Historical Urban Parks in Egypt: A Suggested Criteria for Retrofitting

Riham Faragallah; Hourakhsh A Nia

doi:10.38027/jsalutogenic_vol4no1_9

Authors

Riham Faragallah Department of architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Pharos University in Alexandria, Egypt Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3072-4304
Hourakhsh A Nia Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Alanya University, Türkiye Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1083-280X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38027/jsalutogenic_vol4no1_9

Keywords:

Historical urban parks, Egypt, retrofitting strategies, microclimate improvement, outdoor thermal comfort, urban heat island mitigation

Abstract

Historical urban parks are an essential part of public green spaces that significantly impact the quality of life in communities. This research highlights the increasing problem of urban heat islands (UHI) in major cities, which is linked to the loss of these historical parks and the damage to their landscapes. The study focuses on how historical parks influence the surrounding environment and improve outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) for visitors and residents. It reviews several environmental retrofitting strategies applied in different historical parks in Egypt to balance the microclimate. The research ultimately proposes a retrofitting criteria designed to mitigate the urban heat island effect and enhance outdoor thermal comfort in and around these parks. The aim is to investigate the factors affecting the retrofitting of historical parks. The research confirms the importance of historical parks as valuable resources for enhancing human health and providing social, educational, and economic benefits. The ultimate goal is to provide a framework for urban planners and heritage authorities to transform Egypt's historic gardens into active, thermally comfortable green spaces that are both culturally significant and climatically adaptive.

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