THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE IN URBAN DESIGN EDUCATION “CASE STUDY OF REAL CITY LAB ‘’

INTED2018: 12th annual International Technology, Education and Development Conference 5th-7th March ‘18
THE ROLE OF
INTERNATIONAL
EXPOSURE IN URBAN
DESIGN EDUCATION
“CASE STUDY OF REAL
CITY LAB ‘’
A. Radwan, A. Morsi
Associate Professors of
Architecture & Urban
Design.
Helwan University –
Faculty of Fine Arts –
Architecture
Department.
5th-7th March 2018
Valencia - Spain

THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE IN URBAN DESIGN EDUCATION
“CASE STUDY OF REAL CITY LAB ‘’
A. Radwan, A. Morsi
Associate Professors of Architecture & Urban Design.
Helwan University – Faculty of Fine Arts – Architecture Department.
5th-7th March 2018 Valencia - Spain

TRIGGERS

Research Problem
A Gap Between Academia & Market Requirements.
A Gap Between Local & Global Practices & Experiences.
In Urban Design Education in Egypt
Focusing on Faculty of Fine Arts (As a Case Study)

Research Hypothesis
• International exposure and experience of students of architecture of the
college of Fine arts – Helwan University would highly affect their
practices, performance and gained skills.
• Application of International Exposure in the frame work of the real city
lab project - which is an academic cooperation project between the TUB in
Germany and the Faculty of Fine Arts – Helwan University in Egypt, would
help in enhancing urban design Education.

Research Objective
• Highlight the process that is concerned to enhance the urban design
education quality, the curriculum and the teaching methods of the
Architecture Bachelor program in general with a special focus on Faculty of
Fine Arts – HU in Egypt, as a Case study.
• Focusing on the new didactic tools and applied research components
developed for the bachelor of architecture program, which impart knowledge
to understand the current urban issues and urban regeneration.
• Shed Light on the impact of international Exposure of Students on enhancing
Urban Design Education in Arch. Dept Of Faculty of Fine Arts HU.

Research Methodology
Observatory
highlighting the current status of
urban design education
Evaluation
Of the RCL Project, its objectives,
and how they were applied, and
what are the beneifits
analytical
reviewing the RCL ‘’real city lab‘’ as
a work- based learning project ,
Exploring ILOs of the Project.
Comparison
Of Urban Design Education Before
& After Application of RCL Project

Institutional
capacity
Revision of
educational
institutions and
internal
governance
procedures
Restrains facing
the urban
design’s
education in
Egypt.
CURRENT STATUS OF URBAN DESIGN EDUCATION IN EGYPT.

The Faculty of Fine Arts HU – Arch. Department.
• started its mission early in the twentieth century as
an independent architectural school in 1908,
• It has about eleven decades of urban design
teaching,
• Urban education was done through design-based
reflective learning that embeds comparative
knowledge of learning models and methods.
• It has its academic identity which is not only
determined by the individual, but also by the
communities of practice to which professionals
belong,
• In 1975 and following to the establishment of
Helwan University (HU), that was founded to
embed Distinctive & Unique higher educational
programs, faculty of Fine Arts became a Part of the
newly established university.
• In 2017 The Faculty of Fine Arts was locally
accredited by the National Authority for Quality
Assurance and Accreditation of Education
(NAQAAE),
• to be the First Accredited Faculty of fine Arts in the
MENA Region.

