leading along a series of massive sloped terraces. Reaching the top of the sloped terraces, the experience culminates in an expansive view of the Giza Plateau. The GEM was designed to be the largest museum in the world and will encompass more than 484,000 square feet of floor space. The GEM’s massive size provides ample space with enough room to house 12 exhibition halls and more than 100,000 artifacts. Along with space for visitors to engage with Egyptian artifacts, the GEM also includes a state-of-the-art conservation lab, which further supports the restoration and distribution of artifacts to other museums in Egypt. All the major pieces are in place for the grand opening of the GEM, which still remains to be announced. Once opened, museum visitors will have the opportunity to view and engage with Egyptian antiquity in a completely new way. An Ambitious Future Projects like the Cairo Monorail and the Grand Egyptian Museum are defining the future of Cairo’s built environment, and, in doing so, are building a bridge between Cairo’s past, present, and future. There are few adjectives that capture the defining characteristics of this relationship, but there is no doubt that ambitious has a place amongst that list. The history of Cairo–and of the lands that surround the modern city–is colored by this tradition of ambition. Many of these current projects have faced challenges stemming from social change and a global pandemic, but their continued progress is a marker of Egypt’s investment in the future. Infrastructure projects–such as the Cairo Monorail–have the potential to drastically reshape location and mobility for the 22 million people within the Cairo metropolitan area. Improved access to public
transportation will lessen the reliance on cars, which currently fill the region's streets, resulting in frequent traffic jams and high greenhouse gas emissions. With more public transportation options, the reliance on cars will be greatly reduced, resulting in a greater ease of mobility within the region as well as less pollution from idling vehicles. Likewise, similarly ambitious projects within Egypt’s built environment–like the Grand Egyptian Museum–are important in defining the country from a cultural and social perspective. The GEM is a museum unlike any other before it for its scale and design, and its continued progress towards opening its doors to the public, albeit delayed, shows a dedication to defining Egyptian cultural legacy for future generations. Years of work from architects, engineers, and construction crews to build this unique museum will be reciprocated in the museum’s opening–when the public can enter the space and find numerous paths and tools with which they can engage with the history of Egyptian culture. Cairo is a land where past, present, and future are in seemingly constant collaboration. As the lands and population of Cairo continue to grow and shift, its future is well defined through examples of ambitious growth, and the resulting impact on the built environment continues to build on this continuous legacy. As projects like the Cairo Monorail and the GEM are completed, they will serve as the foundation for Cairo’s continued ability to adapt and change.
LUKE CAROTHERS is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.
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