Abstract
In contrast to the orthodox comprehensive planning approaches, several contemporary studies on public spaces have focused on the notion of how people utilize space and how they appropriate and inhabit the city. Since the 1960s, many theorists have embraced this idea and developed unconventional concepts such as spontaneous public spaces. Hence, this paper aims to investigate the forms of temporary appropriation to shed light on the role of spontaneity in Downtown Cairo passageways. While several researchers studied Downtown passageways in terms of physical aspects, there is a lack of literature that tackles the everyday spatial appropriation. Therefore, Al-Alfi and Al-Shereefen passageways were chosen for the investigation. Those passageways serve as a useful case study for examining the differences between the anticipated planned use of the space and the emergent practices that evoke spatial and socioeconomic disorder that add an unpredictable layer to urban life. We conducted multiple walk-by observations and behavioral mapping both during day and at night. The findings revealed two basic forms of temporal appropriation: economic and recreational. As a result, the research brought attention to how these temporal activities may represent the embrace of both individual and group spontaneity in passageways. Finally, this research aimed to bridge the gap between governmental strategic planning practices and the human-centered perspective in order to contribute to the formation of an alternative dialogue for future urban development of Downtown passageways.
Author Information
Eman Shamekh, Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Egypt
Shaimaa Ashour, Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Egypt
Paper Information
Conference: BAMC2022
Stream: Architecture and Urban Studies/Design
This paper is part of the BAMC2022 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Shamekh E., & Ashour S. (2022) Temporary Appropriation Practices and Spontaneity in Public Spaces: The Case of Downtown Cairo Passageways ISSN: 2435-9475 – The Barcelona Conference on Arts, Media & Culture 2022: Official Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-9475.2022.15
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-9475.2022.15
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