Are we going to continue adopting the same methodology, letting the city of

Cairo grow and grow through an accumulative process, leading it to an
unlimited growth? Does Cairo really deserve such an attitude?
Do WE NEED A NEW CAPITAL…? WHY … ?
The answer is definite and unquestionable; yes we are in a dire need for a new capital,
and many experts called for that in the second half of the sixties and eighties during
the last century. Moreover, studies had extensively discussed the matter in the last 20
years.
The City of Cairo has passed through five main phases of urban expansion. The first
phase lasted to the year 1917, and witnessed the birth of new districts, such as Maadi
and Masr eh Gedida . The second stage stretched from 1917 to 1950, where growth had
extended on a number of axis: the southwestern axis (AI-Haram Street), AI- Fo’adyah
and AI- Awkaf city (al Muhandisseenl , the northeasternaxis which represented the
higher rate of growth (67.4%), and finally the southeastern axis, which extended in the
direction of Maadi , Helwan and Masr el Quadima . This phase (1950-1986) witnessed
political and ideological changes that affected directly the nature of urbanization. This
phase also had witnessed the foundation of the public housing projects and the increase
of Urban encroachment on the agricultural land creating unofficial housing. The
fourth phase was more stable in terms of the horizontal urban expansion (1986-1995).
In this phase, the growth was concentrated mainly in the western arch of the ring road.
Then comes the last phase (from 1995 until the present time