Architecture and the Urban Life of Cairo

When it comes to Cairo, there is a plethora of writing taking place amid its streets and alleyways. Trying to make sense of, and structure, such an immense output is quite a difficult task. However, this article aims to highlight some significant writings that would offer those interested in Cairo’s architecture an opportunity to learn more about the city and its built environment. My intent is also to expand the scope of the inquiry. Rather than simply focusing on specific buildings, I seek to include the broader urban context and also look at the socioeconomic conditions that gave rise to important structures. I start with a review of some major texts that have looked at the city from different perspectives and, in doing so, shed light on the city’s urban and architectural development. It is interesting to note that for the most part, authors in this section do not come from an architectural or urban-planning background. Instead they write from a historical, economic, and geographic perspective. Following this, I look at a variety of other sources and writings that have appeared in edited books and book chapters. I have also included journal articles, since they offer an in-depth examination of certain buildings and the city’s overall urban growth. In addition to writings about the city, I also sought to capture its “urban imaginary” (i.e., the extent to which its built environment has been represented by writers, filmmakers, and artists). To that end, a section is dedicated toward a review of key works and the extent to which they have shed valuable insights into Cairo’s past, present, and future. The city’s urban imaginary is also portrayed through the medium of film, which allows for a conveyance of a visual narrative that evokes the sight and sounds of the city. Here I review key articles discussing the representation of the city through cinema, which is then followed by a filmography of major movies released since the late 20th century. Last, I review online resources, offering researchers material about the city’s architecture and urban environment in the form of images, maps, and drawings, in addition to blogs discussing Cairo’s rich history as well as modern problems.

Historical Site Teresinense

Architecture is inevitably involved in the most diverse processes that determine urban dynamics, and, therefore, it is important to contextualize it, understanding its heritage relevance, as well as the historical, cultural and urban value of the place where it is built. This article seeks, therefore, to build a panorama that links the urban evolution of the city of Teresina to the work of engineer Cícero Ferraz de Sousa Martins, who stands out as a relevant sample of the architecture produced during the first half of the 20th century in the capital of Piauí. This relationship is structured in the study of Avenida Frei Serafim, which houses a large part of this engineer's productions and whose construction represents, for Teresina, a milestone in its urbanization, giving the city a centrality independent of its initial site. Therefore, the methodology used is based on bibliographic research and data collection in public collections and virtual repositories, especially regarding the particularities of Avenida Frei Serafim and the productions of Cícero Ferraz. Thus, the research develops from the urban evolution of the city to the construction of the public place in question, emphasizing its consolidation as part of the historic urban site. Then, there is an articulation between different urban scales, through the construction-lot connection, as well as an analysis of the potential of this avenue as a “timeline” regarding the architectural development of the capital. Therefore, the work strives to reinforce the inseparability between architecture and urbanism while also ratifying the urgency that must be had in overcoming superficial and strictly formal diagnoses in this field.

Britain’s capital? (c. AD 80–90)

This chapter describes London’s later Flavian architectural development, elements of which may have marked and celebrated the political maturity of the city. London’s first forum was probably built around the time of Agricola’s long governorship of Britain. Circumstantial evidence suggests that this building was erected c. AD 79/80. It could have accompanied the grant of formal urban status and the creation of the institutions of local self-government, although this remains uncertain. The contents of a legal judgement inscribed on a writing tablet suggests that London did not hold autonomous status in AD 76. Other public buildings and works included large public baths, one probably built c. AD 84 that has alternatively been identified as part of the governor’s palace. London may have benefitted from the architectural patronage of the emperor Domitian, executed on his behalf by the procurator, intended to grace Britain’s capital city following the completion of the conquest of the British Isles.

