Designing Urban National Memory In Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree Of Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture [zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades] [Doctor philosophiae (Dr. phil.)] A Thesis Presented to Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, [an der] Bauhaus-Universität Weimar By [vorgelegt von]: Riham Elrasoul M.Sc. Architecture Department, Faculty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University, Egypt geb. am 21. 01. 1982 in Kuwait Supervised by: [Mentor der Arbeit] Prof. Dr.-phil. Frank Eckardt Weimar, den 19.06.2019 III Abstract The study of memory, architecture, and urban space has been the interest of researchers from the diverse fields around the world due to, the significance of dealing with memories especially after the tragedy of the Second World War. Nations in Europe has chosen not to neglect their past, moreover, overcoming it by strengthening the national identity. An approach was clear in the literature, art, further in the way of rebuilding their cities; that mainly has reflected on the value of urban spaces and their role in narrating the country’s national memory. Thanks to this approach, which has supported the post-war European nations to invite to an act of forgiveness rather than to forget. On the contrary, memory, in relation to architecture is a form of knowledge has been neglected in Egypt, especially during the previous decades after the declaration of independence from the colonial power, and since 1952 revolution. Recently, a rising debate about Egypt national history and the need to renationalize the Egyptian historical consciousness has rapidly grown up, due to the political transformation has occurred because of the 25th uprising, 2011, which unveiled the power of public spaces in constituting the nation thoughts, especially Tahrir square. At the same time, this has unveiled the results of neglecting the past instead of overcoming it; unveiled a present carries the danger of conflict and repeating previous mistakes. Researchers, historians, politicians, governmental organization, have worked in the purpose of revisiting the historical information, and have tried to document the current transformation of the 25th uprising. There was a public demand for redesigning Tahrir square to reflect the memory of the uprising as a symbol of the power of the public. However, after eight years, those memories have faded as if the 25th uprising has never happened. Those circumstances are very relevant to the gap between urban design and the art of memory-work, in the scientific field. Few studies in Egypt conducted the concept of memory in relation to urban spaces, however, the matter requires more attention, to associate the need for renationalizing Egypt memory, with viewing urban space as a mean of narrating the country’s national memory and reflecting the citizens' current thoughts, as a try of nearing the distances between competing narratives. IV Therefore, the research aims at developing a methodological framework that should contribute to renationalizing memory through urban space. Further, benefiting from the German experience by investigating lessons to learn. That is based on the hypothesis that, although there is no fixed formula for all countries to renationalize the historical consciousness of memory through urban spaces, lessons to be learned from Germany experience could be a driving dimension when designing Egyptian urban spaces with a concept of memory as an essential factor. To guide the validity of the study’s hypothesis, a set of research questions are thus formulated: Starting from why memory is an essential factor when designing urban spaces? Regarding Egypt national memory, how it was constituted through history and how to read its representation on urban spaces? Also, the study quests the means of nationalizing memory through urban spaces? And What are the learned lessons from the German experience? The study tries to answer those questions. Via an inductive analytical methodology which moves from the gap of knowledge and from a particular situation in Egypt, to study the German experience in renationalizing the concept of memory through urban spaces. Within the scope of the study, exploring Egypt prevailing narratives and the inherited concepts which influenced the national memory is essential. Moreover, the research develops analytical political psychosocial model that could help reading memories in urban spaces, memory’s actors, and memory influences. To validate this model, case studies are analysed in light of the concluded aspects. Consequently, the expected result is to infer broad general learned lessons for the Egyptian case. Research findings and conclusions answer the research questions, interpret literature review, recommend some guide points to three target groups: first, practice field; to encourage designers to value the national and collective memories when designing urban spaces. Second, to ask policymakers to take the public participation into consideration, when taking decisions related to urban development. Third, the thesis recommends future researches of urban memory that connect theoretical information with the practice field. Finally, enhancing the memory-work in relation to the national narrative, conveying a meaningful message, when designing urban spaces could encourage citizens to learn, to interact, and to dissolve boundaries between the competing narratives in post-conflict societies. V Acknowledgement First of all, thanks to God for taking care of me in every step in my life. Secondly, I express my gratitude to my father soul, my beloved mother, brother Amr and his family Marwa and Hassan for their support and patience. I also thank my husband Architect. Muhammed Kamal who always encouraged me and gave me a lot of moral support, and my nine-year-old daughter "Karma" with her pure look and innocent smile gave me hope and encouraged me to fulfill my dreams and ambitions. My sincere thanks and appreciation go to my supervisor Professor Frank Eckardt for his precious comments and guidance given while conducting the research. My sincere thanks and appreciation go to my precious reviewers Professor Frank Eckardt and Assoc. Prof. Hebatallah Farouq Abouelfadl for accepting to read and evaluate my thesis, and for their contributions that enriched the final editing and structure of the research. Deeply grateful and thankful to I.d. Omneya Khalil, Dr. Osama Hegazy, and Arch. Eman Hegazy for making Germany someplace like home for me. Many Thanks to Frau Cornelia Unglaub and Dr. Carolina Lima for their generous continuous aid and support. My special thanks for Dr. Doaa Ali Hassan, Arch. Mai Mahmoud Anwar, I.d. Shereen Shawky, I.d. Omneya Messallam, Arch. Sherif Farg, and Sculp. Rasha Eladawy who played a key role in conducting and supporting me always. Special thanks go to my bigger home, my extended family sand my biggest home my friends. Last but never least, I acknowledge my gratitude to my professors and colleagues for their continuous support and to all those who cooperated to produce this work. The Researcher VI For all your special loving ways, those belong to you alone. Dedicated to my beloved mother VII Table of Contents Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….III Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………………………………………..……..V Dedication…………………………………………………………………………………………………….......VI Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………………………….…..VII List of Figures………………………………………………………………………………………………….…XII List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………………………….…….XV Part One: Initial Foundation: Chapter One: Introduction ..................................................................................................... 2 1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ............................................................................................................ 3 1.2 THE STATE OF ART ............................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS ....................................................................................................................... 6 1.4 RESEARCH AIM, QUESTIONS AND OBJECTIVES .................................................................................. 6 1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK) ...................................................... 8 1.6 DEFINITIONS ....................................................................................................................................... 14 1.6.1 Memory Constitutes the Nation/ Nation Constitutes the Memory .................................................. 14 1.6.2 National, Collective and Multiplicity Memory ............................................................................... 14 1.6.3 Reading, and Designing Urban National Memory .......................................................................... 15 1.6.4 Remembering, Forgetting, Remembrance Culture .......................................................................... 15 1.7 CHALLENGES AND DARK AREAS OF THE RESEARCH ........................................................................ 16 1.8 EXPECTED RESULT ............................................................................................................................. 16 Chapter Two: Perspectives from Urbanism, History, Psychology, and Urban Sociology17 2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 18 2.2 URBAN SPACE AND