Main building demolished at Darb 1718 cultural center

Authorities broke and confiscated equipment, devices and artwork stored in the main building at Darb 1718 cultural center on Tuesday morning, said founder Moataz Nasr. 

The headquarters of the Fustat workshops were also demolished, he said. 

Darb 1718 was chalked for redevelopment in September. But speaking to Mada Masr, Nasr claimed that the Old Cairo district authorities said the process could be stopped and the main building preserved. Mada Masr reached out to the district authority’s offices for comment, but received no response as of publication time. 

While workers were away on vacation, Nasr said, a group led by the head of the Old Cairo neighborhood broke the locks at the Darb 1718 main headquarters and emptied the premises, before demolishing the building. The founder noted he does not yet know where the confiscated items are.

Several neighboring buildings, including the Fakharin pottery factory, were demolished in September, and work to demolish the center’s headquarters also began.

Yet soon after, said Nasr, the district’s head made promises to preserve the cultural center. “They paved the street behind us and seemed done with everything,” he said.

By the time of the presidential elections in December, the district authorities asked Nasr to postpone discussing what would happen to the center until after the elections. 

Demolitions resumed on Tuesday with no warning, the founder said.

Darb 1718 is situated in a complex of buildings, housing a variety of arts and craft projects: pottery manufacturers, workshops for sculptures, jewelry, ceramics, glass and metal work, and art foundations.

In summer of last year, Nasr launched a call to save the center after the Old Cairo district decided to demolish the three main buildings in the complex, as well as part of its garden, in order to expand the road leading to the Museum of Civilization.

Nasr filed a lawsuit with the State Council, suing the prime minister, the local development minister, the governor of Cairo and the head of the Old Cairo district for their failure to send official notification of the demolition plans to the building owners.