Towards virtual modeling environments for functional structural plant models based on Jupyter notebooks: Application to the modeling of mango tree growth and development

Functional-Structural Plant Models (FSPMs) are powerful tools to explore the complex interplays between plant growth, underlying physiological processes and the environment. Various modeling platforms dedicated to FSPMs have been developed with limited support for collaborative and distributed model design, reproducibility and dissemination. With the objective to alleviate these problems, we used the Jupyter project, an open-source computational notebook ecosystem, to create virtual modeling environments for plant models. These environments combined Python scientific modules, L-systems formalism, multidimensional arrays and 3D plant architecture visualization in Jupyter notebooks. As a case study, we present an application of such an environment by reimplementing V-Mango, a model of mango tree development and fruit production built on interrelated processes of architectural development and fruit growth that are affected by temporal, structural and environmental factors. This new implementation increased model modularity, with modules representing single processes and the workflows between them. The model modularity allowed us to run simulations for a subset of processes only, on simulated or empirical architectures. The exploration of carbohydrate source-sink relationships on a measured mango branch architecture illustrates this possibility. We also proposed solutions for visualization, distant distributed computation and parallel simulations of several independent mango trees during a growing season. The development of models on locations far from computational resources makes collaborative and distributed model design and implementation possible, and demonstrates the usefulness and efficiency of a customizable virtual modeling environment.

DEVELOPING PARASITIC ARCHITECTURE AS A TOOL FOR PROPAGATION WITHIN CITIES

The term ‘parasitic architecture’ is an overused, and misunderstood buzzword within the architectural and urban planning community. By breaking down, through case study, how a space is developed and evolves, reclassification of architectural parasites is possible. Focusing on how parasitic architecture has produced urban growth and development of community within Tokyo as the primary case study, the reclassification is based in pre-existing architectural development and the nature of actual, living parasites. This reclassification of architectural parasite produces three separate types of parasite; the ‘structured,’ ‘symbiotic’ and the ‘hyper transient.’ Through the use of redefinition and reclassification, parasites in an architectural or urban planning context are then able to be manipulated as a tool for propagation within the existing built environment. Space within cities and megacities are becoming more of a commodity, so by utilising these new parasitic tools, it is possible to manipulate space to allow for an increase in urban growth, whilst still being flexible enough to fit into pre-existing planning legislation globally.

Symbolism of the renaissance sculpture: Aedicule of Sholts-Volfovych townhouse in Lviv

The specific conditions of architectural development in Lviv promoted the expansion of the Renaissance traditions in the architecture in the XVI century. The local traditions considerably influenced the classical forms as well as techniques suggested by the Italian architects. As a result, the architecture of Lviv had taken the peculiar features that reflected the character of an indigenous revival. A significant feature of a Renaissance townhouse in Lviv lies in its abundant decoration. as it was created according to the symbolic ideas and was filled with the philosophic content. The façade of Sholts-Volfovych apartment house situated in 23, Rynok Square in Lviv deserves special attention. The abundant exterior design includes the composition «Epiphany», located in the aedicule of the second floor. Using the principle of hermeneutics the article presents the author’s interpretation of a symbolic meaning of this sculptural composition, based on the Gospel texts and is connected with the Renaissance meditations about a human place in the world and his/her relationship with God.

HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS MONASTERY IN MANYAVA (GREAT MANYAVSKY HERMITAGE) XVII-XX CENTURIES

The article traces the history of the origin of the Manyavsky Hermitage and reveals the stages of development of the monastery from the beginning of its foundation and formation, prosperity to the decline, destruction and revival in our time. In the course of the research, the architectural-spatial and planning structure of the monastery ensemble of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Manyava were analyzed. The originality of the ensemble lies not only in the harmonious combination of wooden, brick monastic buildings, surrounded by fortified thick walls with three towers but also in a kind of architectural and spatial combination of the main cathedral, which dominates the cells and other temples, with high dominants - the Treasury Tower and the Bell Tower. Diverse in architectural-compositional and artistic solutions, the material of construction, monastic buildings are organically integrated into the existing landscape environment and form a holistic architectural ensemble. The monastery buildings of the Great Manyavsky Hermitage have architectural and artistic value, belong to the historical and cultural heritage, and are an invaluable spiritual heritage of Ukraine.

