Urban Theories On Nasr City Submitted to: Dr. Fahema Saad, T.A Eng. Nanar Khoren Written by: Ziad Labib 12/1638 MIU-ARCH-Spring 2016 Mid-term Paper
Unknown Solider Monument on Nasr Street
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Introduction to urban design The planning and organizing of the infrastructure of a community is what sets the future to urban area. A city is designed by several different planners to insure the collaboration between each different system. From designing services to the public to business organizing, each planner plays a role to how the system will function in the future. This planning sets the quality of the community. However, if the planning is not collaborative and a curtain system does not fit correctly then the urban design has failed. Such is the case in several communities around the world where cities, communities, and societies crumble along with the urban system. This crumble results in deterioration in the quality of the environment. If one system has failed, then so follows all the other systems. Moreover, this deterioration and crumbling of the system happens over a period of time and is mostly due to specific reasons. The planning and designing of an urban community is sometimes designed to fulfill the needs and requirements of community at that time, however, due to the unexpected growth of the community, in some areas, the system that functioned in the community can not adapt. Point of Analysis Overcrowding where many people occupy little space and compete for few services and jobs. In Nasr City, residents have increased over the years from around 200,000 to 500,000 thousands. With this increase of around 150%, the urban area became unable to accommodate these numbers. Availability of services to the people decreased, workplaces became residential areas and system by system, the urban design became unable to withstand the increase in residents.
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Nasr City Introduction Founding/ History of Nasr city In 1952, a revolution, known as the 23rd of July Revolution, began by a group of young army officers who named themselves “The Free Officers Movement”. This revolution was aimed at King Farouk I and to abolish monarchy and establish the republic. The second aim was to give Egypt a leadership and an active role in the war against Israel. Nasr City
During the revolution, the new state destroyed symbols, barracks and palaces of previous occupants. Nasr city became the new symbol of the new state ideology. Located east of the Nile river and the Mokkattam, Nasr city became a new area of great potential. The planning of Nasr city The area was planned between 1956 and 1958 by the lead of planning commission, Mahmoud Riad (1917-1992), a friend of Gamal Abd El Nasser and an important diplomate. The organization of the team that planned the area shows the interaction of the new government because different interests were gathered in the design. In September 1964, the Nasr Society, the company in charge of the planning of Nasr City, was turned into a private company and Sayed Karim, the architect who designed area, was recruited.
Choosing Nasr City Nasr City once stood as a symbol of the new ideology that started after the 23rd of July Revolution, which shaped the current great country of Egypt. However, the area had deteriorated over time due to several urban ills and system malfunctioning. The once beautiful Nasr City has increased greatly in traffic and congestion over time due to increase of inhabitants in the area. Moreover, I chose this neighbourhood because it now serves as a linkage between several other new areas such as Sheraton, New Cairo, Rehab. The neighbourhood’s ills will continue to grow and affect other areas if its problems are not solved. Nasr city also has great number of inhabitants who represent a great portion of the working class, these inhabitants are daily affected by the current urban ills.
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Paths Definition Paths are what defines the movement of the people. They set a direction and orientation to how traffic works and how pedestrians walk. They set the direction of the streets, either on way streets or two way streets. Moreover, the paths set the form of the solid to void shape of the neighbourhood’s. Nasr city uses the grid form urban plan. Analysis The grid form has been used in several cities for several reason. For orientation, the people are easily directed and always know where to go. Using perpendicular streets, the area sets how fast the people will move from place to place. Moreover, this grid design is efficient in other ways such as use of space.
Solid & Void of Nasr City
Use of blocks: Because of the set grid form of the Nasr city, all building use less foot print. By having similar sizes, rectangular or square shapes, all buildings use less space as less space is left between them. “This maximizes the use of the land of the block” because of setting of a sequence of the space that the building occupies Reaction to topography As a response to the increase in topography to the south, main streets are placed parallel to the slope of increase. This allows for clearer movement and direction as going up this slope people are knowing that they are heading south for example.