Urban design courses details - in Faculty of Fine Arts-HU.
Year Course name Description ILOs’
Third year
No pre-requisite
courses needed
planning history and
Theories of Urban Planning
Theoretical definition of urban design and planning
as a science and art related to the design of open
spaces, surrounding human, in addition to finding
the aesthetic values of many urbanists and
analyzing different ideological urban models from
different schools.
Understanding the main ideological background
of urban design.
To be aware of urban planning and design
models and schools.
To know the groups of pioneers, and their
directions regarding the urban planning and
design.
Fourth year
Pre-requisite :
planning history
and Theories of
Urban Planning
Urban Planning (1)
The course gives the student a clear idea of the
scope and meaning urban planning and the physical
environment in depth. Urban, city, or town
planning is the discipline of land use planning which
explores a very wide range of aspects of the built
and social environments of urbanized
municipalities and communities. It deals in more
detail with a smaller scale of development, namely
urban design. Regional planning deals with a still
larger environment, at a less detailed level.
- Understanding the concept of the City, its
structure and planning approaches.
Understanding the structure of the city: a) city
center, b) communities and c) neighborhoods.
Linking the urban design knowledge and
understanding with urban planning.
To promote awareness of the critical problem of
providing basic services to the rapidly
increasing urban poor.
Fifth year
Pre-requisite :
urban planning (1)
Urban planning (2)
The course offers an introduction to comparative
urban development, land-use planning, housing
and community development, transportation and
infrastructure systems, urban and regional
development, sustainable development, social
reform, historic preservation, economic studies,
the natural and metropolitan environment, and
physical planning and urban design.
Our focus will be on the main local problems such
as the chaotic urbanization and the informal
urbanization, Introduce some of the major debates
and issues in urban policy and politics nationally
and regionally.
Students will be able to deal with the local
challenges of the urban planning future in
Egypt, and main while to deal with the global
issues concerning the process of urbanization.

REALCITYLAB AS THE CASE STUDY.
• Started In 2016 and as an attempt to develop and
enhance the education of urban design at the Architecture
Department of Faculty of Fine Arts - HU , and in line with
the Accreditation Process.
• A German Egyptian academic Cooperation between
Technischen Universität Berlin (TUB) Germany
represented by the Habitat unit & Architecture Department
of Faculty of Fine Arts HU Egypt.
• The project main theme is Practice-orientation in
architectural Education.

Step 1
Activation,
organization and
evaluation,
Step 2
Knowledge
Transfer
Step 5
Curricula
enhancement,
Step 4
Capacity building
and Practical
Workshops
Step 3
Enhancing the
knowledge of
architecture students
Action Plan.
RealCity Lab
Practice-Orientation in Architectural Education.

RealCity Lab
Posters & Banners

Identity & Logos
RealCity Lab

RealCity Lab
Objectives
• The main objective of the project is to enhance
the education quality in general, the curriculum
and the teaching system of the Architecture
Bachelor program of Faculty of Fine Arts.
• New didactic tools and applied research
components are developed for the bachelor of
architecture program, which impart knowledge
to understand the current urban issues and urban
regeneration specifically.
• Discuss ways in which the urban design
curriculum can be conceived and implemented to
equip graduates to be ready for current &
Future challenges as they emerge in working
life.
• Education for practicing life as an urban
designer thus becomes the central theme of this
project. Adding a strong orientation on practice
and applied research to the existing curriculum
that will lead the graduates to gain higher
awareness towards real urban issues and urban
regeneration, in addition to theoretical
experiences.

Readiness for current &
Future challenges
Discuss ways in which the urban design
curriculum can be conceived and implemented to
equip graduates to be ready for current & Future
challenges as they emerge in working life.
Enhancement
enhance the education quality in
general, the curriculum and the
teaching system of the Architecture
Bachelor program of Faculty of Fine
Arts.
Didactic tools and
applied research
components are developed for the bachelor of
architecture program, which impart
knowledge to understand the current urban
issues and urban regeneration specifically.
Education for
practicing
Adding a strong orientation on practice and
applied research to the existing curriculum
RealCity Lab
Objectives

RealCity Lab
Project funding:
The project is funded by German Academic
Exchange Network (DAAD) and German
Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development (BMZ).

Business Partners
That represents real practices and
experiences from Egypt &
Germany
Academic Partners
Represented in Arch Dept. Of Faculty of
Fine Arts – HU, TU Berlin & TU Gouna
Campus
03 01
02
Associated Partners
Representing GOs & NGOs, Working in Both
Egypt & Germany.
Realcity lab (RCL)
project Partners:

