As an attempt to uplift Egypt’s economic prowess, the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has approved plans to construct a new capital for this North African country from scratch.
SOM is leading The Capital Cairo project, which will construct this planned new city eastward of the current capital Cairo, closer to the Red Sea, Gizmag reports.
The plan for a new capital was announced during an economic development conference, during which Egyptian Housing Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the project would take only five to seven years to complete.
Additionally, the economic summit where the project was announced attracted $12 billion in investment pledges from wealthy neighboring countries in the Gulf region.
CityMetric reports that the government hired a Dubai-based real estate investment firm, headed by Emirati Mohamed Alabbar, the man behind the Burj Khalifa, to raise funds for the project and build it.
While many media outlets see the move as a statement on President al-Sisi’s power and vision, one main argument for the project is to relieve incumbent capital Cairo from an ever-growing population and ridding it of its gridlock traffic.
"While we are at the earliest stages of design, the new city will be built on core principles that include places of education, economic opportunity, and quality of life for Egypt’s youthful population," Philip Enquist, Partner in Charge of Urban Design and Planning at SOM, told Gizmag. "The new city will be designed and built in harmony with nature as a showcase of environmentally sensitive development."
Related Stories
Sponsored | Resiliency | Jan 24, 2022
Blast Hazard Mitigation: Building Openings for Greater Safety and Security
Coronavirus | Jan 20, 2022
Advances and challenges in improving indoor air quality in commercial buildings
Michael Dreidger, CEO of IAQ tech startup Airsset speaks with BD+C's John Caulfield about how building owners and property managers can improve their buildings' air quality.
Giants 400 | Jan 3, 2022
2021 Government Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. government buildings sector
Stantec, Jacobs, Turner Construction, and Hensel Phelps top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest government sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Oct 26, 2021
14 projects recognized by DOE for high-performance building envelope design
The inaugural class of DOE’s Better Buildings Building Envelope Campaign includes a medical office building that uses hybrid vacuum-insulated glass and a net-zero concrete-and-timber community center.
Justice Facilities | Sep 24, 2021
More than justice for all
Public safety buildings are paying greater attention to occupant well-being.
Giants 400 | Aug 30, 2021
2021 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
The 2021 Giants 400 Report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Resiliency | Aug 19, 2021
White paper outlines cost-effective flood protection approaches for building owners
A new white paper from Walter P Moore offers an in-depth review of the flood protection process and proven approaches.
Daylighting Designs | Jul 9, 2021
New daylighting diffusers come in three shape options
Solatube introduces its newest technology innovation to its commercial product line, the OptiView Shaping Diffusers.
Government Buildings | Jun 30, 2021
The FBI Innovation Center breaks ground in Huntsville, Ala.
HKS and Clark Construction are the design-build team for the project.
Government Buildings | Jun 30, 2021
Singapore’s new courthouse is set up for all to see
The project’s architect has released more details about its design, 18 months after it opened.