After the end of the construction of the New Administrative Capital of Cairo, which will house many of the functions currently found in the historic centre, the old city will find itself in the position of having to reinvent itself through urban regeneration programmes.
In order to revitalize the city’s historic centres, urban regeneration has become an indispensable tool, enabling the conversion of building complexes or entire degraded areas that no longer meet the new needs of their inhabitants. The aim is to create new urban centres capable of attracting visitors and informed tourism, and to transform energy-intensive buildings into nZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Buildings) in line with the principles of environmental sustainability.
The conference “Ri-Generare per Ri-Abitare la città” (Re-Generate to Re-Inhabit the City) by architect Giancarlo Bertocchini, organized by the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo, will analyse the theme through three successful cases in Italy, specifically dedicated to the market, a fundamental place in the historic city both for its traditional economic role and as a place to meet and socialize.
The projects of the Mercato Centrale San Lorenzo in Florence (Studio Archea, 2014), the Mercato Coperto in Ravenna (Studio Retail Design, 2014-2016), and the Mercato Metronio (Studio Arcomproject, 2019-2021) will therefore be presented.
In particular, the Mercato Metronio project aims to recover a “fragment” of the Appio Latino – S. Giovanni district on the edge of the historic city, creating a multifunctional and eco-sustainable structure in which the market is integrated with new functions and uses, such as catering, the promotion of cultural events, coworking, and the enhancement of the urban landscape by creating a roof garden.
