Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Engineering - Department of Architecture Engineering

Real estate is one of the most important sectors, in Egypt, contributing to economic growth and affecting more than 90 industries related to construction. It is considered a labor-intensive sector as it accommodates at least 8% of the total labor forceThe value of real estate investments in Egypt has witnessed continuous increases since 2001/02 when it recorded EGP 7.9 billion reaching about EGP 31.8 billion in 2012/2013 with 27.5% growth rate. The investments of the private sector have always represented the highest share of the total activities with a percentage amounted to 98% in 2012/2013. During the last two decades, Egypt witnessed a new pattern of urban development, namely 2Gated Communities3, which had been growing rapidly in newly developed cities in Egypt. The phenomena of gated communities which increased as a result of globalization, have become an important trend for both the real-estate industry and the prospective homebuyer. Such gated communities create exclusive zones for the wealthy to satisfy their desire of enjoying a better quality of life. Most commonly, a gated community is considered to be a residential area that is enclosed by walls, fences, or landscaping which, provide a physical barrier to entry. Walling the residential communities is done in order to control private spaces, streets and open areas. In Egypt, The expansion of gated communities began in the early 1980s along the beaches of the Northwest coast as holiday villages. Gated tourist villages spread along the coast of the Red Sea and the beaches of Sinai. The concept of gated communities is a new urban trend that grows fast in the new towns around Cairo. Living in private enclosed compounds has recently been associated with a distinctive and elite lifestyle.

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