Badr El Deen family recounts the story of the 205 Project at West Cairo's Downtown
The project culminates successes of development pioneer Eng. Badr El Deen
Tamer Badr El Deen: We are keen to observe the minutest details regarding sustainability and well-being standards and all what is required by brands and foreign investments
Ahmed Badr El Deen: The project is ready for diverse uses, be they related to housing, administration, tourism, medicine, education and hotel
The project will be run by Savills, hotel apartments by Intercontinental
Solutions for disposing of the debris include setting up plants for processing bricks, concrete and rubble
A two-year preparation for the project’s master plan was accomplished in cooperation with a world leader, as the agreement was sealed with giant administrative and hotel brands
The new project approximates half Zamalek Island in size.. Mechanisms are mulled for providing domestic transports
Akan Palms made a bid for a land tender unleashed back in 2017 and sealed the contract in 2019 … The built-up area of the project amounts to 30 percent … A 2km river separates the housing from the service section of the project
Badr El Deen family resumes the endeavor of developing Sheikh Zayed City, with Eng. Mamdouh Badr El-Deen kick-starting the journey of developing and upgrading the city 28 years ago.
Badr El Deen Company was the first developer to receive a land alloation letter with the aim of building an integrated urban community back in 1993, before Sheikh Zayed City even came into existence.
The allocation of this plot of land was approved by former Minister of Housing Hasab Allah El Kafrawy . Later on, it was put up for sale, while Badr El Deen managed to obtain up to 50 acres and to set up Karma Compound.
Eng. Badr El Deen recounts what he found when he first entered his designated plot of land, saying, "We started the works in the absence of any amenities.. Working there was like hammering iron in the desert."
Badr El Deen's journey continued with him carrying out landmarks in the city that helped enhance its allure for people and investments, like Arkan Compound, Karma 1,2,3,4. Other projects, such as Arkan Compound expansions, Mazar Mall, and Residential Kayan Compound, ensued.
Arkan Compound is the first integrated commercial and administrative complex to be opened in Sheikh Zayed City, as it was executed and inaugurated ahead of schedule.
Osoul Misr Magazine sheds light on the 205-acres Project, Badr El Deen's latest projects which is executed in collaboration with the Urban Communities Authority, whose ownership structure is distributed among Badr El Deen Real Estate, Badr Investments and Palm Hills Developments.
The company's origin and vision
Chairperson of Badr El Deen Developments Eng. Tamer Badr El Deen said that the 205-acres Project, a commercial, administrative, educational, entertainment and medical complex, is poised to become the hub of the entire West Cairo and downtown.
"The project is equal to half Cairo's Zamalek Island in size, starting off from 26th July district to Abu El-Feda," he maintained.
The project spreads over Sheikh Zayed City's most distinguished area with 1km southern front, directly on 26th July corridor and 1.2 northern front – on Sheikh Zayed's Bostan Street which encompasses the most popular brands, such as Arkan and American Plaza.
Urban Communities Authority put up for sale the land of the project several years ago with the same conditions which provide for the creation of integrated, mixed-use project, together with a 150m tower, while focusing on the horizontal, rather than the vertical construction in line with the City's amenities.
"After two years, the land was offered within the first-stage partnership, and the company withdrew the bid requirements and made a bid upon setting up the new entity of Akran Palm, as a contract was signed officially between NUCA and Akran Palm back in 2019."
During the past two years, the company laid the foundations and vision of the Project whose main aim is to introduce value-added creative products to the Egyptian market, a fact that drove the company to pick internationally-recognized most famous brands in terms of planning, designing and marketing, he explained.
With the launch of a world contest, companies were invited to create a masterplan for the project, as a U.S company was awarded the contract.
"Additionally, Savills was hired to run the project which contains more than one hotel, and Intercontinental to run the hotel apartments, as negotiations with several brands are underway."
The integrated service projects needs studies different from the residential ones, where more than one dimension ought to be taken into consideration, including the entry and exit of goods, ease of transport and quality of life.
Innovative Ideas
The Project is residential and contains integrated services with its built-up area constituting 30% of the whole area, as it encompasses a 2km river surrounding the residential district to separate the housing from the service sections and more than 36 underground garages, shrinking the number of vehicles on the ground.
The Project takes into consideration the minutest details that ensure sustainability and quality of life for the customers, he delineated, noting that facades decreasing heat will be installed.
The hygiene ambiance
The project provides a perfect hygiene milieu devoid of harmful emissions, falling in line with world standards for sustainability, he affirmed.
"The company thought of innovative solutions for disposing of leftovers. The land was littered by up to 3 cubic meter of debris resulting from digging that took place in Sheikh Zayed City. Such rubble is often carried onboard trucks to dumps. During transportation, harmful emissions result, roads get affected and future problems occur when lands need to be developed."
The company adopted solutions to preserve the environment and avoid harming the roads and residents of Sheikh Zayed City, as it set up a concrete depot, plants to crack and utilize the rubble as well as the bricks, he added.
The project relies heavily on solar power, as a central station will be set up to cool water.
The monorail project, currently under construction, will pass next to the project, as the company mulls solutions to provide domestic transports for the residents.
Innovative commercial and administrative solutions
The Project provides integrated commercial and administrative services, such as craft workshops with new standards and unique aesthetic style, stores along with mega shopping malls with variable spaces. As regards the administrative services, offices ranging from 50m to 4000m are built for the multi-nationals.
Regarding the new Arkan project, Badr El Deen said that it consists of the first hotel in Sheikh Zayed with 18-room capacity, namely Intercontinental Crown Plaza Arkan.
"The hotel had been scheduled to be inaugurated since September 2020. The coronavirus-induced crisis enforced the inauguration date to postpone to this year."
Up to 100 percent reliance on renewable energy in Arkan is planned, as the company entered an agreement with a power generation company to execute a solar power generation plant, due to finalize in 2024, he explained.
