Spatial Structure at the Room-level of Squatter Urbanism in Metropolitan Cairo

Abstract

In Metropolitan Cairo, squatter urbanism is common in superimposing building blocks and streets on agricultural land subdivisions at the city edge of rural migration phenomenon. However, the socio-economic dimension of residential spaces is undermined in the management of squatters. This study attempts to clarify the social diversity of spatial structuring that can only be conceived at the room-level of Cairo squatters in contrast to the constant image of outdoor rural-urban transformation. Buildings selected from the ′Bigam′ and ′Zinin′ squatters that absorb rural migrants are studied according to their spatial room-connection. The application of spatial measurements on the sample buildings is processed through statistical programming to view their patterns of room connection. In ′Bigam′, rural migrants from Lower Egypt structure a ′Reception′ core of global flow of choice to connect four-cornered room attachment. The spatial structure diversifies by introducing a ′Living′ space of visible connectivity with the ′Reception′ and control over the bedroom corners. In ′Zinin′, the Upper Egypt migrants structure a linear pattern of residential space. The cellular connection of rooms diversifies the coring role by the ′Reception′ to become an optional secondary choice. Nevertheless, both zones of ′Zinin′ lack ′Living′ spaces to dissolve the grouping pattern of rooms without variety of choice. Instead, ′Bedrooms′ allow visibility for socializing through the conceptual merging of living and bedroom spaces into one.