TOWARDS AN EGYPTIAN CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURAL STYLE (SEARCHING FOR A NATIONAL IDENTITY)

The world is currently experiencing intense growth, especially in and around cities where most of arab cities are experiencing tremendous urbanization processes and challenges. despite the fact that arab cities are developing fast, social factors in planning and design has been neglected. drastic changes, socio-cultural and environmental transformations are experienced especially in the urban built environment where the communal life and identity are gradually diminishing .many of the urban problems that arab cities experience today result from an unbalanced approach of development, where physical development has been given priority compared to cultural and social requirements. egyptian architectural product is undergoing a severe problem of loss of identity in architecture and the built environment which are produced to satisfy technological advancement and profit making purposes. the article aims at highlighting distinctive qualities of traditional concepts, architecture & style by exploring potentials for reintroducing egyptian contemporary architecture concepts in the design for future projects. the article concludes that what is expected from architects is, wherever they work, they arc to understand social values, hisory and culture, that is to say, to obtain inspiration from the essence of place and to contribute to the creation of relevant architecture, with the aim of reviving the traditional oriented architecture with its culture , design concepts and norms that suits the way of living for egyptian environment, adapting the pharaonic vocabulary towards producing an egyptian contemporary architectural style.