Published on Cairoobserver:

“The towers also turn their back on Boulac, one of Cairo’s historic districts, which if it were up to investors from the Gulf and their worshipers in the Egyptian businessmen club, that neighborhood would be erased from existance. Shame, because Boulac, like almost any of Cairo’s older districts, is diverse, full of interesting domestic architecture, lively and could provide a fantastic view from the glossy new towers if the district received some attention. But who needs community, who needs history, who needs heritage… who needs Egyptians at all, lets just tear it all down. Oh, yes, we need some Egyptians to work at the hotel, wash dishes, operate lifts and clean rooms, the rest can just go somewhere else so we don’t have to look at their ugly dusty “historic” houses from our fancy sleek glass towers. “From up here those people look like ants.” Modernity has arrived Gulf style.”