الفهرس 
Title : Non- retail activities in the public realm
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Abstract
The urban informal sector is a vibrant section of the urban economy worldwide. It is rapidly a growing factor in the age of contemporary urbanization. There is an urgent need to encourage more research on the crucial segment of the urban informal sector. Many scholars discuss the informal sector focusing on characteristics, magnitude, impact on traffic, building design, etc. However, research on the role of informal sector in shaping the urban space area limited. The basic right of most inhabitants of Egyptian cities of satisfying the need for socialization in public space is ignored. Nevertheless the flourishing of non retail activities combined with the retail activities; which are the two main types of informal practices in the street cannot be ignored. The main intention of this research is to examine the types of informal practices in Cairo’s informal areas in an attempt to understand how people use their city and the activities they want in their neighborhood. This research also aims at classifying the types of informal practices and recognizing whether they offer a solution to a neglected activity or they just use the situation and occupy the space to gain some money. This research attempts to highlight the types of informal practices in the streets of Cairo, specially the flourishing non retail activities that combined with the retail activities, starting to reshape the public spaces.
After the Egyptian revolution in 2011, people took control of many aspects of their lives: including the public realm. The manifestation of this fact is quite palpable in the streets and public spaces of Cairo. The spaces were formally exclusively controlled by the police, yet didn’t fall under the jurisdiction of specific institutions.
The man being is highly adaptable creature. Has the ability to adjust his built environment to satisfy his needs. He can also be adaptable to environmental conditions where he is not able to adjust the physical setting to fulfill his needs. Users of the public spaces show their needs by practicing activities that they see proper even if not permissible or fitting to the space. Examining the inhabitant’s environment, behavior, and physical changes in the attempt to sustain the behavior setting program can give a better understanding of their needs.
This thesis, first, discuss the typology of urban spaces and types of activities in urban public spaces as basic knowledge to design successful public spaces for people. Second, the thesis addresses the effect of temporary and informal activity on the urban spaces, types of the informal uses and the cultural effect on the urban space, showing how informal activity can impact in the public realm by offering services that are neglected by the government. In order to understand how people, use their own cities and why these informal practices are happening everywhere, we need to discuss several main issues regarding the human behavior in public spaces.
An empirical study was conducted to investigate two highly populated informal areas in Greater Cairo and the types of informal practices in them, Waraq, TereetElShwahelandArd El. Imperical study areas relied on multiple methods of data collection including semi structured interviews, behavioral observations, field physical documents and pictures.
By observing peoples’ activities, analyzing them into categories, and connecting them with the surrounding environment, the findings show that non retail activities are considered a main part of the public space. It provides basic activities that are used by all age groups in the unplanned areas. The informal practices take place in the street and in every empty space due to the absence of services offered by the government. These non retail activities combined with the surrounding environment; take place near its users in other related functions such as school, commercial areas, mosques and work stations. The study identified a number of design characteristics of streets, and urban public spaces in general that could help in designing or redesigning the unplanned areas in a proper way that suits the people’s need. The concluding chapter of the thesis summarizes the literature review and the findings of the empirical study. It also discusses implication for the future research.
This thesis suggests looking at informality from the people’s perspective of everyday life. In attempting so, the work shows the importance of informal practices for city functioning. They are not only a vital element for Cairo streetscape’s vitality, but they represent a system of sustainable living for many communities. Moreover, in explaining the connection between formal and informal practices, they are no longer separated but; they rather complement each other in the same process of space production. In examining the formal and informal practices, we need first to identify the important role of urban public spaces in our daily life. Public space is the place where people interact. In order to design usable space for people we need first to study their behavior and how they interact with the surrounding environment.