New Urbanism and sense of community in new Egyptian settlements: Case study El Sherouq city, Egypt

Abstract

In the past, each street and alley had a story to tell, each having its own flavor. Different neighborhoods reflected the cultures and beliefs of different people. Due to industrialization, the rise of car dependence, and technological advancement, cities and towns' edges and centers have faded away because of urban sprawl. New communities have emerged far away from the heart of the city. These new communities lack identity, sense of community and suffer problems such as social exclusion. New Urbanism emerged as a reaction to undo and avoid the negative impacts of urban sprawl. This research aims to check which New Urbanism principles are already applied and which can be applied to Panorama El Sherouq neighborhood in El Sherouq City, Egypt. The scope of this paper will focus on the relationship between New Urbanism principles and sense of community. It highlights New Urbanism principles and clarifies sense of community in an analytical example. Finally, this research aims to evaluate the sense of community in Panorama El Sherouq and to achieve a set of recommendations to apply New Urbanism principles to enhance sense of community. © 2013 WIT Press.