Exile in Greece: Hassan Fathy in Athens

By Abdel-moniem El-Shorbagy

In 1957 the Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy left Egypt for five years, going to Greece when Constantinos A. Doxiadis asked him to join his organisation in Athens. Although Fathy was recognised as a proponent of nationalistic attitudes, he left Egypt at the time when it had just achieved its independence and when the British occupation had ended. Fathy justified his move to Greece as an opportunity to achieve more professional freedom elsewhere. Frustrated in his efforts to build in Egypt, he believed that it was more influential to build than to teach and that a building anywhere in the world, “would speak louder than lectures; and that if some completed project attracted international attention, it would eventually have an effect on Egypt”.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookRix
• Release date: Feb 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9783743895737

Book preview

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EXILE IN GREECE

Hassan Fathy in Athens

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Hassan Fathy (1900 - 1989)

Dedication

To my wife, five children and extended family

Content

Introduction

Chapter 1 Greece: A New Beginning (1957 -1962)

Chapter 2 City of the Future

Chapter 3 International Projects

Conclusion

Appendix 1 Chronology of Fathy’s Life and Career

Appendix 2 Awards, Affiliations, Conferences

Appendix 3 Glossary

List of Illustration

Bibliography

Introduction

In 1957 Fathy left Egypt for five years, going to Greece when Constantinos A. Doxiadis asked him to join his organisation in Athens. Although Fathy was recognised as a proponent of nationalistic attitudes, he left Egypt at the time when it had just achieved its independence and when the British occupation had ended. Fathy justified his move to Greece as an opportunity to achieve more professional freedom elsewhere. Frustrated in his efforts to build in Egypt, he believed that it was more influential to build than to teach and that a building anywhere in the world, would speak louder than lectures; and that if some completed project attracted international attention, it would eventually have an effect on Egypt.

Constantinos A. Doxiadis (1913-1975) was president and chairman of Doxiadis Association International (fig.1), chairman of the Athens Technological Organisation and president of the Athens Centre of Ekistics. He also was consultant on Development and Ekistics, with headquarters in Athens and offices in thirty-six countries. He was responsible for planning and designing a great number of settlements and other large-scale development projects, including urban renewal, housing, development of new cities, industrial settlements, commerce and tourism and communication and transportation. Doxiadis lectured extensively at universities in Europe and the United States. He also participated in numerous international conferences on urban problems and housing.

 Fig.1. Constantinos A. Doxiadis (1913-1975)

Chapter 1

GREECE: A NEW BEGINNING

(1957 -1962)

The concept of ‘ekistics’ has been defined by Doxiadis as the science of human settlements. This term was coined by Doxiadis from the Greek words "oikos (home) and oikõ" (settling down), in his lectures of 1942 at the Athens Technical University. Ekistics regards the human settlement as a living organism ruled by its own laws. Doxiadis believed that an interdisciplinary approach was necessary to study the evolution of human settlements from the most primitive phase to megalopolis and Ecumenopolis (city of the future). Doxiadis argued that houses should be built by the people because it is