“Informal Street Markets in Egypt –

Practice-oriented Approach”
Case Study (Met Elwan & El Sheikh Mubarak Street Markets in Kafr El Sheikh)
Online Workshop, 11-12-13th November 2021. (Egyptian time)

Experts
Marwa Ahmed Soliman PhD. Urban Planning
Head of international and the local funding
Urban Development Fund (UDF) – Egyptian Cabinet
Marwa Ahmed Soliman has more than 20 years of experience as an urban planner and designer. Currently, she
works as the Head of international and the local funding department and she is the technical supporter for projects
at the Urban Development Fund (UDF). As part time, she works as a lecture of urban design at the Arab Academy
for Science, Technology& Maritime Transport (Architectural Engineering and Environmental Design Department).
Her PhD focused on “Effectiveness and Enforceability for Strategic Planning to Egyptian Local Realities”. While her
MSc. Was about “Elements of Urban Design & Visual Perception for City's Approach”. Through the years Marwa’s
work has focused on participatory urban planning, strategic plan for cities and villages, and action plan for
development informal areas and markets. She is responsible for preparing and reviewing technical reports,
formulating the terms of reference, supporting the UDF staff with tools and methods for intersection of urban
development, financial tools, management structures, governance and institutional mechanism. She also manages
and supports projects funded by international agencies such GIZ, UN –HABITAT, African Development Bank (AfDB),
and Italian Agency. She has contributed as a panelist/ attendant in diverse several local and international
conferences, and workshops (Egypt, Canada, Germany, Morocco, UAE, Japan, and Jordan) to enhance and
exchange knowledge and practical experiences.

Omar Nagati. CLUSTER

Salma El Banna M.Sc Cairo University

Salma is an Architect, graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts class of 2011; she completed her masters at Cairo
University in Urban Design and Community development in 2014, her thesis topic was “Urban Management of
Informal Commercial Public Spaces”. She has been working in the construction industry as a technical office manager
& Aluminum expert for an Aluminum Doors & Windows company for the past 10 years. Salma believes in active
participation; if you’re willing to change the world, accept the challenge to change it one step at a time.

Sahar Imam Prof. Dr. Cairo University

Sahar Imam is a Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the Department of Architecture, Cairo University She
received her BSc (1998), and her MSc (2001) from Cairo University, followed by her PhD (2007) in a program of Data
Collection with ‘Universite De Montreal’ Canada. The PhD degree was awarded From Cairo University. Her published
research papers appear in International Journals such as the “International Journal for Housing Science”, “Open
House International Journal” and “Journal of Engineering and Applied Science”. Since 2021 she is head and founder
of urban form lab Department of Architecture, Cairo University. From 2017 to 2019 she was a member in the
Architecture Committee at the Egyptian Supreme Council of Culture. In 2016 she was team member of the research
project ‘Sustainable Green Markets, regenerating the urban historic core to sustain Socio-Cultural heritage and
economic activities’ funded by Newton- Mosharafa Fund. Partner in “Discovering Future Cities project” an

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international collaboration with Bauhaus University, Weimar; and “the Revitalization of Historic City Districts”
double master program with BTU-Cottbus, Germany. Her research interests and experience involve urban
morphology, urban change, heritage, contexts of value and regeneration of historic contexts.

Neveen Hamza PhD. NewCastle University

Neveen is a Reader in Architecture, Energy and Wellbeing in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape,
Newcastle University, UK. Her work encompasses the environmental and social aspects of buildings within their
micro-urban environments. She was a Co-PI with Prof. Dalila El Kerdany, Cairo University on the Arts and Humanities
Research Council UK- Newton Mesharafa funded project ‘Sustainable Heritage, Sustaining Green Markets’, looking
at the socio-environmental impacts of the 19th Century market halls in Egypt and their role in the preservation of
tangible and intangible heritage. She is the Editor of, Historical Markets of the Middle East: Cultural Exchanges in
Architecture and Urbanism, Routledge, and collaborating, with contributions from 32 authors from the Middle East.
Forthcoming in February 2022. Neveen has over 100 publications in the field of conservation, sustainable
architecture design and human well-being.

