Competition Entry Submitted — Jury Evaluation in Progress
CUBE Consultants has officially entered the Al-Ahram Street Urban Redevelopment Competition. Our team is currently awaiting the judges' scoring and evaluation results.
Located in the heart of historic Korba in Heliopolis, Cairo, Al-Ahram Street stands as one of Egypt's most iconic early 20th-century architectural spines, framed by elegant arcades, vibrant outdoor cafés, and landmarks such as the Baron Empain Palace, Granada Palace, Ittihadiya Palace, St. Rita Church, and the Heliopolis Basilica (Our Lady of Heliopolis Co-Cathedral).
The Concept: Heliopolis — City of the Sun
"Heliopolis (Greek for 'City of the Sun'): Let sunlight itself become the design language of the square and street, not as decoration, but as the literal ordering principle, echoing the ancient sun-city the district is named after."
CUBE Consultants' competition proposal reimagines the 985-meter street corridor (with widths ranging from 35m to 77m) into a continuous, pedestrian-first urban axis that reduces vehicular dominance, reconnects key heritage landmarks, and breathes new public life into Korba's historic fabric.
Five Programmatic Divisions & Urban Nodes
Arts & Crafts Node for outdoor exhibitions, live art demonstrations, artisan workshops, and cultural displays.
Learning Node creating quiet, low-stimulation outdoor reading spaces, study lounges, and book exchanges.
Cinema Recreation Node for outdoor film screenings, live music performances, and active F&B kiosks.
Vintage Souk for collectibles & books, alongside the Grand Performance Park for large-scale civic concerts & dance.
Microclimate Optimization & Environmental Performance
Our environmental analysis translates climate simulation into actionable urban comfort strategy:
- Felt Temperature Reduction: Decreased from 33.9°C to 30.9°C, creating a comfortable thermal environment for pedestrians.
- Shade Coverage Expansion: Dramatically increased from 9.6% baseline to 79.8% continuous canopy shade.
- Heat-Stress Relief: 91% of the street area is brought within the comfortable thermal threshold.
- Solar Radiation Control: Incident solar load on street surfaces reduced by 65% (from 90.0 to 31.8 kWh/m²).
Smart Mobility & Parking Integration
To eliminate surface vehicular clutter while preserving pedestrian safety and retail vitality, the project integrates an Underground Parking Study accommodating 1,005 vehicles across 3 entrances, 3 exits, and 10 vertical cores. Combined with automated parking hubs, the total planned capacity reaches 4,600 parking spaces.
The streetscape is enhanced with smart waste bins, interactive navigation kiosks, shared-mobility stations, and smart shaded seating — creating a state-of-the-art heritage district for Cairo.
