In partnership with NVIC-Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo and with the support of Cultures France (“Fonds D’Alembert 2010”), the idea of the workshop organized at CEDEJ (MAEE / CNRS) - Cairo is to work on the issue of hyper-densities in the metropolitan context and exchange between researchers, experts and decision makers, taking in account that the trend is an increasing growth and urbanization of the planet, especially in the capitals of developing countries. The objective will be linked on how to plan and organize the metropolitan urban contexts of hyper-density. As such, the case of Cairo will be the focus of attention in connection with the strategy "Greater Cairo 2050” developed by the Egyptian authorities and put in perspective with metropolises of North and South.

6 December 2010

CEDEJ, 2, Sikkat al-Fadl - Qasr al-Nil, Cairo, Conference hall (2d floor)

In partnership with NVIC-Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo and with the support of Cultures France (“Fonds D’Alembert 2010”)

The idea of the workshop is to work on the issue of hyper-densities in the metropolitan context and exchange between researchers, experts and decision makers, taking in account that the trend is an increasing growth and urbanization of the planet, especially in the capitals of developing countries.

The objective will be linked on how to plan and organize the metropolitan urban contexts of hyper-density. As such, the case of Cairo will be the focus of attention in connection with the strategy "Greater Cairo 2050” developed by the Egyptian authorities and put in perspective with metropolises of North and South.

On behalf of sustainable development, researchers and experts agree that the solution to urban growth and the rational use of land lies in the intensification of already developed spaces. If the density is so massively and positively understood as a tool for maximizing public investment (particularly in transport) and limit urban sprawl, at what level concentration of population switches in a situation of negative externalities and therefore becomes "not sustainable"? So what balance can be struck between the intensification of certain territories and the de-densification of other spaces when the hyper-density has become a problem?

Experts and researchers will present approaches from Mumbai, Shanghai, Paris and finally Cairo. Where can you build points of contact between the cities of North and South? What are the main divergences? How to find an optimum of density, a socially acceptable density and spatial balance? Relocation activities and people to de-densify: is it the only and the right solution?  Experimenting with "new towns": is it a good tool to channel urban sprawl? The eviction of households to solve the problems of overcrowded informal settlements: what alternatives are "softer" and "sustainable"? How to maintain the 'empty' (nature, open spaces, cultivated areas) within the 'full'?

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ACCESS WILL BE LIMITED AND THAT THE LANGUAGE WILL BE THE ENGLISH.

9.00 Registration

9.30 Welcome from CEDEJ and NVIC

10.00 Dr Pierre-Arnaud Barthel, Goals and outcomes for the workshop

Associate Professor in Urban Planning, CEDEJ, PhD on Mega-projects in Tunis (2003), team leader of the urban studies department since 2008, editor in 2010, “Arab Mega-Projects”, Built Environment

10.15 Introduction: Dr Marisa Carmona: “Moving from Master Planning to Strategic Planning and the issue of density”

Senior Researcher, TU Delft, editor of Planning through Projects. Moving from Master Planning to Strategic Planning by Technepress, EU advisor

11.00 / 11.30: Coffee break

Panel 1: Strategic planning, sustainability and issues of density: study cases from abroad

President of session: Dr Omar el Husseiny,

Head of urban planning department in Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, BECT (Bureau Egyptien de Conseils Techniques), Co-laureat with AREP of the competition of urban design and harmony of Ramses Square in Cairo

11.30 / 12.00 – India, Mumbai: Arch. Eric Huybrechts: “Greater Mumbai, strategic planning and hyper density”

Regional planning Agency of Paris/Ile-de-France Region (IAU-IDF), representative of Middle-East and Mediterranean countries, Project manager of Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation Master Plan

12.00 / 12.30 – China, Shanghai: Prof. Chen Bingzhao, and Dr Ma Wenjun: “Shanghai and the issue of density in the planning perspective”

Chen Bingzhao is from the Department of Urban Planning, Tongji University, former head of Shanghai Urban Planning Association and Ma Wenjun is Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

12.30 / 01.00 – France, Paris: Dr Vincent Fouchier: “The Greater Paris strategy and the issue of density”

Deputy General Director of IAU-îdF, in charge of the Paris Region master plan and Vice-chair of the OECD Working Party on Urban Affairs

01.00 / 01.30 First discussion: reactions from the floor

01.30 / 02.30 Lunch (buffet)

Panel 2: The Cairo 2050 vision: an on-going process

President of session: Ing. David Sims

Housing and urban development consultant, Mr. Sims has worked in numerous countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East since 1971 and worked recently for the World Bank or the French Agency for Development. David Sims lives in Cairo.

02.30 /03.00 Dr Bassem M. Fahmy: “Improving the productivity of Hyper density metropolitan”

Midterm Technical Manager Strategic Urban Development Plan for Greater Cairo Region and Cairo 2050, UN-HABITAT, Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institution, UK, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Planning Department - School of the Built Environment, Oxford Brookes University-   UK

03.00 / 03.30 Dr Mustafa Madbouly: “Presentation of the Cairo 2050 strategy”

Dr Madbouly is the Chairman of General Organization for Physical Planning, national authority responsible for the planning process in the whole Egyptian country. Qualifications in architecture and town planning from the Cairo University, Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies in Rotterdam, Karlsruhe University in Germany, and Harvard Business School

Dr. Madbouly is technically responsible for the three key national programs adopted by the Egyptian Ministry of Housing, which are strategic urban plans for cities and villages, Strategic Urban Plan for Greater Cairo Region 2050 and the planning and development of new villages on the desert hinterland.

And second discussion with the participants, reactions from the floor

04.00 / 04.30 Second Coffee break

Panel 3: Managing (over or under) densities: issues and spaces for the future of Cairo

President of session: Dr Dina Shehayeb

Associate professor in Housing and Building Research Centre and principal of Shehayeb Consult. Dina Sheyabeb was for a long time consultant for Aga Khan Darb Al Ahmar Company and works on informal areas and urban resilience.

4.30 / 5.00 Dr Sahar Attia: “Hyperdensity and the future of Cairo”

Professor of Architecture in University of Cairo and Head of "Associated Consultants". Sahar Attia was in 2010 the winner of the competition held by GOPP in 2009-10 for the future of Downtown Cairo with Aecom.

5.00 / 5.30 Dr. Khaled M. Abdelhalim: "Informal Areas and Hyperdensity: Implications for Participation"

Executive Director of the Local Development Observatory (LDO) UNDP Technical Support to the Ministry of Local Development Programme Decentralization Support Unit, GTZ consultant for the
Participatory Development Program in Urban Areas since April 2004.

Dr. Abdelhalim is a lecturer in the Department of Architecture at Helwan University and a founding member of the Egyptian Earth Construction Association, an NGO that promotes appropriate building technologies and sustainable development.

5.30 / 6.00 Ing. Forbes Davidson: “Density, elasticity and capacity: high density and its planning and management implications”

Senior Expert, Urban Policy & Planning, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, Rotterdam and consultant on housing issues in several countries including Egypt.

Third discussion with the participants, reactions from the floor

6.30: Closing speech