Cairo Arcology

"The concept of arcology was developed by in early modern pre-Collapse society, during the . Simply put, it is the fusion of architecture with ecology.

The arcology eliminates wasteful consumption of land, energy and time by putting living, working and public spaces within easy reach of each other, making walking the main form of transportation.

In the wake of the Collapse, the WTO seized upon this highly integrated and compact urban form as a solution to the present toxicity and sprawl that were only exacerbated by the Collapse. Not all WTO enclaves use this architecture, but in the environments that demand safe, sealed and tightly-knit cities have found success with this structure."

- Deus Ex: Invisible War

The Cairo Arcology is a massive man-made structure in Cairo visited by Alex Denton in Deus Ex: Invisible War.

Concept
An Arcology (derived from from Architecture and Ecology) is a theoretical superstructure several hundred meters high and multiple square kilometers wide. This structure would be able to comfortably house large buildings and entire environments within itself, and could provide a comfortable home to populations exceeding tens of thousands of people without requiring any outside assistance or expelling any sort of waste.

Cairo Arcology was most likely produced with and Nanoformers, or some other thin yet extremely resilient material, as other building materials are simply not tough or thin enough to build a structure the size of an Arcology.

Overview
As of 2071, the Arcology is owned by the WTO, so its residents enjoy "The highest standard of living in the World" at the cost of a regulated economy and high taxes. Much like in Seattle, the two halves of Cairo represent a parallel between the upper and lower class; Old Cairo is predominantly low income with almost no law enforcement, so crime runs rampant. Most significantly, Old Cairo suffers from Nanite Swell 11, which gives residents the Gray Death nanovirus. Residents have created several "cures", ranging from respirators to miracle sodas, but most still try to enter the Arcology for their own safety, such as Mina Ameer. There are two known entrances to the Arcology, one inside the Order Mosque and another underneath the Free Helipad in the Medina.

The Knights Templar have an abnormally strong presence among both the residents of the Medina and the Arcology's SSC forces. On Alex Denton's second visit to the Arcology, it has been taken over by the Templars, and the Hallways of the Arcology are now patrolled by armed Templar Paladins and Templar V68A power armor.

Locations

 * Level 110 - Main waiting room for people boarding and disembarking aircraft at the terminals. NG Resonance's manager will be staying here during Alex D's first visit to Cairo.
 * Level 109 - Called the "Arcology Air Terminal" in game, level 109 consists of a Lobby and two Flight Bays, 23 and 24. The receptionist secretly works for the Omar, and will respond to someone saying they "have a friend in common."
 * Flight Bay 23 - Sid Black drops Alex D off here. One repair bot is in the room, and Christopher Ubair is in a room overlooking the flight bay. On Alex D's second visit, all of the surviving non-templar citizens (Leila Nassif, NG Resonance and several unnamed SSC officers) are in Flight Bay 23, at an armistice with the Templars.
 * Flight Bay 24 - Taken over by Templar forces, Bay 24 is guarded by Paladins and an RB-76 on both visits. The first time, it is the location of a safe containing the Codes to the Nanoformer bots on level 107. The second time, Paul Denton's comatose body can be found here, and Dr. Todd will ask Alex for a blood sample.
 * Level 108 - The SSC Guard Station can be found here, along with an elevator leading to the Corporate Suites. Halfway between levels 108 and 107, there is an elevator leading to the Order Mosque. On the second visit to Cairo, the Elevator to Corporate Suites is broken.
 * Level 107 - Location of the Cairo branch of Pequod's, and an elevator entrance to the Tarsus Cairo Academy. A Knights Templar recruiting station is just outside the Tarsus entrance. The Nanoformer Programming Bay can be found in an industrial area under level 107, but this is likely not level 106 as it does not have the architecture of civilian areas. One of the two known entrances to the Arcology is down the Hall from the programming bay. On the second visit to Cairo, the Elevator to the Tarsus Academy has been destroyed in an explosion, and Donna Morgan is holding Klara Sparks hostage in the nanoformer bay.
 * Tarsus Cairo - The most prestigious Tarsus Academy in the world. The headmaster is Silas Archer, and notable students include Eeva Nassif, Jennifer McAllister, Abana Khodair, and possibly Mina Ameer if Alex D breaks in and authorizes her application. It is not known what floor the Academy is on. On the second visit to Cairo, the Academy is inaccessible.
 * Corporate Suites - Location of a secret ApostleCorp lab. Raided by Templars before Alex D arrives, the only survivors are Leila Nassif and the biomodified Security Chief. Alex and Klara Sparks raid the suites, killing all of the Templars. On the second visit to Cairo, this elevator has been destroyed, much like the Tarsus Academy one.

Behind the scenes

 * The Eidos E3 2002 press kit suggests that the Arcology was one of the first locations to be conceptualized and realized in the game (jugding by the use of very early WTO trooper and UI models), though it was revised heavily later in the development cycle. It originally leaned very heavily on large stone blocks, obelisks, and even pharaoh statues, and was much darker than the ultimate version of the Arcology.