Realcity lab (RCL)
Project Partners:
Academic partners Business partners Associated partners
Helwan University, Faculty of
Fine Arts, Department of
Architecture (Main Partner)-
Cairo
Dr. Krekeler Architekten und
Generalplaner GmbH (Brandenburg
a.d. Havel)
Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) – PDP-
Programme
Technischen Universität
Berlin
Cluster – Cairo Lab for Urban
Studies, Training and Environment
Research (Cairo)
Goethe Institut Ägypten -
Cultural Department Cairo
TU Berlin, Campus El Gouna -
Department of Urban
Development
ENCON – Engenieering Construction
Co. (Cairo)
Urban Catalyst
Ziegert Roswag Seiler – Architekten
Ingenieure (Berlin)
Planungsgruppe Stadt und Dorf

Realcity lab (RCL) Relevant curricula.
main topics of lectures and workshop matching the curriculum content in each of the bachelor program years :
1- Core Urban topics:
• Urban planning and urban regeneration: Definitions  
• Different Urban typologies in Egypt: Introduction.  
• Urban Informality and informal settlements.  
• Housing strategies: German case (Alternative housing / Cooperative Housing/ Mixed use  neighborhoods).  
• Interdisciplinary approach for urban regeneration (Urban sociology: introduction: what can be learnt/ the right to the city and the
urban commons: theory and international cases.  
• Urban economics/ real estate economics/ Rehabilitation of Heritage areas/ Regeneration of historic areas (Old Cairo- Downtown
Cairo) / Fieldwork for urban intervention (Cultural sensitive field work; Qualitative research: Methods and techniques).
2- Vernacular Architecture:
• traditions, and appropriate new techniques  
• Understanding the urban context for architecture.  
• Using local materials and low technology.  
3- Management and Governance  
• Tenure of land and land management.  
• Real estate management and Facility management.  
• Development Projects Management.  
• Neighbourhood management: introduction to the German case.
•  Soft skills: presentation skills for different situations.

!
10!
topics and responsible partners are mentioned, and activity type.
Code Courses names Contribution by topic Responsible partner Activity type
2
nd
specialized year: !
1224 History of Arch. (2) Downtown (19
th
century) Cluster On site lecture
1218 Architecture
theories
Vernacular architecture/ traditions
and modernity
Ziegert Roswag Seiler
Local experts
Lecture +
workshop
Arch
1217
Building law/
planning theories
Introduction to Regeneration,
Law, Governance, Informality
ElGouna,
Habitat Unit
Lecture
Arch
1224!
Heritage Conservation Rehabilitation of historic areas Habitat Unit, Krekeler Arch. Lecture
Adaptive reuse Habitat Unit, Krekeler Arch. Lecture
3
rd
specialized year: !
Arch
1323
Town planning Downtown Cairo Cluster Workshop
Urban typologies in Egypt
Urban Informality and informal
Settlements
Habitat Unit
TUB Campus El Gouna
Lecture +
Workshop
Bottom up planning 1- day workshop
Berlin Planning Habitat Unit Lecture
Role of Planner Habitat Unit Lecture
Arch
1325
Architecture theories Intro to Ecology/ Environment/
Energy/ Social issues in Arch.
TUB Campus El Gouna Lecture
Urban sociology TUB Campus El Gouna Lecture
Urban economy TUB Campus El Gouna Lecture
Arch
1326
Technical preparation Urban Infrastructure, Sewage,
Water Supply
TUB Campus El Gouna Lecture
Transport planning TUB Campus El Gouna Lecture
Waste management TUB Campus El Gouna Lecture
Arch
1309
Environm. treatmentof
buildings
Climate change adaptation TUB Campus El Gouna
GIZ
One day
Workshop
4
th
specialized year: !
Arch
1423
Town planning Planning in Germany TUB Campus El Gouna Lecture
New cities TUB Campus El Gouna Haram city
Urban Informality and informal
Settlements
Habitat Unit Lecture
1422 Housing /
site design
Alternative/ Coop. Housing Habitat Unit Lecture
1431 Environmental
Studies
Climate and comfort
Climate adaptation
GIZ - PDP Lecture/
excursion
Arch
1427
Business
Administration and
Project Management
Project management of up-
grading projects
IfA, TU Berlin Lecture
Neighborhood management:
Application on Egypt
TUB Campus El Gouna Lecture/
workshop
Real estate management TUB Campus ElGouna Lecture
Soft skills TUB Campus ElGouna
Realcity lab
(RCL)
Relevant
curricula.
In Details

