Egyptian architect May al-Ibrashy presents her people-driven approach to architectural conservation.

The 2022–23 Current Work series examines projects and firms enacting new modes of architectural practice, collaboration, and community engagement.

Cairo’s Al-Khalifa neighborhood houses an extraordinary density of historic sites, from mosques and cemeteries to museums and public space. Since 2012, Megawra, an Egyptian nonprofit architectural office, has partnered with the Built Environment Collective (BEC), a local cultural and urban development organization, to conserve and revitalize this district.

Named the Athar Lina Initiative (“the monument is ours”), this place-based project envisions historic sites as a resource, not a burden. Under the leadership of architect May al-Ibrashy, Megawra – BEC has implemented a wide range of programs oriented not only toward research and architectural conservation, but also toward citizen participation, community education, and the revival of traditional crafts.