Madinet Masr Launches Buyut Al-Khalifa to Revive Historic Cairo

On Al-Rukbiyya Street in Historic Cairo, an ambitious new project is setting the stage for a cultural revival. Madinet Masr, one of Egypt’s most prominent urban developers, has announced the launch of “Buyut Al-Khalifa”—a large-scale heritage conservation effort in collaboration with the Built Environment Collective (BEC) and the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Slated to begin in May 2025, the project is a reclaiming of a living history. Spanning 3,000 square meters in a UNESCO World Heritage site, the initiative includes the restoration of two heritage buildings, the renovation of 19 residential facades, and the transformation of public spaces with eco-conscious designs, greenery, and lighting.

Madinet Masr’s initiative extends beyond preservation. With urban farms irrigated using recycled groundwater from local monument projects and a commitment to promoting heritage crafts, the project fuses culture, sustainability, and community development. “This isn’t just about bricks and mortar—it’s about people,” Dr. May Al-Ibrashy, chair of BEC, tells CairoScene. “We’re protecting the past while building futures.”

Part of BEC’s long-running ‘Athar Lina’ program, the project also connects with broader state-led urban development schemes, including the Citadel Square plan and the ‘Descendants of the Prophet’ heritage trail.

In a time when cities worldwide are struggling with identity in the face of development, Buyut Al-Khalifa offers a new model: one where history and modernity collaborate rather than co-exist.