Livelihood Reports Al Amrikeya Area - Final Assessment | Page 239

6.1
In conclusion, this assessment study and pro-
posal present an example of how an area’s chal-
lenges and needs, potentials and threats can be
translated into design and planning objectives
that guide the urban upgrading process. This
research engaged the local community in the
research process and took into consideration
the existing community practices. The overall
proposal succeeds in utilizing potentials, resolv-
ing problems and capitalizing on existing gains
in the area with the least disruption as well as
redirecting the natural dynamics of the place.
Below are the lessons learned from the similar
best practices and from the assessment study
of the AAA. Finally, the project’s proposed next
steps are defined.
LESSONS LEARNED
In order to inform the area’s development as
well as to help expand this success to other ur-
ban areas, we can extract the following lessons
learned from the AAA experience on different
levels detailed below:
• It is important that all stakeholders fully
understand the aims and values behind the
project to function efficiently and effective-
ly.
• It is most effective when local commu-
nities participate and are involved in the
decision-making, lobbying, and implemen-
tation processes. In addition to enhancing
their sense of ownership to the works be-
ing done, they are usually able to provide
many solutions that they are most capable
of thinking of, thus leading to a more suc-
cessful result.
• There is a need to use a multiplicity of
investigation tools and methods (as em-
ployed by the Consultant in this report) in
order to better understand conflicts of in-
terest among different groups.VVV
• Much of AAA’s speculative pressure is pri-
marily due to its prime location. Unlike
al-Ordoneya, AAA sits outside of a residen-
tial area, giving it the ability to act as a trip
generator as people will travel specifically
to go to it.
• The initial spurt of growth was due, in large
part, to investments from refugee commu-
nities with a unique set of services to offer.
Maintaining this service will continue to
give these areas a competitive edge.
• In the event of a withdrawal by the refu-
gee community, eager Egyptian investors
will most likely fill the vacuum. Specula-
tive pressure would then only allow those
with the financial capital to afford relatively
higher rents to invest.
• The case can be made for cosmetic im-
provements, either through institutional
179 | CONCLUDING REMARKS