On January 8, 2026, on a desert 45 kilometers east of Cairo, a giant new city covering an area of 700 square kilometers is unveiling its mysterious veil. Photographer John Blasberg's lens captured for the first time the true face of the core project of Egypt's "Vision 2030" - the dome of Africa's largest mosque piercing the sky, the magnificent Presidential Palace complex, and the commemorative central axis running through the city extending deep into the desert. This new administrative capital, planned to accommodate 6 million people, carries the mission of relieving Cairo's population pressure and reshaping the country's administrative structure. However, due to its "super scale" design and positioning, it has also sparked heated discussions about human settlement temperature and social class disputes.

Landmark of Power Above the Central Axis: The Skeleton and Ambition of a City

The soul of Egypt's new administrative capital lies on the commemorative central axis that runs through the north and south.

At the southern end of the central axis, the largest mosque in Africa, with its pure white dome and towering minaret, supports the spiritual landmark of the entire city; At the northern end are the open People's Park and the massive Presidential Palace complex, where greenery and modern architecture complement each other, injecting vitality into the desert city. The core of the central axis is a giant landscape square capable of accommodating hundreds of thousands of people, surrounded by sharp modernist portal buildings, and some exterior facades are thoughtfully integrated with seating functions. But under the scorching sun of over 35 ℃ in Egypt's midsummer, this open and unobstructed space is more like a symbol of 'visible but not close'.

On both sides of the square are the core of power in Egypt: the three pointed roofed House of Representatives faces the square, the Senate is hidden behind, and several government department buildings are arranged on the left and right, forming the administrative center of the new capital. In addition, the Iconic Tower, the tallest building in Africa, stands tall in the financial district, while the 93000 seat stadium supports the city's sports landscape. As of now, key buildings such as the presidential palace, mosque, and parliament have been completed, and a fully functional administrative new city is rising from the desert.

Super scale controversy: the human settlement dilemma and class debate in the 'City of Giants'

This is immortal, absolutely spectacular. But I have never been to a city that makes me feel so small and insignificant, "John Blasberg's emotion expressed the most vivid controversy of this new city.

According to the plan, the new administrative capital aims to alleviate the pressure of Cairo's over 20 million population, but its design goes against the principle of "pedestrian friendliness" - walking from one end of the People's Park to the other takes a straight distance of 5 kilometers and takes a full hour to walk; There are few sunshade facilities in the city, and in hot weather, outdoor walking is more like an "extreme challenge". The design of this city did not take into account human scale, "Blasberg bluntly stated.

The greater controversy lies in its hierarchical nature of positioning. This new city was born after the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, with the original intention of relocating government agencies out of the core area of Cairo. However, due to its high-end planning and supporting facilities, it has been criticized by the outside world as a "castle in the air serving the upper class". Unlike the crowded and bustling old city of Cairo, the streets of the new capital are wide and tidy, and the buildings are grand and magnificent, but it is difficult to find the presence of ordinary people.

From Bras í lia to Canberra, there are many cases of specially built administrative capitals around the world. Will this desert city in Egypt become a model for solving the dilemma of the old city, or will it become a "giant landmark" lacking warmth。Editor/Bian Wenjun