Egypt
The National Organization for
Urban Harmony (NOUH)
and Intermediate Cities in Egypt
Samir Gharib
Presentation Structure:
▪ The Arabic version of ‘Looking at other urban spaces:
intermediate cities’
▪ Intermediate Cities: A prologue
▪ Characteristics of Intermediate Cities
▪ Proposals for Intermediate Cities
▪ National Organization for Urban Harmony (NOUH)
▪ NOUH’s Responsibilities
▪ NOUH’s Aims
▪ NOUH’s scope of work
▪ NOUH’s Work in Egyptian Intermediate Cities
The Arabic version of ‘Looking at other
urban spaces: intermediate cities’
The National Organization for Urban Harmony
undertook the Arabic translation of ‘Looking at
other urban spaces: intermediate cities’ , by our
colleague and friend Josep Maria LLOP TORNÉ,
Director, and Carmen BELLET SANFELIU,
Technical secretary , of the CIMES program.
We thereby highlighted the following aspects
about intermediate cities.
Intermediate Cities- A Prologue
● The adjective intermediate/intermediary was
first registered in academic circles in the mid1980s, to replace medium-sized city
● The European Union defines intermediate
cities as settlements that contain between
20,000 and 500,000 inhabitants, while the World
Bank raises the upper limit to one million.
Intermediate Cities- A Prologue
Intermediate cities are not only defined in terms
of their demographic size and according to
specific dimensions , but, above all, on the basis
of the functions that they perform: their role in
the mediation of flows (goods, information,
innovations, etc.) between the rural and urban
territories within their areas of influence.
Intermediate Cities- A Prologue
The medium-sized/intermediate city cannot
simply be defined on the basis of its physical or
demographic size.
As, or even more important, are:
● the role and the function that the city plays
within its more or less immediate territory
● the influence and relations that it exerts and
maintains with this territory
● the flows and relations that it generates
towards the exterior.
Characteristics of Intermediate Cities:
● more balanced and sustainable systems that can, in
theory, maintain more open, harmonic, and balanced
relationships with their regions
● easier to govern and control
● more human and effective scales, which makes them
easier to understand and define, and hence also easier
to physically plan and structure
Characteristics of Intermediate cities:
● less environmental problems
● less socially conflictive and smaller associated social
costs
● less socially and culturally diverse
● In parts of the Third World, intermediate cities act as
centres that exploit large rural areas or exploit
the natural and human resources of their areas
of influence
National Organization for Urban Harmony
(NOUH)
Location: Salah el Din Citadel – Cairo
NOUH’s Responsibilities
According to the law 119,
for the year 2008,NOUH is
responsible for:
● identifying heritage areas
and buildings and setting
principles for their
restoration
● outlining policies,
guidelines, and legislations
for harmonious future
urban development
NOUH
Saladin Citadel, Cairo
NOUH’s Aims
According to its establishment decree (no.37- 2001),
NOUH aims at enhancing the urban environment
and quality of life, through;
1. Restoring the cultural identity of Egyptian urban
environments.
2. Fulfilling aesthetic values in existing and new
settlements.
NOUH’s scope of work
● Reforming the aesthetic image throughout
the country
● Setting regulatory controls for existing and
new urban development
NOUH’s scope of work
● Formulating a comprehensive database for
buildings of significant value
The 19th c. Fire Brigade
building - Ataba Square
Continental Hotel - Opera
Square
Omar Affendi
Department Store
Sednaoui department store
al Khazendar Square
NOUH’s scope of work
● Restructuring guidelines for dealing with elements of the
urban environment; advertisements and signs, open and
green spaces, roads and sidewalks, street furniture,…etc.
NOUH’s scope of work
● Revitalizing and restoring historic squares,
public spaces and pathways
Talaat Harb Square
Talaat Harb Square
NOUH’s scope of work
● Launching international competitions for the urban
design and harmony, and historic conservation of major
historic urban spaces, and the rehabilitation of major
heritage buildings, including;
- Ramsis Square - Khedive Cairo ( Results anounced
2009)
- Opera and Ataba Squares - Khedive Cairo (ongoing)
- ‘Sednaoui’ Building and the adjacent ‘al Khazendar
Square’ (ongoing)
International Competitions :
1- The International competition for the urban design and
harmony of Ramsis Square-Khedive Cairo
The first winner (Franco- Egyptian project)proposed a new
underground tunnel to reduce traffic flow in the square
International Competitions :
2- The International competition for the Urban Design and
Harmony and Historic Conservation of Opera and Ataba
Squares- Khedive Cairo
Opera Square
International Competitions :
3- Competition for the Rehabilitation of ‘Sednaoui’ Building
and the Urban Design and Harmony of ‘al Khazendar
Square’
NOUH’s Work in Egyptian Intermediate Cities
Some of the priorities of urban plans and designs in
intermediate cities are directly related to the objectives
and scope of work of NOUH. These comprise;
● Protection and rehabilitation of heritage buildings and
areas. Old quarters tend to be the original centres of
contemporary cities. The histories, images and identities
of these old quarters are inseparable from them. In the
specific case of intermediate cities, their physical impact
is very significant.
● Improving and revitalising existing squares, and the
provision of new squares and parks.
● Treatment of waterfronts and water spaces.
NOUH’s Projects in Egyptian Intermediate Cities
Damanhour City, Capital of Beheira Governorate-Egyptian Delta
Urban Design and Harmony of Opera Square
before
after
NOUH’s Projects in Egyptian Intermediate Cities
Assiut City, Upper Egypt
Revitalizing and restoring
the Nile Waterfront
after
before
NOUH’s Projects in Egyptian Intermediate Cities
Shebein el Kom City, Capital of Monoufia Governorate
Development of Shebein el Kom City Centre: Urban Spaces
before development
after development
NOUH’s Projects in Egyptian Intermediate Cities
Shebein el Kom City, Capital of Monoufia Governorate
Development of the Nile Waterfront
after development
NOUH’s Projects in Egyptian Intermediate Cities
Damietta City
Development of the Nile Waterfront
NOUH’s Projects in Egyptian Intermediate Cities
Damietta City
Development of the Nile Waterfront
NOUH’s Projects in Egyptian Intermediate Cities
Damietta City
Rehabilitation of Historic Bridge (1890)
From outside
From inside
Intermediate cities can and should
play a more active role in future
urban development
Thank you
Samir Gharib
chair@urbanharmony.org