Dayra Foundation for Culture and Art

First of all, I would like to express gratitude to the EU Commission in Egypt, who have jointly funded this crucial cultural project "Cairo's Belle Époque, Architectural Patterns", together with Dayra Foundation for Culture & Art. This action aims at studying and documenting some architectural and social patterns in Downtown Cairo's built heritage, particularly that influenced by European ideas, dating to the late ninetieth and early twentieth centuries.

This action has addressed the problems and crises threatening Cairo’s built heritage. It has discussed different views towards interacting positively with this heritage. This has been implemented through a meticulous study to a range of architectural and cultural patterns in a specific geographic scope, i.e. Khedivial Cairo. It has also included several working sessions involving masses of academic and practitioner architects, public-figure intellectuals, executives and students of architecture, where the common interest among them all was caring for the future of the heart of our beautiful capital.

The undertaken analyses to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries' cultural action confirmed that Egyptian rulers and intellects had a long term foresight for developing a nation that is no less than advanced European countries. Khedive Ismail actually wanted Egypt to be part of Europe, and Cairo to be Paris of orient, and the west. We are currently working to revive the same objective through joint Egyptian – European programs. We wish this project sets a step for a fruitful cooperation towards preserving the heritage that has always reinforced the close relationship between Egypt and Europe.

 

The study has monitored, documented and scrutinized different views towards the identification and analyses of architectural and cultural patterns in Downtown Cairo, in terms of material and immaterial aspects, as well as the means for preserving this urban heritage. These views were raised through various workshop discussions, and developed by expert research findings. It is important to note that documenting the experience was a continuous ongoing process that had started with the first moment of this cultural action. This process included both inscription and visual documentation, which was represented in the form of photographs and live video recording.

The abovementioned work has paved the way to issue this book, in addition to an electronic CD-ROM documenting the experience from the very beginning until the final product. This process included meetings and workshops with target groups, monitoring of patterns and the presentation of the work in its final form. This work sets a step towards the promotion of the culture and ideology, which call for the preservation of Cairo’s urban and architectural heritage, as an essential part of the world's heritage that deserves proper preservation.

 

What is most important about this action is shedding light upon the significance of preserving this Egyptian-based, European-influenced heritage, as an embodiment of the positives rapprochement between Egypt and Europe over ages; as well as being an invitation for cooperation towards reviving Cairo’s Belle Époque. 

 

Last but not least, thanks are due to all those who have contributed to our project, in which this book represents one fruitful outcome.