Heba Shoaib PhD. Takween Integrated Community Development

Heba Shoaib is a Project Manager at Takween ICD. She is an architect/urban designer and academic. She earned her
M.Sc. in Landscape Design and Environmental Planning from Scuola Superiore Di Catania in Italy in 2007, and her
Ph.D. in Urban Design and Community Development from Cairo University in 2015. Heba has over 15 years of
experience in the field of architecture and urban design, working as an architect/urban designer in a number of
architectural firms, including CDC (Community Design Collaborative) Abdelhalim I., Zoheir Fayez Partners, and A2G2
Architects. She has led multiple urban upgrading projects at Takween with a range of international agencies,
including UNHCR, UN-Women, UNDP, and GIZ, in the areas of public space design, development of natural heritage
sites, and upgrading of informal settlements. Heba has over 10 years of experience as an academic, teaching under-
graduate and post- graduate courses in multiple universities in Cairo, including Cairo University, American University
in Cairo, and the Arab Academy for Science and Technology. As an academic with hands-on experience, she currently
teaches, on a part-time basis, architectural design with a contextual approach, site planning and housing, and
participation in urban development.

Amr Lashin UN-Habitat

Ahmed Zaazaa 10 Tooba | Applied Research on the Built Environment

Ahmed Zaazaa is a researcher and urban designer. Lately, Zaazaa co-founded two entities; the latest was “10 Tooba:
Applied Research on the Built Environment”. Through 10 Tooba, Zaazaa contributed in publishing reports and
manuals concerning the participatory upgrading fields. Also he is leading participatory projects with deprived and
marginalized communities in different informal areas in Cairo. Zaazaa is also the co-founder of Madd Platform that
works closely with local communities, in participatory research, planning and advocacy. Academically, Zaazaa’ has
long experience in teaching architecture and urban design in several universities in Egypt. Recently, he started
working as a part-time assistant professor by practice in Nile University and co-tutor in the Arab Academy for Science
and Technology.

Tayseer Khairy M.Sc. I WE. Co-Design Studio.

Tayseer has over 18 years of professional experience. Founder, and director of WE. Co-Design Studio. ‘Towards
Vibrant Places’ is an urban & social initiative that aims to address the definition and characteristics of vibrant places
in the urbanization of the Egyptian context. She is now pursuing her Ph.D. at Ain Shams University, focusing on public
spaces and resilient city. She gained her MSc from the ‘Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design’ double degree
program between Stuttgart and Ain Shams Universities in 2015. Tayseer is an educator and trainer, works as an

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assistant lecturer at AASTMT since 2015. She is well experienced as an architect, project manager, urban planner,
and researcher & community development a specialist who works with national and international firms and
organizations. She worked on non-profit projects related to upgrading poor urban areas, heritage conservation,
planning for refugees, socio-economic development, and design for sensitive areas. Tayseer has conducted many
international workshops with international institutes as well as different capacity building programs for local
authorities, youth, and children. She has been affiliated with different national and international entities addressing
the right to the city and human-centered approach in the development and is now among the Public Space Advisory
Board (Early Career) - City Space Architecture.

Hala Makhlouf Program Manager, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung

Hala Makhlouf is an urban and economic researcher and advocate with strong expertise in the field of development
and justice issues. She worked with both local grassroot organizations and international ones. She has worked on
different thematic topics like land and housing, climate and sustainability, labour rights, gender justice issues,
personal rights, criminal justice issues, civil liberties and other economic and social justice issues. Makhlouf has a
degree in urban studies and human geography from University College London. She also has a degree in
development economics and international cooperation from the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

Aakarsh Shamanur M.Sc. BePolite Initiative

Debbichi Alâa Carthage university in Tunis

National Diploma of Urban planning student at ISTEUB, CARTHAGE UNIVERSITY
- Master degree student in Sociology of local development and NGOs
- Bachelor in Business
- Social Entrepreneurship consultant
- Judge and Trainer in international competitions of social entrepreneurship
- Worked in creating social enterprises in the tunisian south with UNDP.
- NGO Activist in Business, fighting against corruption...
- Project management & entrepreneurship trainer and consultant.

Marwan TU Berlin Campus El Gouna

Urban Designer, studies Architecture and Urban Studies Bachelor in Egypt. Worked for +6 years in consultancy and
real estate development in the private sector capacity. Recently, doing Masters degree in Urban Development at TU
Berlin.

Hellen Aziz M.Sc. TU Berlin Campus El Gouna

Hellen Aziz is an assistant lecturer at Architecture Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura university, and a
current fellow researcher at Kassel university. She is a master’s degree holder from the urban development master
program at TU Berlin campus El Gouna, writing her master thesis “Towards Good Governance of the Street Markets
in Egypt; Case Studies, Benchmarks, and Recommendations”. She worked as a (short-term contract) researcher at
the urban development department in TU Berlin Campus El Gouna, participating in four international research
projects. She participated in various international workshops, conferences and events in Tunis, Germany, Italy, Spain,
Jordan, and Egypt, and she successfully submitted many academic papers and research. Moreover, she represented
the Cultural Affairs Officer at TU Berlin Campus El Gouna Student Union for one year in 2018.

