Tracing Greco-Roman and Byzantine Architectural Legacies in Modern Urban Design of Alexandria, Egypt
- Author Ahmad Deleh
- DOI https://ww
- Country : Saudi Arabia
- Subject :
Keywords : Greco-Roman Architecture, Byzantine Urbanism, Alexandria Urban Design, Heritage and Identity, Classical Architectural Legacy.
Abstract
This research paper explores the reception of Greco-Roman and Byzantine architecture in the contemporary urban landscape of Alexandria, Egypt. Founded at the intersection of Hellenism and subsequent Roman and Byzantine rule, Alexandria also carries important traces, both spatial and symbolic of classical precedents in urbanism. Through qualitative reading and critical analysis of a few relevant examples of contemporary developments in Alexandria, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, renovations to the Greco-Roman Museum and renewal of the coastal promenade, the research examines how forms that once belonged to the classical, Byzantine heritage landscape are reinterpreted in contemporary urban planning practices. The results highlighted a selective engagement with heritage, an engagement that is usually based on visual reference or political reason rather than the continuity of function. Many of the projects reflect a sophisticated engagement with historical design principles. Some projects simply replicated referential images of classical forms to establish a brand that ranged from dull to laughable absent context. This research has also signalled the importance of more heritage-sensitive urban strategies that are able to support not just forms of architecture, but the spatial logic and cultural significance that are fundamental to Alexandria's historical identity.
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