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One of the interesting places that I was able to visit in Cairo in 2007 was the Bayt El Suhaymi Area. I've included some links at the bottom of this post which describe this area, and I've borrowed heavily from a post on TourEgypt.net post titled "Bayt el Suhaymi: The House of Suhaymi, Khal el Khalili, Cairo," by Saif Kamel.
Perhaps one of the finest examples of an upper class, private home from 17th century Cairo, the oldest section of this
house was built by Abdel Wahab el Tablawy in 1648 C.E. It was later
purchased in 1796 by Sheikh Ahmed as-Suhaymi, who extended the original
section into neighboring houses that had been built later.
The Bayt El Suhaymi Area was restored in 1997, under the auspices of the Arab Fund
for Economic Development.
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Narrow streets and alleyways create shaded, intimate throughways.
Many rooms of this house feature intricately constructed mashrabeya windows. These allow for a relatively free flow of air within the structure, and protect the privacy the occupants inside while allowing them to look out.
The open courtyard in the center of the house is designed to allow fresh air from outside to ventilate the inner spaces.
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One hall has a high, decorated ceiling which serves a functional purpose for the house.
The height of the hall allows warm air to rise toward the ceiling. The
warm air is then driven out to the exterior by wind currents, which are
harnessed by strategically located wind scoops built into the
walls of the upper level.
This design takes full advantage of the
prevailing breezes in order to circulate cool air into the rest of the
house.
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