Maspero Triangle

Maspero Triangle is an urban redevelopment project for one of the largest slum areas in the historic district of Cairo^{i 1}. The project aims to create a “Modern Downtown Experience”²on the site of a former informal settlement, once home to at least 18,000 residents, through promoting real-estate investments in line with the objectives laid out in the government’s plan for upgrading informal areas³and the plan for upgrading Khedival Cairo⁴.

The 0.3 square kilometers triangular site of Maspero extends along a 900-meter section of the Nile Corniche between the existing landmarks of the site, that include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Radio and Television Building, the Ramses Hilton Hotel, and the Italian Consulate⁵. To redevelop the site, a master plan is proposed consisting of mixed-use residential, public, and recreational buildings.

Key elements of the plan include the Maspero Towers, with hotel, residential, and administrative functions, two residential towers consisting of 18 floors each serving as alternative housing for evicted residents who opt to return to the area following construction⁶, another residential tower 23 floors, in addition to a series of hotels⁷. The plan includes over 20,500 square meters of open spaces and greenery⁸, and underground parking spaces. Buildings were designed in line with the architectural style of Khedival Cairo⁹.

In terms of compensation for the original residents of the Maspero Triangle, the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities provided several options, including alternative housing in the Asmarat area in Mokattam district, financial compensation, and the opportunity to return to the developed area with additional financial support for rental expenses over three years. Landowners can invest their land while complying with the general master plan¹⁰.

The project was initiated by the New Urban Communities Authority – Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities in 2018¹¹. The state owns about 10% of the project area, while individual owners hold 25%, and the remaining area is owned by Egyptian real-estate company “Maspero Urban Development Company” in addition to two Saudi and two Kuwaiti companies¹². The role of the Ministry is limited to the implementation of residential units for owners.

The leading consultant of the project’s master plan is “Associated Consultants”¹³. The master plan is under implementation by “Arab Contractors” as the principal contractor¹⁴, with the overall estimated project construction cost reaching around 10 billion Egyptian pounds as of 2021¹⁵.

The project is being implemented over three key phases:

• First Phase [2018-2011]: Relocation of residents and provision of alternative housing,
• Demolition of unsafe dwellings and clearing the site while conserving significant properties on 26th July Street,
• Construction of new residential towers and public spaces, with completion aimed within an 18-month timeline¹⁶.