Publications

The surge of newly developed gated communities (GC’s)/ neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the Greater Cairo Region has triggered research to understand the unprecedented phenomenon in Egypt in the late 1990’s. This paper investigates images of a sustainable lifestyle from the perspective of the residents of two communities; Al-Rehab and Madinaty. Qualitative and quantitative approaches are followed to explore and document residents’ perception of a sustainable lifestyle promised in these two-gated communities. In-depth interviews and a survey were conducted to assess reasons behind the move to these new communities that were a new trend in urban development in Egypt in the 90’s. Thematic and statistical analysis shows poetic images of soft sustainability that contradict to what a real future might be.