Ocean As Place For Urban Life: Building on Water to Combat Urban Congestion & Climate Change

<p>Coastal cities form some of the largest and most important cities in the world. The unique character of these cities has been shaped and moulded by the coastal environment. As powerful as these cities seem they have became vulnerable. Coastal cities face the need to expand with rapidly growing populations, also, sea level rise has been increased by climate change, which threatens this expansion and the city itself. This thesis explores how the effects of climate change and urban congestion can be mitigated through architectural development, incorporating a flexible framework for housing and the adaption of the urban fabric to living on water. It seeks to change the perception of buildable space and adapt to the changing face of the coastal city and its environment. The research finds that responses to the coastal city problem exist only as separate projects independent of one another. A unified solution is needed to mitigate these issues between all coastal cities. This can be resolved by combining strategies within further inner city developments. The project responds to coastal city issues as well as adapting to current city inhabitation. Modern city life is one of change and movement. Travel between cities is frequent due to changing lifestyles and job opportunities. Developing on this lifestyle, the project successfully investigates a solution to help protect and improve the life of the coastal city, addressing the problems of tomorrow, today.</p>

Ocean As Place For Urban Life: Building on Water to Combat Urban Congestion & Climate Change

<p>Coastal cities form some of the largest and most important cities in the world. The unique character of these cities has been shaped and moulded by the coastal environment. As powerful as these cities seem they have became vulnerable. Coastal cities face the need to expand with rapidly growing populations, also, sea level rise has been increased by climate change, which threatens this expansion and the city itself. This thesis explores how the effects of climate change and urban congestion can be mitigated through architectural development, incorporating a flexible framework for housing and the adaption of the urban fabric to living on water. It seeks to change the perception of buildable space and adapt to the changing face of the coastal city and its environment. The research finds that responses to the coastal city problem exist only as separate projects independent of one another. A unified solution is needed to mitigate these issues between all coastal cities. This can be resolved by combining strategies within further inner city developments. The project responds to coastal city issues as well as adapting to current city inhabitation. Modern city life is one of change and movement. Travel between cities is frequent due to changing lifestyles and job opportunities. Developing on this lifestyle, the project successfully investigates a solution to help protect and improve the life of the coastal city, addressing the problems of tomorrow, today.</p>

Architectural Ecology: Cleansing & Regeneration of Polluted Place through Architecture

<p>New Zealand was once considered one of the least environmentally damaged countries in the world. Heralded for its pristine landscape, and its ‘Pure’ moniker, New Zealand was promoted, perhaps unintentionally, as an environmentally conscious country. However, despite this image New Zealand, like other Westernised countries, suffers from the residual effects of agriculture and industry which have left a legacy of damaged and contaminated sites. This thesis investigates how increased built development and regeneration of damaged environments can be achieved through architectural development, incorporating creatively and sensitively designed buildings. It seeks to adapt and translate technologies and resources to act not only as an environmental cleanser, but also provide for urban regeneration to go beyond the rhetoric of green and sustainable building principles. The research finds that a change in focus is required; away from monetary focus and instead to environmental focus. This needs to occur immediately to avoid further environmental damage and to begin remediation of existing damage. This can be resolved by incorporating existing remediation techniques further into development. The change also needs to incorporate the way in which we live. Urban responses and architecture play very important roles. The creation of mixed use sites with green space allow for localised consumption and recreation. Inhabitation patterns have been poorly addressed by New Zealand developers and a different rationale and process needs to be undertaken. It is time for New Zealand to stop appearing green and start taking significant steps to reducing environmental impact. The project successfully investigates and addresses the issues of regeneration, both of site and urban conditions. It sits between the two streams of thought, technological and theoretical and extracts the positives of these two elements to create an informed solution that recognises past, present and future use.</p>