Dina Shehayeb PhD. The Nile University

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Day 1: Thursday 11th November 2021

10:00 – 10:15 Introduction to the Workshop

Hassan Elmouelhi PhD. Technical University Berlin
Heba Soliman PhD. Kafr El Sheikh University
Marwa Ahmed PhD. The Urban Development Fund
Doaa El Sherif. PhD. UTI- HBRC

10:15 – 11:15 Overview on the Informal Street Markets in Egypt & the UDF projects
Marwa Ahmed The Urban Development Fund

11:15 – 12:00 Current Situation – Summary of the fieldwork, survey for each market
Kafr El Sheikh students

12:00 – 12:30 Virtual Site Visit (Video(s). for each market

Kafr El Sheikh students

12:30– 12:45 Thematic Groups Distribution (5 Groups for each market)

Social - Economic - Environmental - Urban & Infrastructure - Governance

12:45 – 01:45 Lunch Break

Downtown Cairo’s Street Markets

01:45 – 02:15 “Street Vendors and the Contestation of Public Space”

Omar Nagati CLUSTER
02:15 – 02:35 “Urban Management of Informal Commercial Public Spaces”
Salma El Banna M.Sc Cairo University

02:35 – 02:45 Q&A

02:45 – 04:00 Data Sorting - 5 Group Work for each market (Break out rooms)
Parallel Experts discussion (Round Table)

04:00 – 04:15 Coffee Break

Markets as Buildings

04:15 – 04:40 “El Attaba Historical Market”

Sahar Imam Prof. Dr. Cairo University

04:40 – 05:00 “Formalizing Informality: The Market Hall, the Farmers Market in Newcastle, UK”
Neveen Hamza PhD. NewCastle University

05:00 – 05:20 “Zenein Market Upgrading”

Heba Shoaib PhD. Takween Integrated Community Development

05:20 – 05:30 Q&A

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05:30 – 05:40 Coffee Break

Examples of Egyptian Street Markets Projects

05:40 – 06:00 “The Participatory Project of Nahia Street Market”

Amr Lashin UN-Habitat

06:00 – 06:20 “Understanding Organic Commercial Spaces”

Ahmed Zaazaa 10 Tooba | Applied Research on the Built Environment
06:20 – 06:30 Q&A

Day 2: Friday 12th November 2021

10:00 – 10:30 SWOT Analysis. Task Description

10:30 – 11:30 SWOT Analysis. 5 Group Work for each market (Break out rooms)
TU Berlin & Kafr El Sheikh university students

11:30 – 01:30 Lunch Break Friday prayer at 11:40 (Egyptian time)

01:30 – 02:30 Presentation and Discussion – Wrap up

Examples of Egyptian Street Markets Projects

02:30 – 03:00 “Towards Vibrant places, Markets As Places”

Tayseer Khairy M.Sc. WE. Co-Design Studio.

03:00 – 03:20 “Formalizing the Streets, Between Aesthetics, Legality, and Rights”
Hala Makhlouf Program Manager, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
03:20 – 03:30 Q&A

03:30 – 03:40 Coffee Break

03:40 – 04:00 Stakeholders Mapping & Analysis. Task Description

04:00 – 05:30 Stakeholders Mapping & Analysis. 5 Group Work (Break out rooms)
TU Berlin & Kafr El Sheikh university students

05:30 – 06:30 Discussion – Wrap up

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Day 3: Saturday 13th November 2021

Street Markets around the world

10:00 – 10:20 “BePolite Initiative in India”

Aakarsh Shamanur M.Sc. BePolite Initiative

10:20 – 10:40 “Sidi Hussein Street Market in Tunisia”

Debbichi Alâa Carthage university in Tunis
Marwan Ahmad TU Berlin Campus El Gouna

10:40 – 11:00 “Berlin Street Markets”

Hellen Aziz M.Sc. TU Berlin Campus El Gouna

11:00 – 11:20 “Street markets: common grounds”

Dina Shehayeb PhD. The Nile University

11:20 – 11:30 Q&A

11:30 – 11:40 Coffee Break

11:40 – 01:30 Finalizing SWOT and Stakeholders Analysis (for each theme)

01:30 – 02:00 SWOT Collection (for each market)

02:00 – 03:00 Lunch Break

03:00 – 05:00 Crosscutting Issues (for each market). 2 breakout rooms – 30 persons

05:00 – 05:30 Presentation (15 mins for each market)

05:30 – 06:00 Closing