ABSTRACT
The Arab region has witnessed intensive dramatic transformations both at the political and urban levels. Cultural politics in recent years have had significant impact on development, architecture, and urbanism. Although 'Mediterraneanism', 'Middle Easternism', 'Pan-Arabism', and 'Islamism' are typically used as constructs that serve political ends, they bring into focus questions about collective identity and the sharing of deeper meanings at the cultural and existential levels. Different cities within the Arab region have witnessed continuous voices to construct architectural identity. During the late 1950s, a city like Cairo was already an amalgam of architectural influences derived from its rich mix of three main cultures: the Pharaonic, the Christian-Coptic, and the Islamic, in addition to some colonial influences. In positivism, a work of architecture is seen as an objective realty with components and parts that everyone can observe, perceive, and agree upon.
