From Controversy to Value: The Saudi and Egyptian Engineer Between Heritage and Modernization
✧ In an era where the question is shifting from “Who built the most?” to “Who built the best?”, a long-standing debate resurfaces regarding the roles of Egyptian and Saudi engineers in the architectural renaissance of the Gulf. A trending discussion on X (formerly Twitter) has opened a digital gateway to a rich history of partnership, competition, and at times, rivalry.
A Bird’s-Eye View: Overpasses in Neighborhoods and Featureless Maps
A viral post showed an overpass cutting through a residential district in Cairo, sparking a flood of comparisons between Egyptian and Saudi projects in terms of planning and infrastructure. What was often overlooked is that such projects in Egypt are the result of top-down decisions made under the pressure of a booming population—now over 106 million as of 2024—without a planning framework capable of absorbing such explosive growth.
In contrast, images of Riyadh post-1980 reveal a city steadily advancing towards order, leveraging modern urban surveying technologies and architectural governance. The difference lies not just in the structures themselves, but in the compass guiding decision-making.
Discover more about urban planning
Engineering as an Educational Product: Quality Over Quantity
According to the Egyptian Engineers Syndicate, over 45,000 engineers graduate from Egyptian universities each year, compared to fewer than 10,000 Saudi engineers annually (per the Saudi General Authority for Statistics). This numerical gap has tangible effects: Egyptian colleges are overwhelmed by tens of thousands of students, while Saudi institutions have evolved into research and development hubs, offering specialized training and international scholarships for mega-projects.
From Concrete to Innovation: The Engineer’s Role in Saudi Transformation
From NEOM to The Line, Qiddiya to Sakaka, Saudi Arabia now stands on the brink of unprecedented engineering leaps. Over 1.2 trillion SAR in urban projects were announced between 2021 and 2024, according to the Ministry of Investment, with global firms participating—but also a new generation of Saudi engineers, many returning from top universities like MIT and ETH Zurich.
While some critics dismiss these advances as “imported,” the reality is that Saudi engineers are now project managers, lead designers, and strategic consultants. They are not alone, but their presence is influential, not subordinate.
The Egyptian Engineer’s Contribution: A History to Update, Not Erase
The Gulf’s architectural boom did not begin without Egyptian engineers. In the 1960s, Egyptians helped build the first ports, airports, and housing projects in Riyadh, Dammam, and Doha. Egypt exported engineers as it exported cotton: with expertise, discipline, and skill. But this phase was tied to a human resources gap that has since narrowed as Gulf education expanded.
Today, Egyptian engineers are still present, albeit in different roles—often in contracting or operational positions. While Egyptian engineers remain skilled, bureaucratic educational environments and an oversaturated graduate market have made the shift to quality more challenging.
Architecture Speaks a New Language
Engineering today is not just about columns and roofs, but about Building Information Modeling (BIM), parametric design, sustainability, data analysis, and digital twins. All these fields require flexible educational environments, massive investment, and modern licensing systems. Supported by government initiatives, Saudi engineers have gained access to all this in the past decade.
Meanwhile, in Egypt, technical institutes still teach AutoCAD as if it were the pinnacle of progress. This is not a criticism of capabilities, but a reflection of the gap between potential and ambition.
Read about design and innovation
Is the Debate About Engineers or Systems?
The real debate should not be “Saudi vs. Egyptian,” but rather between two systems. One chose to invest in human capital; the other is burdened by population and administrative complexity. One has transformed the engineer into a developer; the other has left engineers caught between union formalities and a struggling job market.
Conclusion: Who Really Built?
Perhaps the Egyptian engineer helped build Riyadh’s first airport, but today, the Saudi engineer is helping plan the world’s largest airport in NEOM. The difference is not in nationality, but in the institutional transformation that has elevated the engineer from executor to intellectual asset.
As cities move towards the age of artificial intelligence and infrastructure becomes a mirror of identity, the real question is not: Who built more? But rather: Who built deeper, smarter, and with greater precision?
Editor-in-Chief’s Note:
“The apparent conflict on social media conceals an architectural truth: modern architecture is no longer a battle of building walls, but of shaping them intelligently. While some argue over the past, Saudi Arabia is crafting an architectural future that rivals dreams—because here, the engineer is no longer just an employee, but a thinker.”
