Friends, Colleagues — my upcoming lecture at the American University in Sharjah. It would be great to see you there. Jan 14, 5pm. Link in bio. https://t.co/hU3TixsHDD

Ever wondered about the sustainability, or lack thereof, of giga projects in the Gulf? Look no further. My latest piece for Arabian Gulf Business Insight

Coming soon a website to accompany my upcoming book “My Cairo” (AUC Press). https://t.co/4KCm9VGb8d

By imagining a world that cannot exist, it reveals what must change in the one that does. If the project helped shift the kingdom’s urban imagination from the static sprawl of the 20th century toward denser, more sustainable models, then its purpose has already been fulfilled.

The energy that The Line unleashed – among architects, planners, and young Saudis who, for the first time, saw their country at the forefront of innovation – cannot be measured in financial return alone. @yasser09

The Line was never merely a construction project; it was a statement of intent. Emerging from the earliest years of Saudi Vision 2030, it sought to announce that Saudi Arabia’s future would be measured not only in barrels of oil but in ideas. @yasser09

Across Riyadh, programs of “humanization” are introducing shaded walkways, public parks, and urban greenery. In Al-Ula and Diriyah heritage is being reinterpreted not as nostalgia but as a living urban fabric. @yasser09

To live in The Line was to inhabit a diagram – a place of perfect geometry but uncertain humanity. Without streets, plazas, and other informal spaces where life unfolds, could it ever become a true city? @yasser09

What once stood as the purest expression of the kingdom’s ambition has, in recent months, been dramatically curtailed. Only a fraction of The Line may ever be built. @yasser09

This week's Nashra Picks features Fahad Bishara's book @ucpress, selected analyses by @NicolasParasie @AlexDooler @DNair5 @pogkas @JeanLoupSamaan @yasser09 @SaidBakr_, and podcasts @thmanyah @Ojeraisy @DrTHarigi @ArabCastAE @JamalAlMullaa @TurkiAldakhil

My latest article for @GulfStatesInst on Saudi Arabia’s scaling back of The Line — have we reached the end of the line? https://t.co/FLz8vFYDeF

… growing up and navigating this marvelous, crazy city., where I explore among many other things what home means for those living in perpetual exile. To be published in 2027! Stay tuned. 2/

After working on this project for more than a year I have finally signed a contract with AUC Press who will publish “MY CAIRO. Stories of Belonging and Everyday Life in the City.” It is a book that is closest to my heart, a true labor of love, containing my memories … 1/

A Museum for the World, But Not for Cairo: Egypt’s new Grand Egyptian Museum stands as a breathtaking monument to the nation’s ancient glory — but in reaching for the world’s gaze, it has turned its back on the city that once held its soul

My latest piece for @AGBInsight discussing the opening of Cairo’s GEM 1/ https://t.co/7nWKmcAhnp

A Museum for the World, But Not for Cairo: Egypt’s new Grand Egyptian Museum stands as a breathtaking monument to the nation’s ancient glory — but in reaching for the world’s gaze, it has turned its back on the city that once held its soul. 2/

My latest article for Urbanet on the merits, or lack thereof, of purpose-built cities

He added that Asian investors are especially important for the region, with those from Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia investing across the Gulf, as they seek "stable, high-yield markets and long-term access." 5/

Given their remoteness, few Saudis are likely to live there permanently, making foreign investors and visitors essential." 4/

non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute and adjunct professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. " 3/