Islamic Style” Secular Architecture in Egypt: 6th October and Al-Shaikh Zayid as Case Studies

Abstract

This paper is a sequel to a study paper which discussed the “Islamic Style”architecture in Egypt using the buildings of 6th October and Zayid cities as casestudies. The first study analyzed the residential examples. In this paper the nonresidential secular buildings were analyzed, while the religious buildings will bethe topic of a third forthcoming study. The secular non-residential buildings foundwere a very small number (twelve only) and have been categorized into commercial,public and educational. No one dominant or clear Islamic style has been noted, andout of seven contemporary styles of architecture we know of only three were notedin our case studies: eclectic (two), neo-Islamic (three) and the dominating ModernSimplified Islamic (seven), yet we find great variations in each style and noconsensus on the vocabulary used or details. The study suggests four reasons forusing the Islamic styles in those types: expected patron/owners’ image, designintent, need for differentiation, nostalgia and creating a marketable image. It is alsonoted that in all of the examples recorded with one exception, the Islamic styles orprinciples were limited to the facades but were not reflected in the layout. Only oneexample echoed an Islamic urban pattern for its layout in addition to its façadedetailing. The situation can be described as chaotic fraught with eclectic styles, withborrowings and re-interpretations of details from different eras and countries, withno clear dominant “style” emerging or even beginning to evolve. No specific styleor detail dominated. This eclecticism and chaos is most probably a reflection of thelack of familiarity of the historical styles by the designers, with exceptions of somesuccessful interpretations. Once again, our analysis shows that the lack of identity and style in contemporary Egyptian architecture continues in the secular examples,with no Contemporary Egyptian style of architecture, Islamic or otherwise,emerging or forthcoming.