Place identity of egyptian cities. Learning from the past, branding for the future

Abstract

The deterioration of place identity has been identified as one of the major urban design problems in Egypt. An integrative design framework, therefore, is needed to make use of design patterns, identity characteristics, and hidden features of traditional places. The task on architects and urban designers is preserving prominent elements of the traditional built environments rather than produce an Open Museum for the visitors. One of the mechanisms to achieve this objective is Place Branding, which helps to provide places with an image, a cultural significance, and a source of economic value, and constitutes an instrument that can agilely convey a place's strengths. The paper will discuss the case of contemporary architectural and urban places in the Egyptian cities and will suggest a methodological approach for place branding in the Egyptian context that could be used in developing and providing local urban spaces that comply with people’s needs and values.