05
06 01
02
0304
Kick off event
To launch the RCL, introduce the
Partners , engage Students and
community members in the RCL
Events
Excursions
To work on Real practices , with experts
from Germany & Egypt.
Workshops
That Cover many themes related to
urban Design & Regeneration in
Egypt
Public lectures &
Seminars
Local , Regional & International Experts,
From Egypt, MENA Region & Germany
Annual Coordination
meeting
coordination meetings, where partners
meet to discuss, Suggest, Evaluate the
various activities
Study Trips & ToTs
Students study Trips, to Germany, Besides
Training of Trainers to Young Faculty
members, TAs.
REALCITY LAB (RCL) PROJECT APPLICATION.

REALCITY LAB (RCL) PROJECT APPLICATION.
In 2016, RCL project started to apply the previously planned action plan by
making the following activities:
• Annual Coordination meeting in Berlin, July 2016.
• Kick off event in Cairo, Faculty of Fine Arts, HU November 19 - 20, 2016.
• Excursion within the frame of Seminar Building communities through
cooperative housing in Egypt November 19 - 20, 2016.
• Public lectures & Seminars in Cairo/Berlin within 2016-2017.
• Workshops in Cairo within 2016-2017.
• Students Study Trip to Berlin, July 2017
• Training of Trainers in Berlin,July2017.

Key Activities: Kick off event in Cairo, Faculty of Fine Arts, HU Nov’16.

ACADEMIC PARTNERS: BUSINESS PARTNERS: ASSOSCIATED PARTNERS: FUNDERS:
HTTP://HABITAT-UNIT.DE/EN/
RESEARCH/REALCITY-LAB/
19th
- 26th
November
2016
Fine Arts Faculty,
Architecture
Department
4 Mohamed
Thaqeb street,
Zamalek,Cairo
Building
communities
through
cooperative
housing in
Cairo
Key Activities: Building Communities through Cooperative Housing in Cairo, Faculty of Fine Arts, Nov’16.
The aim of the excursion to Cairo was to:
• study and document projects in situ and prepare a
Cooperative Housing Atlas for Cairo.
• an extensive fieldwork will was conducted in two
selected study areas: Wadi Houf in Helwan &
Saharaa Al Ahram in Giza to explore the reality and
history of housing cooperatives in Greater Cairo.
• The field work methodology included observations
and semi-structured interviews, mental mapping of
the residents perception and urban survey of the
neighborhood.
• Several questions were asked about How did socio-
economic and political factors affect the success of
housing cooperatives as a self-provision model in
Egypt.

Key activities: Start of El Dahirtage Workshop Nov‘16@ Faculty of Fine Arts

Key activities: Workshop of Participation , Tools & Methods Dec ’16@ Faculty of Fine Arts

Key activities: Workshop of Participation , Tools & Methods Dec ’16@ Faculty of Fine Arts
Learning about :
• Bottom up Development
• Participation Tools.
• Participation Methods
• Participatory urban space Design

Key activities: Excursion in Cairo – With German Students Jan’17@ Faculty of Fine Arts

Key activities: Lectures by Academic Partners Streetscape Lecture Feb’17@ Faculty of Fine Arts
Exchanging Professors
Linkages between Different Courses

Key activities: Progress of El Dahirtage Workshop Feb‘17@ Faculty of Fine Arts

Key activities: Lectures by Business Partners- Econ – Platform Courtyard Maadi Mar’17@ Faculty of Fine Arts
Knowledge Transfer
From Practice tp Academia

Key activities: Lectures by International Experts – Urban Sociology Mar & April 2017@ Faculty of Fine Arts

Invitation of Public & Local Community
Key activities: Final Presentations El Dahirtage Workshop May ‘17@ Faculty of Fine Arts

Key activities: Final Presentations El Dahirtage Workshop May ‘17@ Faculty of Fine Arts

Key activities: Dissemination of El Dahirtage Workshop ‚17@ Faculty of Fine Arts

Key activities: TOT, Study Trip & Internship July 2017 Berlin - Germany
2 Professors
2 TAs
6 Students
3 Internships

