AL-Fasaha

Al-Fasaha Is a project discovers Architecture as a contextual connector and developer informal regions  are a common phenomenon in Egypt and the world.  We as architects need to understand it and try to find smart solutions based on involving the local community in the decision-making process. In light of that  I started by visiting the site many times seeking the deep understanding of both context and people, I’ve done over than 20 interviews so my project can fit precisely to the context and the people needs.

A story to tell

The story begins hundreds of years ago when a group of Traders crossing from the Nile to the Mediterranean decided to settle in the city. They were led by a religious man called El-Garby,they formed the first community there, that was based primarily on the watercrafts specially maintenance and building fishing boats. The locals were dedicating handing this craft for the next generations hundreds of years after.

Why AL-Fasaha?

Al-Fasaha is a local word in Al- Gerby community uesd to describe the space where the craftmen meet and set together.Crafts, to this community, is the glue that binds them together, nurturing and sustaining them is based on their craft.

Small community facing big challenges

Now the locals population reached only 600 families due to the government pressure to leave their homes so the government can build new and modern buildings which doesn’t meet the local’s needs and dose not respect their culture, due to the government’s decision-making process that does not take into account El-Gerby locals. Because of that, the locals recently did not be able to provide appropriate place to work on their crafts, the workshops became rickety and difficult to work in. Which led the community to poverty and eventually will end by giving up their land and their craft.

Challenges and opportunities

The local community is currently isolated from the rest of the city, which in turn contributed to a misunderstanding by the city’s population and their ignoring to the cultural value represented by El-Gerby community as an important layer of the society.

Site selection

During my many site visits I was able to develop a deep understanding of the context and its condition, and in the basis of that the decision of urban renewal was carefully taken in case of rickety unsafe buildings. Noting that the selected location is directly connected to the Nile tourist walk, which can provide a good opportunity.

Locals as a part of the solution

This project aims to… introducing the philosophy of community involvement in the decision-making process, respect society and its culture and become a part of the surrounding context, which can be achieved by The contextual design approach, Maintain the legacy of grandparents (crafts),Educate the locals a sustainable way to build, so they can start developing their neighborhood In order to achieve this, All materials and tools can be obtained locally . Doesn’t require specialized skill which enable community participate. And finally Achieving quality if communication between different layers of the society

Building material : compressed earth blocks (Tesla Brick)  A site material made of river mud compressed and dried in a heat free process, shaped in lego forms which requires no morter to construct.

Contextual design approach

In order to create architecture that respect the human and the community. This project based on community involvement through the decision making process, so I started by visiting the site many times understanding the locals needs, observing their activities and learning from their architecture. and that’s why my project encompasses various plazas, each with its own unique visual identity and function tailored to the needs of the community. Additionally, it includes a scientific approach aimed at creating a cohesive pathway that connects the existing plazas in the surrounding area and integrates El-Gerby neighborhood with the rest of the city, leveraging the existing Nile tourist walk.