Giza Pyramids Plateau Site Development

 Owner : Supreme Council of

               Antiquities

 Work-scope : Preliminar Design

and Implementation Supervision

Giza Plateau
This project forms a component of an overall strategy to maintain the archaeological and natural heritage of the plateau alike. Another objective is to enhance the quality of the experience of the site visitors, through extrapolation of the formation of the architectural heritage as it was derived from a governing geometric order.The subtle presence of that underlying Geometric Order is manifested in the controlled and codified relationship as envisioned by ancient Egyptians put. A painstaking effort is to be undertaken to decode those rules and to establish and convey sensible and liable understanding. This is to enable entry to the site architectural complex, respecting for the heritage and feeling a cautious harmony. Presenting the knowledge to contemporary generations is of equal importance, in order to raise their awareness of its original form which should be maintained.

The Giza Pyramids World Heritage Site Rehabilitation Plan commenced in January 2009 and comprises a Heritage Plan to conserve both built and natural heritage by; pedestrianizing the Pyramid Precinct and rerouting of all vehicular traffic; relocating structures that severely alter the nature of the heritage site; and relocating all horse-riding and recreation activities from the Pyramid Precinct to the Environs.

A Visitor Plan aims to provide an improved visitor experience, through the provision of; Visitor Information Centre and services; Culture & Children’s Centre ; Environmentally friendly dotto on a special route; Viewing plateaus, “Panoramas”; Walkways at points of high pedestrian traffic; Information & restroom points on the visitor route; Bazaar & Retail outlets at designated areas.

The site is divided into the Pyramid Precinct, that holds most of the Giza monuments, and the Environs, which includes sites of archaeological digs and a buffer zone to protect the core site.

The master plan’s main methodology relied on dividing the site owned by the MSAA as defined by the security fence(s) into zones depending on their significance, asserting preservation and activity guide-lines for each one. Three zones came of out this plan;

• Core Heritage Zone (CHZ); comprising all built heritage and areas under excavation along with areas of the natural landscape that have witnessed significant ancient activity.
• Buffer Zone (BZ) where development and activity may physically and visually affect the CHZ.
• A Transitional Zone (TZ); where development and activity may visually affect the CHZ.

Giza plateau Master plan components:

Site services and administration:
Two service paths for motor-vehicles ring the site, connecting three management sectors.

Environmentally-friendly dotto bus
An SMA-controlled dotto bus will take visitors on a specified route to the different points of interest

Pedestrian paths and walkways
Routes will be marked in all areas open for visitation linking all pyramids, tombs, temples and ruins open for visitation to prevent any undue impact on the site.

Visitor Centre

The visitor centre consists of two buildings that provide two separate secure-entrances for tourists and students.

Sector One: Located near the current Mena House Gate will hold the MSAA Giza offices near the already existing main Giza storage magazine and labs.

Sector Two: Adjacent to the Cairo-Fayoum Gate to the south-west will hold the site engineering department, fire station and police station.

Sector Three: To the south-east of the BZ, will hold the mounted police division for the Giza site. This zone is mostly in the TZ and contains the horse and camel riding activity as well as a bazaar area where the local community sells souvenirs.