Key activities: TOT, Study Trip & Internship July 2017 Berlin - Germany
2 Professors
2 TAs

Reichstag Visit:
We had a pre-registered visit that allowed us to enter the building directly،we took the visitors’ elevator to the dome’s
level. The building was severely damaged after being set on fire, and after WWII the building was not used or fully
restored until the 1990, when it was reconstructed by a team led by the architect Norman Foster. After the completion in
1999, it became the meeting place of the German parliament.
Learning about :
• Rebuilding an Old Building
• Transparency of Policy.
• Public urban space Design
Key activities: Study Trip & Internship July 2017 Berlin - Germany

Intro to energy supply and technology
Students joined the TU Berlin El Gouna
campus master’s program in urban design in
their introduction session about energy
efficiency in urban design. The session
contained a brief introduction to the (Köppen-
Geiger) climate classification map and its
different regions, the effect of the urban mass
on the circulation and velocity of wind, and the
difference between greenhouse effect and urban
heat island effect. It was interesting to students
to know and learn about this new topic and it
opened their minds to get more and more
knowledge about such techniques.
Learning about :
• Global Warming Reasons
• Green House vs Urban Island

Museum of topography of terror:
This museum was a special one in students opinion ,
despite the huge amount of knowledge and historical
information it has, the building is distictive on the urban
and architectural scale.
On the urban scale to build such a remarkable building in
this specific location and surrounding to resemble the war
terror is a perfect thing, designing it on two levels, one for
the outdoor exhibition and the other for the main
entrance is also a brilliant idea .
On the architectural scale, the building is extraordinary
museum , you are not going through a building, you are
just travelling in time to this era , how the circulation
inside is the highlight of the place , the interior is just
flowing you with the history in an imaginary journey .
Learning about :
• Urban Vs Architecture
• Splitting & Reunion
• Timeline Design
• How Policy impact on
Urban Design

Hansaviertel neighborhood:
Learning about:
the Bauhaus Experience in Berlin

A water tank- house Of inner diameter 2.5m only. Silo city is : (Mobile house experiment on
13m2 built from an old grain silo and many re-used materials. Working example of mobile
architecture in public space)
This visit was an interesting one, getting to meet the architect who’s also the user of the
house for 4 years with his young daughter and talking with him about the experience of living
in a tiny house was incredible. It’s completely different to talk personally to the architect from
searching about the place, we got to know how he thinks and how he and his team
implement their ideas.
This tiny house was just a circler house with 2 floors, the ground one was the living area,
kitchen and bathroom , the second one was the bedroom, and to get up to it you have to
climb the wall cause there is no space for a stair.
It’s just really fascinating how he worked on each problem he faced and it’s completely
something can help us and any architecture student to think out of the box.
We also got to see some other projects by ReFunc mostly with recycled materials too.
SILO city – Berlin.
Learning about
• Recycling.
• Tiny Houses.
• Reusing materials in Arch. & Urban Design.

Presentation skills workshop
This lecture was quite influencing . It gave us the chance to discuss many skills ,
presentation wise or in general public speech or debates .
How our language should be perfectly chosen along with the body attitude . How a
discussion should be handled .
Through many presented points , this workshop was a great deal of criteria's that will
help with or way of thinking and expressing our ideas .
Learning how to communicate ideas & Concepts

Holzmarkt, Berlin.
A completely different perception about
public spaces for us !!
When people opposed building mainly
office buildings and corporate centers,
luxury lounges, hotels and multi-purpose
halls , 87% of the voting population from
Friedrichshain - Kreuzberg support the
"Eberspreeuf for all" citizenship decision.
The Holzmarkt cooperative took the
citizens' decision seriously, they made it
barrier-free walk along the river through
exciting squares, niches and paths that
lead into the village, everything is public
from the ground to the roofs, developing it
to be a neighborhood , they create
structures that promote change, small-
scale and sustainable development.
It’s mostly built with wood and sustainable
materials and decorated by the public
artists, giving the place a very special
spirit.
Learning about :
• Public Space Design
• Urban Art
• Change of Uses
• Rehabilitation
• Building Laws in Germany

