Orascom Housing Communities wins prestigious Hassan Fathy Architectural Award

Orascom Housing Communities (OHC) walked off with the prestigious Hassan Fathy Architectural Award in recognition of its flagship project, Haram City, as one of the best affordable housing project in Egypt. The award was presented by Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and head of the jury committee, during the award ceremony held at the Bibliotheca on 15 December. Worth mentioning, this recognition is the third in a row for OHC in a period of two months.

Organized by the Alexandria and Mediterranean Research Centre at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in cooperation with the Architecture Committee at the Supreme Council of Culture, the second edition of the award aims to promote contemporary Egyptian architecture and commemorate renowned Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy. Nomination criteria for 2010 focused on affordable housing and architectural heritage preservation.

"We are extremely honoured to receive such a prestigious award," said Omar Elhitamy, Managing Director of OHC. "Haram City reflects our inspiration by Hassan Fathy's architectural principles. From the project's initial studies up to the completion of the current phase, we have remained committed to core concepts advocated by this national pioneer. Haram City embodies traditional contemporary architecture merged with modern building techniques, and places prime importance on social and environmental considerations. Ultimately, this has also enabled us to achieve an optimal balance of cost and quality and we are happy to provide Egyptians with a development they can be proud of."

In its evaluation of Haram City, the jury committee noted, "Affordable housing has long been a dire national need. Not only has Haram City helped meet that need, but it has succeeded in creating a fully integrated city from providing the necessary infrastructure to developing residential and services facilities. The project also hosts a number of socially driven companies designed to stimulate job creation and benefit the local community. Haram City sets the example for all developers that thoughtfully integrating traditional architectural elements produces results that are not only aesthetically rewarding but highly functional."

Located in 6th of October City, Haram City spans over 8.4million square meters and is expected to hold approximately 50,000 to 70,000 units upon completion. To date 10,500 housing units have been built in addition to diverse community facilities including schools, a hospital, retail stores, sporting club and office space. Haram City is now home to more than 5,000 families.