Evaluating the long-term impact of adaptive reuse on heritage spaces: a case study of Aslam square in Cairo, Egypt

Abstract Reusing heritage spaces as vibrant public areas can significantly enhance the quality of life and public spaces within a community. However, there is a notable gap in knowledge regarding evaluations of the success or failure of these upgrading and reuse initiatives. The literature suggests...

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Main Authors: Yomna Amr Lotfi, Toka Fahmy Aly
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-05-01
Series:Built Heritage
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s43238-025-00186-z
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author Yomna Amr Lotfi
Toka Fahmy Aly
author_facet Yomna Amr Lotfi
Toka Fahmy Aly
author_sort Yomna Amr Lotfi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Reusing heritage spaces as vibrant public areas can significantly enhance the quality of life and public spaces within a community. However, there is a notable gap in knowledge regarding evaluations of the success or failure of these upgrading and reuse initiatives. The literature suggests that evaluations should be conducted with comparative analyses of physical characteristics before and after the implementation of such programmes. This study proposes a post-adaptive reuse evaluation method for assessing the quality of heritage spaces and community development. The research employs methodological triangulation by incorporating sociospatial analysis with three methods: 1) deductive reasoning to assess the quality of heritage spaces; 2) in-depth interviews with users of these spaces; and 3) sensitivity to context observations. These methods were applied across three different timeframes: before the upgrade, three years after the upgrade, and ten years after the upgrade. This study therefore provides a comprehensive and longitudinal analysis. This study assesses the adaptive reuse of Aslam Square in the Darb Al Ahmar district of Cairo, Egypt. The findings demonstrate that the post-adaptive reuse evaluation method is appropriate, and its use is recommended as a cause-and-effect indicator to promote heritage spaces and local community development.
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spelling doaj-art-6cb4f116ad044ff49b8e76ffb8a8ad362025-08-20T03:53:46ZengSpringerOpenBuilt Heritage2662-68022025-05-019112010.1186/s43238-025-00186-zEvaluating the long-term impact of adaptive reuse on heritage spaces: a case study of Aslam square in Cairo, EgyptYomna Amr Lotfi0Toka Fahmy Aly1Department of Architecture and Member of the Sustainable Public Spaces Group, The British University in EgyptThe School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College DublinAbstract Reusing heritage spaces as vibrant public areas can significantly enhance the quality of life and public spaces within a community. However, there is a notable gap in knowledge regarding evaluations of the success or failure of these upgrading and reuse initiatives. The literature suggests that evaluations should be conducted with comparative analyses of physical characteristics before and after the implementation of such programmes. This study proposes a post-adaptive reuse evaluation method for assessing the quality of heritage spaces and community development. The research employs methodological triangulation by incorporating sociospatial analysis with three methods: 1) deductive reasoning to assess the quality of heritage spaces; 2) in-depth interviews with users of these spaces; and 3) sensitivity to context observations. These methods were applied across three different timeframes: before the upgrade, three years after the upgrade, and ten years after the upgrade. This study therefore provides a comprehensive and longitudinal analysis. This study assesses the adaptive reuse of Aslam Square in the Darb Al Ahmar district of Cairo, Egypt. The findings demonstrate that the post-adaptive reuse evaluation method is appropriate, and its use is recommended as a cause-and-effect indicator to promote heritage spaces and local community development.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43238-025-00186-zAdaptive reusePost-adaptive reuse evaluationPublic spaceAslam SquareHeritage spaceSpatial analysis
spellingShingle Yomna Amr Lotfi
Toka Fahmy Aly
Evaluating the long-term impact of adaptive reuse on heritage spaces: a case study of Aslam square in Cairo, Egypt
Built Heritage
Adaptive reuse
Post-adaptive reuse evaluation
Public space
Aslam Square
Heritage space
Spatial analysis
title Evaluating the long-term impact of adaptive reuse on heritage spaces: a case study of Aslam square in Cairo, Egypt
title_full Evaluating the long-term impact of adaptive reuse on heritage spaces: a case study of Aslam square in Cairo, Egypt
title_fullStr Evaluating the long-term impact of adaptive reuse on heritage spaces: a case study of Aslam square in Cairo, Egypt
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating the long-term impact of adaptive reuse on heritage spaces: a case study of Aslam square in Cairo, Egypt
title_short Evaluating the long-term impact of adaptive reuse on heritage spaces: a case study of Aslam square in Cairo, Egypt
title_sort evaluating the long term impact of adaptive reuse on heritage spaces a case study of aslam square in cairo egypt
topic Adaptive reuse
Post-adaptive reuse evaluation
Public space
Aslam Square
Heritage space
Spatial analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s43238-025-00186-z
work_keys_str_mv AT yomnaamrlotfi evaluatingthelongtermimpactofadaptivereuseonheritagespacesacasestudyofaslamsquareincairoegypt
AT tokafahmyaly evaluatingthelongtermimpactofadaptivereuseonheritagespacesacasestudyofaslamsquareincairoegypt