The Cairo Municipality Headquarters
Latest Project Status: Built
Role: Lead Consultant
Location: Tahrir Square - Cairo, Egypt
Size: 34,000 m2
Building Type: Governmental / Offices
Perhaps our most infamous building ever; first designed to house the Cairo Municipality instead of their temporary headquarters at the Royal Guard building at Abdeen Palace. The complex was converted into the Socialist Union building in the 1960s and subsequently turned into the NDP (National Democratic Party) headquarters in 1980. The building was burnt down during the 2011 revolution. RiadArchitecture proposed adaptive reuse ideas to the government in 2014 and again in 2015, and started a campaign to save the building and adaptive reuse /re-purpose it while redesigning the facades, which the office feels would be much more economical solution and would perhaps make a stronger social statement than demolition. The Adaptive reuse options included converting the building to a 350 room Hotel, Cultural Center, Museum of the Revolution, Scientific Research Center, Research Center for Ancient Egyptian Artifacts, or to turn it back in the Cairo Governorate Headquarters as originally intended.