Ahmed Fakhry St. and Children’s Park
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Problem
Rise in topography from Nasr Street to Zaker Hussein
The many advantages of using the grid shaped plan for Nasr City was efficient during the first years for the inhabitants. The neighbourhood was compromised with a good ratio between the size of streets and number of residents. Each building would have enough land Blocks of Nasr City, Solid Void space to accommodate the number of cars for the residents. Density of Nasr City was moderate due to the fast network system of transportation, either by car, tram, or bus. The movement between location to another required less time as less turns would be required. However, due to congestion all the advantages of the grid shaped neighbourhood decrease in efficiency. In the grid shaped streets, intersection would be places were a car would stop for a traffic light and wait as other cars would pass for example. However, with the increase in amounts of cars stopping at each traffic light things began to show that these traffic lights started to affect side streets. The traffic expanded to the secondary streets meaning that more and more streets began to have traffic. Moreover, later on, in around 2005, these intersections like between the Abbas El Akkad Street and Mostafa El Nahas Street were monitored and
Paths in Nasr city
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redesigned to accommodate for the growing amount of traffic. The intersection was closed off and cars going from north to south would have to take a U-turn at each intersection. This of course meant that the cars would not be stopping completely at each intersection and the traffic of the secondary streets were less affected. However, this also meant that more time was required to move from north to south as the path was no longer direct. Solution Reintroducing a new and advanced transport system in the are could drastically improve traffic. This transport system would decrease the need for cars and increased efficiency and speed of transport for passengers. Creating a new tram or underground subway can also work with the planned design of the grid-shaped area. Altering no design, the public transport system may be the future of Nasr City paths My opinion Overall, I found that paths in Nasr City to give a strong sense of orientation. With main streets containing services and commercial shops and secondary streets containing only residential buildings. Each Main street gives a strong sense of characteristic and orientation, however the secondary streets give no orientation and can easily confuse an observer.
Nodes Definition Nodes are the strategic focus points that define the interest points where activities may occur. Sometime being small points, nodes are points of intersection where people would pass on their way to a different destination. Nodes address a curtain sense to the observer. The people passing by nodes heighten their attention and focus around them. Glancing at the different activities or maybe landmarks, the node is a place that become central to the people. Junctions are opportunities to become nodes. For marketing reason of course, junction is a place to advertise and sell business.
Midan Raba’a, Node
Genana Mall, Node
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Analysis
Nodes
In Nasr City, businesses and shops try to use the full potential of all the nodes in the area to their advantage. Shops are placed either between the nodes or directly on them. In Nasr city, nodes are the intersection points where two streets meet. These intersections are nodes because they serve as a junction where people heighten their attention due to the new oncoming street. These nodes are now being used to advertise and sell things to people as they stop in the traffic signs.
Nasr City Main Areas
Malls
Club/Park
Moreover, these nodes are also potential for a great amount of interest such as mall. The intersection between the highway street, El Nasr Street, and a main street of Nasr City, Makram Ebaid, was used to build two malls overlooking the node; The City Centre Mall and City Stars mall. In other areas such as the point between Abbas El Akkad Street and El Nasr Street, another mall is built to make use of the potential in such nodes where inhabitants and people on the highway may meet. Problem/My opinion I find that these nodes serve as a great focus point for many pedestrians. Shops and restaurants use these intersections points as because they serve as the nodes of Nasr City, this can create a destination of interest to many residents during the day. Moreover, I find that there is an unseen problem to these nodes. As they are placed sometimes in the middle of the residential building apartments, the nodes can cause quite a lot of congestion and traffic. This is the result of using a street that was meant to be used for residential building changing its use to using it as a route to the mall. This route now becomes under heavy use meaning that more cars will use and thus traffic that was unplanned will occur. Moreover, other intersection points such as Abbas El Akkad and El Nasr Street have other problems. The node is the intersection because it is where Nasr City meets the highway however the malls, which is the destination of people, is opposite to the neighbourhood meaning that there will be more time for people to get there which will result in more traffic and more pedestrians walking the street. Solution To create garage building in the big nodes to accommodate the traffic caused by parking in the street. To create distance between nodes to decrease traffic as the nodes cause traffic. Also using traffic control in areas with high traffic and using means of transport to transfer between nodes. These solutions aim to decrease the heavy use of nodes by cars.
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Landmarks Definition Landmarks are points of reference considered to be external to the observer. They are physical elements which vary in scale. The use of landmarks involves the use of singularity. The show the aspect of the context that the people are entering. They are a memorable physical entity that is prominent in the area. Landmarks are easily identifiable and have a clear form that is memorable. Landmarks stand out in the environment and contrast to the surrounding. The principle factor is their extrusion from the background. Analysis Nasr City, seen as the new ideology of the 23rd of July Revolution, was built to become a new path that Egyptian will take. Landmarks in the area stand for the new ideology and were mainly built after the revolution. Of the main landmarks are the new political party that came with the revolution. This includes ministries of the new government that were built in Nasr City and not in downtown Cairo. The location of these ministries also shows that the neighbourhood became the heart of the revolution’s ideology. More so, these landmarks include the famous Unknown Soldier Memorial. This monument was built by The Egyptian president Anwar Sadat in 1974 in honour of Egyptian and Arabs who lost their lives in the 1973 October War against Israel. Later the site was chosen as the president’s tomb after his assassination in 1981. Also, this monument now stands outside of downtown Egypt and acts as the gateway to Nasr City to drivers coming from downtown Egypt. This monument was located in that area for its located as a linkage between the old and new. This pathway was the most used path to entering Nasr City
1. Stadium of Cairo 2. Panorama 6th October 3.Unknown Soldier
Other Landmarks have been placed nearby as well such as the stadium and the 6th of October Panorama located on Salah Salem which also served as an entrance to the Nasr City from downtown Cairo.
