In a noisy café in downtown Alexandria built in the early 1920s, Mohamed Gohar, a cultural heritage researcher, activist and practicing architect, attentively gazes around the spacious room while sipping on a small cup of sweet Turkish coffee. If you mingle in Alexandria’s cultural circles, you likely know Gohar, and chances are, he knows you as well. Before we begin our conversation, someone approaches him to express their appreciation for his work in documenting the city’s architecture. “I just wanted to say that I really like what you upload on your page,” a young woman in her twenties says. Letting out a humble smile, Gohar thanks her, and sits back down again at the dark-brown wooden table across from me. Architecture in Alexandria has been attracting attention in recent years. A spotlight has particularly been directed towards the numerous demolitions of historical buildings that have occurred here. This has paved the way for lucrative housing development schemes led by contractors and investors. Mohamed Gohar has gained local notoriety for his efforts to document the architectural and cultural legacy of Alexandria through an arguably creative method. By way of sketching -…
The Alexandrian Sketcher: Young Architect Fights to Document City’s Cultural Legacy
January 30, 2018
