New Aswan City
Aswan, Egypt
The new city is located on the west bank of the River Nile, 12 km from Aswan city, and is expected to offer social housing for potentially 1 million resident in the coming years. Sites International designed the master plan for a tourist ribbon along the Nile, a pioneering residential and commercial community including healthcare, business, retail, hospitality, cultural facilities and 138 acres Nile park, a first for Aswan. The design focus is adaptability and sustainability within the surrounding environment as befitting this historic and cultural location.
Sites International developed design to construction plans for the project’s initial phase, 183 acres, containing 150 villas, hotel, land mark shopping mall, cinema complex, playgrounds, with the distinct Nile park allocated 20 acres at this stage. Running parallel to the residential area and around the shopping mall is the promenade with comfortable pedestrian amenities and ample shading.
The site possesses breath taking views of green farm lands contrasted with amber desert and granite rocks while the spectacular Nile can be seen from elevations reaching 20 meters at the residential and commercial areas. The Nile park is a planting sustainability model and a first in Aswan governorate in terms of size, 138 acres with a length of 6 km. The park offers a Marina as the city’s primary gateway and totally free and unhindered public access to the river. The landscape environmental design strategy contrasts the area’s natural sand elements with conscious greenery. A safeguarded desert region sits between two flanks of green havens, the residential area above and the Nile park below. The inland desert is home to historic natural stone boulders engraved with ancient Pharaonic scripts. Networks of pedestrian walkways and bicycle trails interconnect the two sides crossing the resident desert dotted with spots of shade.
The project houses Sir Magdy Yacoub medical complex, a milestone of free healthcare for low-income citizens, and sponsors other charitable endeavors. The cultural facilities, located by the Nile, include a museum, open air theatre and samples of Nubian style tourist villages servicing both local residents and tourist alike. The boulevard, at the northern border of the development, hosts pedestrian walkways, bike trails and playgrounds. Most significantly a new tram service will connect the project’s east to west areas to enhance visitor’s traffic, expand retail and housing investment opportunities, and create new work opportunities for local residents.
Authenticity is a driving force behind Sites International approach to design generating a perfect union between the new built milieu and this historic city’s culture, heritage and environment.