Cooperative housing project - Berlin
Quoting “Three buildings form a
confident and distinct unity in their
design and position in the urban
space. Open to the river and the
neighbors, they do not set themselves
off like blocks. The individual and
communal terraces have become a
distinguishing feature; they offer a
much-used compensation for the
“loss” of open spaces to the public.”
How the architects thought about the
community and their rights of using
this place due to it’s supposed to be a
public one , so creating building
without ignoring that is magnificent ,
how they designed the blocks with the
usage of the ground floor as a public
space, minimizing the waste areas by
creating some common rooms like
laundry and these kind of activities ,
and maximizing the shared space and
helping people to communicate with
each other is the most inspiring thing
in this project.
Learning about :
• Cooperative Housing
• Participatory Design
• Investments laws
• Urban Reuse
• Building Laws in Germany

Jewish Museum
The Jewish museum was a
complete mind blowing
experience . Not only it
presented a great deal of the
country’s history but it was an
architecture masterpiece .
The building itself
communicates through simple
aspects, mimicking feelings
and knowledge :Either inside
the dark tall cold dungeon in
the top of the tower or the
giggling metal walk or the
holocaust .
The interior design never seas
to amaze each phase after the
other
Learning about :
International architects works

1
INTRODUCTION
STUDY TRIP 1
ACADEMIC PARTNERS: BUSINESS PARTNERS: ASSOSCIATED PARTNERS: FUNDERS:
Berlin excur-
sion: A city
with multiple
Faces
STUDY
TRIP
Key activities: Dissemination of Study Trip & Internship July 2017 Berlin - Germany

students worked with the professors and the TAs in a common
workshop conducted by a German Instructor about urban
intervention, & how to reuse a public urban space and look for
an ideal solution for that space.The Whole group was divided
into groups consist of both students and professors , each one
worked on a space , thought about the reuse or the new
function, took photos and marked the ideas , and the most
important thing that they got to talk and communicate with
people who passes by and ask about their opinions for the reuse
or the current state of the space. Having the experience of
communicating with people in the street was a great added
value as per the students feedback. Afterwards each group
presented their work and ideas and discussed them.
Students Feed back was:
The highlight of the workshop that we got to work together with
the professors as a team not just under their supervision , which
gave us the opportunity to know how they think and work and
learn even more from and about them.
Mini urban intervention activity with TOT
A Students-TAs-Professors Joint Activity

1
WORKSHOPS
WITH
INTERNATION
AL STUDENTS
& EXPERTS
40Students/WS
3
STUDY TRIP TO
BERLIN
6 students from 3rd
year Arch.
5
INTERNSHIPS
IN GERMANY
3 Students had
Internships for 2-3
months
2
LECTURES &
SEMINARS BY
INTERNATION
AL EXPERTS
+300 students
4
TOT
2 TAs
2 Professors
6
DISSEMINATION
Training on report
Writing of all
Activities
REALCITY LAB (RCL) ACHIEVEMENTS IN BRIEF.

Paradigm Shift in Urban Design Courses
Theory
20%
Field Work
30%
Urban
Design
Standards
30%
Design
Proposals
20%
Theory Field Work
Urban Design Standards Design Proposals
15%
15%
15%
15%
10%
10%
20%
Theory Social Studies
Visual Analysis Bottom Up Design Approach
Street & Space Design Participatory Design
Design Proposal
Before After
Theory
20%
Field Work
30%
Urban
Design
Standards
30%
Design
Proposals
20%
Theory Field Work
Urban Design Standards Design Proposals

03
0201
06
04
05
Urban Sketching
Applying visual studies Skills in Urban Surveing,
and visual analysis of urban areas
Urban Art
Integrating Art in Urban Interventions
Catalysts of Change
Study trips
Internships
Paradigm Shift
Not only for students but also for Instructors &
Courses & Teaching Methods & Tools
Participatory Design
Working with a bottom approach
concepts, engaging local
community.
Intercultural
Working with Peers from other
cultures, communicating
concepts & Designs
REFLECTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE

End of Presentation

THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE IN URBAN DESIGN EDUCATION “CASE STUDY OF REAL CITY LAB ‘’

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