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My opinion/ solution Choosing the location of these landmarks makes very good sense. The main entrance streets to the neighbourhood are a vital essence to the drivers that give a sense of direction. These landmarks mark the entering of Nasr City and orient the people of where they are. I see that putting the landmarks on the west side of the Nasr City made sense at that time, however I find my self wander if the location of these landmarks still makes sense now. Moreover, the landmarks location in relation to the residential buildings also functions properly. The monuments are allowed a much wider street and a greater amount of land in relation. This planning was so that traffic can be maintained during use and events of these city landmarks.
Governmental Buildings in Nasr City
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Districts Definition Districts are the areas upon which residents divide the neighbourhood into. They are areas upon which the observers can achieve a curtain characteristic from. They are recognized by the residents and can be used as a reference to outsiders. Districts may a cluster of some form of common quality and function, they may also be a unity of a curtain characteristic such as its small scale. Districts set the areas of the city and become forms of orienting the observers. They divide the city’s areas according to aspects special to it. Analysis Nasr city is divided up into several districts according to neighbourhoods, services, and factories. The main areas are the residential areas which to the residents are named according to the number of the neighbourhood; the sixth neighbourhood and the Sefarat neighbourhood. Next, the services areas which are also a reference point to the observers and residents; the Serag Mall area or the Genena mall with its surrounding services and mosques. Moreover, in Nasr city the original planning included the workers living area, a factories area, villas, governmental buildings, sports areas, and conference centers. They areas are placed according to their use and paths. The sports areas and conference lands are placed on the outskirts of the original planning of Nasr City due to their potential of high dense use and risk of traffic congestion. These areas require large parking spaces and wide streets that maintain the dense traffic movement after a conference or the frequent soccer match Next, for the services of the residential districts, land is used accordingly. For example, in Abbas al Akkad and Makram Abaid the residential buildings overlook and use gardens such as the international garden and the children’s park. These areas are included in the center of the residential districts unlike the industrial zone. The industrial zone was placed on the south-west side of the city or the edge due to its risk factors. This industrial zone included accommodation areas for the required amount of workers as well. The houses of the workers were placed in a walking distance from their jobs. However, these industrials districts do not work anymore and are made no use of. Therefor, the previously owned houses used by the workers has been sold and used by a lower
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class. The are became a more residential area than the planned industrial area and is now known for its car-parts shops. Problem/my opinion Consequently, each district was visually readable, which increased the intelligibility of the urban spaces of the city. Yet as a result of weakness of the authority of construction laws, the different types intermingled and formed an unclear visual image. The intelligibility has been lost and visual chaos became the main feature for the city visual identity Solution Moreover, the expansion of neighbourhood spread to the south of Nasr City has several problems: 1) only a residential expansion and provides few services and no industrial zones to the new addition. 2) provide very little workplace to the residents. 3) fail due to their location and lack of independence. 4) Also, these expansions may further increase traffic problems as the residents in these new districts will require the use of Abbas Al Akkad and Mostafa El Nahas street for services 5) Other congestion issue will soon prevail as these areas will soon demolish the orientation of the observers because they provide no landmarks as well. 6) I believe that these new expansions should not occur without being independent. This only possible by providing the new residents with all the services required so as to decrease the potential of using the original Nasr city streets to meet their needs.
