fixed rent meant there was no incentive for landlords to invest money in their property so it was left up to individual tenants to upgrade their own particular section of their building. This gave rise to the phenomenon whereby only a section of a hallway around a specific door is painted, for instance, but not the rest. The soaring value of property, too, encouraged landlords to allow old buildings to simply fall down to make room for larger, more lucrative constructions. This problem is compounded by the fact that building codes have not been implemented by the government for the past 50 years, nor has sufficient public sector housing been provided for low-income residents, resulting in the proliferation of informal housing throughout the city. In an attempt to remove the traces of time, uncover Cairo's hidden beauty and roll back the visual chaos evident on many of the city's streets, the National Organisation for Urban Harmony (NOUH) was established, and inaugurated last week by Mrs Suzanne Mubarak. The mandate of the organisation, which is located within the ancient walls of Salaheddin's Citadel, is to revive Egypt's early 20th century architectural glory. The citadel, itself an example of what the organisation is trying to achieve, was originally a rest- house for Mohamed Ali's guards; during World War II it was then used to quarter the soldiers of the Allies. When renovation began on the complex a couple of years ago the buildings had suffered major deterioration. There were deep cracks in the walls, the mashrabiya (wooden lattice work) windows had been all destroyed, masonry had been badly chipped and the wooden flooring had disappeared completely. The building, however, has been restored by NOUH experts to its former glory, an elegant edifice which blends in perfectly with its surroundings. During the inauguration ceremony, Culture Minister Farouk Hosni told reporters that Mrs Mubarak had described the project as "a beautiful dream come true". She gave directives that all ministries whose activities overlap with those of the NOUH, namely the ministries of culture, tourism, information, environment, local development, housing and new communities, "must cooperate together in order to revive Egypt's exquisite architecture of the early 20th century". According to Hosni, the organisation will not only beautify Egypt's main streets and once plush districts but it will also be responsible for refurbishing lower income areas. "This has already happened in the Darb Al- Asfar alley, off Al-Muizz Street, which now sets an example of how to proceed," commented Hosni. He pointed out that the NOUH will also be involved in landscaping gardens, squares and streets. Hamid, while appreciating the governmental initiative, fears that NOUH will attempt to introduce cosmetic changes without altering the mindset which gave rise to the current situation. "To revitalise the beauty of Cairo's streets and buildings it is not enough to paint a building. We must start with children's education. We must instill a sense of pride and belonging into all Egyptians." This, he argues, will inspire them to take an interest in making their cities beautiful. For his part Farouk Abdel- Salam, first under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Culture, agrees, explaining that the aim of NOUH is not only to make the streets pretty, but to integrate people into the process by making them appreciate the aesthetics of their surroundings. "This will be achieved through media campaigns explaining to people the importance of bringing a halt to the visual chaos that has spread throughout the city streets and buildings; and to explain why this is happening. Residents of areas due for a make-over will be encouraged to take part in the process," he explained. Resident construction workers, engineers, artisans, electricians and plumbers will work on the projects. Abdel-Salam pointed out that this method of cooperative labour has already been tried and tested in Luxor. "NOUH got local residents involved in a project on the road leading over the tourist route to the West Bank; the project involved preserving local architecture with its beautiful geometric patterns and colours," he said. "We have our work cut out for us," said Samir Gharib, head of NOUH. The second major project facing NOUH involves the slums around the former airport in the Imbaba district of Greater Cairo. The idea is to renovate, paint and decorate the housing façades; transform garbage dumps into green areas; pave the streets and construct proper pavements. Gharib was keen to highlight the fact that local residents will remain in their homes during the entire process as all work is external in nature. The organisation is also spearheading "The New Nile Road" project, which aims to upgrade all rural areas along the Nile, from Fayoum to Aswan, to reflect the nature of each individual governorate. Houses in Minya, for instance, will be designed in the Amarna architectural style indigenous to that area, or in the dome style of the tombs of Beni Hassan. According to Galal Ebada, supervisor of NOUH's central planning and technical affairs, the flashy billboards adorning the roofs of so many buildings will be removed and relocated. Signs advertising the practices of doctors, lawyers and other professionals will be taken off the front of buildings and placed in entranceways. One of the organisation's top priorities, says Ebada, is the refurbishment of downtown Cairo, as well as the Babul Azab area of the Citadel neighbourhood, to transform the districts into open- air museums.
