Influence and Resistance in Post-Independence Egyptian Architecture

This book is an effort towards an in-depth understanding of the architectural discourse in Egypt developed over more than eight decades. It offers a distinctive theoretical interpretation of the forces shaping the kaleidoscopic shifts in Egyptian architecture through the analysis of the micro space of architectural representation of twentieth century Egyptian architecture. Predicated on historical contextualization, theoretical integration, and global conceptualization, Edward Said’s analytical method of contrapuntal reading and the spatial discourse analysis posited by C. Greig Crysler are lucidly assimilated to generate insights into various voices within the architectural discourse in Egypt. The analysis and critique of two important professional magazines, al-’Imarah (1939-1959) and ’Alam al-Bena’a (1980-2000), which shaped the collective psyche of both the academic and professional communities in Egypt and the wider region, coupled with the exploration of two other short-lived magazines, M’imaryah (1982-1989) Medina (1998-2002), and other less-influential professional magazines, discloses the structure of attitude and reference or the exclusions and inclusions that defined the boundaries of the space of the discourse.

Influence and Resistance in Post-Independence Egyptian Architecture paves the way to genuinely debate a yet to mature twenty-first century’s architectural discourse in Egypt. This book is a key resource for architects, architectural historians, and critical theorists and will appeal to academics and to both graduate and advanced undergraduate students in architectural history and theory and Middle East and Global South studies.

Marwa M. El-Ashmouni is Assistant Professor in the Department of Architectural Engineering, Beni-Suef University, Egypt. El-Ashmouni earned her PhD from the University of Adelaide, Australia, and her master’s degree from Ball State University, USA. She worked as a tutor and a research assistant in both universities. El-Ashmouni was awarded the University of Adelaide Medal of Research Excellence (2013). Her interests include historiography of post-colonial architecture with special focus on the conditions generated by the intersection of decolonizing and nationalist policies. Her work focuses on cultural mobility, migration, diaspora, and cross-cultural encounters. She has authored numerous publications in the field of architectural history and theory. Her publications include a book chapter in Christiane Gruber, ed. Islamic Architecture on the Move (2016), entitled Mobility and Ambivalences: Negotiating Architecture Identities during Khedive Ismail’s Reign (1863-79), and an article titled Interrogating Egyptian Nationalism: Transcultural Architecture at the Ragged Edge of Empire in: Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research (2018). Her latest work includes a recent article titled Contemporary Architecture of Cairo (1990 - 2020): Mutational Plurality of ’Isms’, Decolonialism, and Cosmopolitanism in Open House International (2020); a joint-authored book: Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies (2020), and an article titled Gazing at Egypt’s Museums: Toward a New Internationalism in Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research (2021).

Ashraf M. Salama is Professor of Architecture, Director of Research, and was the Head of the Department of Architecture at the University of Strathclyde Glasgow, UK (2014-2020). He holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in architecture and has received his education and training in Al-Azhar University in Egypt and North Carolina State University, United States. With wide experience in academic research, teaching, and professional consulting he has led three schools of architecture in Egypt, Qatar, and the United Kingdom, two of which he has founded. Salama has published over 170 papers and book chapters in the international refereed press and has authored and co-edited 14 books. He is the UIA 2017 recipient of Jean Tschumi Prize for Excellence in Architectural Education and Criticism. Salama is the Founding and Chief Editor of Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research since 2007. His books include Demystifying Doha: On Architecture and Urbanism in an Emerging City (2013), Architecture beyond Criticism: Expert Judgment and Performance Evaluation (2014), Spatial Design Education: New Directions for Pedagogy in Architecture and Beyond (2015), Building Migrant Cities in the Gulf (2019), Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies (2020) and, more recently, his book: Transformative Pedagogy in Architecture and Urbanism is included as part of Routledge Revivals Series (2021). He is currently working on Routledge Companion to Architectural Pedagogies of the Global South (2022).