Activities in Nasr City 11
Edges Definition Edges are the linear elements considered as paths by an observer that form the boundaries between two distinct phases or places. The edges become breaks in the continuity. Shores, railroads, and walls are all examples of an edge. Some edges become impenetrable barriers and other becomes merely a distinct large region that contrasts with adjacent area. Edges become visually essential as they become a source of orientation to observers as well. Analysis In Nasr City, the edges are not clear in all directions. This can sometimes confuse people as they can sometimes cross a street and then find themselves in a different neighbourhood. Moreover, there are some clear edges in Nasr City that have been there for a long time due to their owners and function. On the East side of Nasr is an army piece of land that has been there for decades. Its walls become the barriers of Nasr City to the left side. This becomes the left side of the rather box-shaped Nasr City. To the south side, the edge becomes extremely confusing. Previously, the edge would be the cemeteries south of the expanded area of Al Sefarat. However, this only plays a small part of the southern edge of Nasr City. The South-East edge of Nasr City became the main direction of expansion to residential buildings. On the south-East Side of Nasr City is Al-Hay-Al-Asher, this area was also an expansion the planned Nasr City however further expansion has been occurring over the last decades. This expansion is to the direction of the Circular Road which surround all of Cairo. Also, this spread deteriorated the previously clear edge of Nasr City. The deserted area is now randomly built residential buildings that have no clear boundary between them and Nasr City. The same case occurs on the Northern Edge of Nasr City. Heliopolis becomes only a street cross from Nasr City at no clear street. Nasr street is can be considered to some people as the edge of the neighbourhood however it is no a clear one. Problem The fact that there is no clear edge on the east, south, and north side of Nasr city becomes a problem to some people and a source of confusion. The bigger problem is the expansion of the residential buildings and their spread to the circular road. This is not only blurring the edge of
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Nasr City; it is also creating more congestion. This spread is unplanned and will results in a deterioration of major urban System in Nasr City. Solution: The new expansions must be independent of the old area of Nasr City. They need to have their own services and work places. Moreover, they need have a clear edge to identify that the observer is entering a new area as well.
expan sion Expansion army
expansion Army
Cemetery
Nasr City Areas
My opinion The new areas intermingle with the old. The edges are only streets the divide between Heliopolis and this is always confusing to observers. Moreover, the armies wall was a good barrier and edge along with the desert. However, that desert is becoming residential buildings and moving the edge further which makes it also confusing
Conclusion Nasr City was once a great neighbourhood to live in. Planned to accommodate about 200,000 people, the neighbourhood now tightly holds around 500,000 residents. Causing more congestion, the residents continue to grow with more and more expansion. Moreover, with the ongoing spread of apartment buildings, the systems of the urban neighbourhood deteriorate. Services become few, traffic increases, schools can not hold enough students, diseases spread and issues linger. Moreover, the paths of the neighbourhood were once a successful design, however after several modifications, streets and tram tracks have changed drastically. Removing the tram tracks increase the amount of cars in the street and therefor increase pollution and congestion. However, reintroduction a new and more successful means of transport such a subway or even the old tram will surely redevelop the once uncongested Nasr City. Also, the nodes which have been known to be close to intersections are also becoming a problem. City Center, which overlooks the Nasr Street and Makram Ebaid, has a rather small garage and may frequently cause congestion due to the double parking in front the mall entrance. Other cases such as Genena mall and wonderland are known to cause traffic in front of the malls due to unplanned street width. These malls were not planned at the start of designing the
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neighbourhood. Moreover, the malls hold no responsibility to this traffic as well. Creating dropoffs in each of the malls entrance or larger garage spaces to accommodate the vast amount of parked cars may free some space in the streets and allow for less traffic. The nodes may no longer become a problem then. Landmarks are clear to the observers that lived in the 1960s, however, now the landmarks become only monuments at one side of the area. The stadium, and the unknown soldier pyramid became entrances to the observers coming from downtown Cairo, however to others only the malls, which an observer would stumble upon, become landmarks. This is not always a landmark as well, as not everyone coming from Rehab knows what Serag Mall looks like. The source of orientation that gives the observers the visual sense that they entered Nasr City is only the traffic that they find themselves stuck in. Districts were once district from one another, however, with mixed use of places, they become infused together. There is no clear difference to the use between the areas as before. Places like Al-Hay-Al Saeb’s was once only a place to accommodate workers however, it is now a workplace to several car workshops. However, one clear differentiation is the services between each block of residential buildings. Fore example, Genena mall, the mosque behind Genena mall, St. Fatima school, along with other services, form a block in the center of a group of residential buildings. The same case goes to Serag Mall. These services areas form a small district in that area. Visiting The Site/ Mind Map I have lived in Nasr City for over 13 years. The area was not always this congested and pollution was no always this severe. People found jobs nearby and services were equally available to all people. I always remember Nasr City by 3 different parts. The edges which from which I would enter, mostly Nasr Street. The Main streets such as Abbas Al Akkad, I always considered it to be the commercial street which I would use if I needed any services or shopping. The secondary streets that I would use to reach my home. Those three different parts had a different characteristic. The highway, or Nasr Street, was always extremely clear to me. Given its width, and landmarks, I would always know I am in Nasr City if reach that part of Nasr Street because of the unknown soldier or the stadium. They always stood out in form from the environment. However, living in the city it was not always clear to me where I was in terms of districts. The area is divided into several parts and they have no specific forms or style to differentiate between them. The districts intermingle and form no clear orientation to me. However, one thing I always find specific to Nasr City is the block form. It sometimes made it easier for us to explain direction, but it has more use. Most building would overlook a large park in the center used to be a factor that increased the urban quality. Overtime, due to pollution, other qualities like that no longer function.
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