Ramses Square Cairo, Egyptian Design Contest, Public Realm Images, Landscape Building Project News
Ramses Square : International Competition in Cairo
Public Realm Design Contest in Egypt, Africa Architecture Information design by Quilligan Architects
19 Nov 2009
Ramses Square Cairo
Quilligan Architects receives 2nd prize ($75,000) in International competition for the Urban Design & Harmony of Ramses Square, Cairo
20 Nov 2009
THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR URBAN DESIGN AND HARMONY OF RAMSES SQUARE, CAIRO, EGYPT
Ramses Square currently:
Design Objective
The key objective is to define Ramses square physically and give a sense of place to the remodelled square by reinforcing the edges, removing the high level traffic, and reorganising the surface traffic. The design should also upgrade and provide new attractions to the square in the form of shopping, cafes, public events with music, and films. The urban design layout will also provide a variety of development opportunities in making the plan shape and this will draw in private investment into the scheme.
Key Design Drivers
– Divert the 6th October overhead motorway north of Ramses square and clear away all overhead pedestrian walkways.
– Provide half level underpass for Ramses street local traffic and tunnel for Ramses street through traffic.
– Provide raised terrace at half level over the Ramses street local traffic, with the terrace allowing access to all new shopping and commercial buildings. The terrace is lined with local trees, and cafes to give a relaxed atmosphere.
– A solar projecting glass porte-cochere to the west end of the train station will provide a new drop off and reception point for all rail passengers.
– New buildings are proposed to provide the necessary commercial and social activities to the square and to provide the municipality with some income.
– A considerable amount of through traffic will be diverted away from the square by diverting or the underpass. The other local traffic will be traffic-calmed and organised around a main island to the west end if the square. This long island will also assist with pedestrian access to the square from points to the west and south.
– Some space has been brought back into the Mosque environs and planted to increase the feeling of enclosure and contemplation. The Mosque square can now relate visually to the main square.
– Access to the metro is provided for and organised by a metro plaza with a large ticket hall and access to trains.
– A softer approach to landscaping is defined at the east end of the square where the ‘park’ is laid out in a grid with squares of grass trees and water.
– The finish of the square generally would be of local stone in large scale slabs laid out in a geometric pattern. The pattern of the stone terrace can change to provide variety.
– The existing tram terminus would face onto a small ‘square’ and the trams themselves would have a new terminal to the back of the new building at the east end of the square.
Key Traffic Objectives
Our approach to the traffic issue is to provide alternative routing with divert or underpass for through traffic from the three squares and traffic calming local traffic around the squares.
– Alternative routing by providing an inner ring route with controlled access which will organise the traffic into quarters.
– Underpass routes for each square to allow through traffic to pass without affecting the square.
– Traffic calm local traffic which will encourage pedestrians to use the squares again.
– Tunnel the road along the river for a section as it passes the centre city. This will provide access to the river and encourage development along the river.
Ramses Square Cairo images / information from Quilligan Architects
Location: Ramses Square, Cairo, north east Africa
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