New Cities Concepts - Maadi & Heliopolis {Urban Orchestra}
Historical Continuity and Modern Developments
Introduction
There has always been a recurring concept of establishing new cities, capitals, and gated compounds. In Egypt, historically, rulers since the Pharaonic era often sought to relocate or build new capitals that aligned with new regimes and governing ideologies.
Akhenaton moved to a new capital now known as Tell el-Amarna. Ramses II also moved to a new capital, Pi-Ramesses, located in the eastern Nile Delta. During the Islamic era, new administrative cities continued to appear, such as Askar during the Abbasid period and Qata’i during the Tulunid era.
Throughout history, new cities—whether administrative capitals, urban agglomerations, or planned compounds—have remained a persistent phenomenon. Currently, Egypt continues this trend with well-recognized projects such as Madinaty in eastern Cairo.
Here, I address new urban development projects that were considered new in their time and, although no longer recent, are still not regarded as fully historic today.
Maadi: A New Urban Suburb in Early 20th-Century Cairo
Maadi, whose name is derived from Maadeya (meaning “ferry”) due to its historic role as a Nile crossing point, was once an agricultural area. Its development began with the construction of a light railway line in 1904 connecting Cairo to Helwan.
Designed according to the English garden-city model, Maadi featured a grid layout intersected with diagonal avenues. It emerged as a primarily residential suburb inhabited by a mix of Egypt’s elite and European residents.
The suburb was established by the Egyptian Delta Land and Investment Company, which sold land along the railway line and shaped the early identity of the district. A significant identity shift occurred after nationalization, particularly after 1956.
Heliopolis: A Satellite City of the Early 20th Century
Heliopolis, founded in 1905, was conceived as an urban satellite city for Europeans, where a distinctive mixture of architectural styles emerged. It was constructed by the Heliopolis Oasis Company, led by the Belgian industrialist Edouard Empain.
The “sun city” featured a radial street layout and iconic landmarks such as the Empain Palace, designed by architect Alexander Marcel. Heliopolis originally had a connected network of roads and tramlines, although the tram system was later removed and several roundabouts replaced by bridges as part of more recent development schemes.
The Vision and Legacy of New Cities
The concept of founding new cities in Egypt dates back to the Pharaonic eras and has persisted for a variety of reasons. One motivation has been the desire to create innovative urban environments that differ from existing cities, symbolizing shifts in political agendas or social change.
Companies and real-estate developers have historically competed to realize these visions. Yet each era introduces new technological, scientific, or artistic elements, ensuring that every new city incorporates something novel.
With time, however, once-“new” urban developments accumulate layers of spatial and collective memory. Their residents develop deep spatial-social bonds that connect people to place. Therefore, attention must be given to repairing and maintaining these areas—once celebrated as innovative—so that development continues without compromising their original spatial identity.
References
Abd el-Moneim, M. A. M. (2000). Knobbed bowls of the late Predynastic – Early Dynastic Period. In K. Kroeper, L. Krzyżaniak & M. Kobusiewicz (Eds.), Proceedings of the Pan-African Congress on Prehistory (1947) (pp. …). Oxford: Blackwell. EKB Journals
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