Living with Heritage in Cairo: Area Conservation in the Arab–Islamic City

A new assessment of the preservation of historic areas of Middle Eastern cities, with Cairo as a case study
The Arab–Islamic city has been always a glamorous urban dream in human cultural memory. This is manifested in Cairo, the world's largest medieval urban system where traditional lifestyles are still implemented. Nevertheless, despite the extensive efforts to preserve Historic Cairo, it is sadly vulnerable.
Ahmed Sedky investigates the reasons behind this condition, exploring and comparing regional and international case studies. Questions such as how and what to conserve are raised and elaborated through the perspectives of different stakeholders.
A resulting evaluative framework is accumulated that underpins the criteria for assessing area conservation in the Arab–Islamic context and that can be used to delineate the causes responsible for the present condition of Historic Cairo.
Ahmed Sedky has a PhD in area conservation from Heriot-Watt University. He has taught environmental design and conservation at King Fahd University and is currently an urban management consultant for major urban development organizations in the Middle East.
Month April 2009
Hardbound price US $ 35.00
ISBN: 978-977-416-245-9
320 Pages 6 x 9
90 b/w illustrations
Architecture and the Arts/ Urban Studies/ Preservation








