Descendants: Hassan Fathy's Followers

By Abdel-moniem El-Shorbagy

Hassan Fathy's (1900-1989) ideas and philosophy opened opportunities and became a source of inspiration for architects to recognize and appreciate their traditional architecture. The response to Fathy’s approach from architects in the Developing World differed from that of Western architects. When Fathy’s architecture began to be widely known from the 1970s onward, these architects were influenced by his works, not only because of their links to the vernacular, but also because of their associations with Islamic architecture. The common response of these architects to Fathy’s architecture was that they regarded his buildings as prototypes for the contemporary Islamic architecture of the Middle East as his traditional forms and techniques epitomize their national and regional features. On the other hand, the response of Western architects to Fathy’s architecture and ideas varied. While some architects admired the new possibilities of building domes and vaults with a primitive material such as mud, others were inspired by Fathy’s philosophy and his humanistic approach. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookRix
• Release date: Jun 26, 2020
• ISBN: 9783748747413

Book preview

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Descendants

Hassan Fathy’s Followers

Dedication

To my wife, five children, and extended family

Contents

 Acknowledgment

Introduction

Chapter 1 Traditional Forms, Materials, and Methods of Construction

Chapter 2 Urban Planning Approach

Chapter 3 Principles of Architecture: Modernity and Tradition

Chapter 4 The Formalists: The Copiers of Forms

Conclusion

Appendix 1 Chronology of Fathy’s Life and Career

Appendix 2 Awards, Affiliations

Conference sand Competitions

Appendix 3 Glossary

Images Credit

Bibliography

Acknowledgments

I owe more than mere thanks can express to my dear wife Mervat El-shafie, who had to listen patiently to endless discussions on Hassan Fathy – thank you for your love, insight, and faith. 

Introduction

The late Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy (1900-1989) devoted all his career-life for solving the problem of housing the poor, specifically in developing countries and rural environments. His primary aim was to improve the living conditions of the poor by training them on using their local building materials in constructing their dwellings. Through his designs and his writings, Fathy influenced a younger generation of architects in Egypt and worldwide. His ideas and philosophy opened opportunities and became a source of inspiration for architects to recognize and appreciate their traditional architecture. The response to Fathy’s approach from architects in the Developing World differed from that of Western architects. Between the 1940s and the 1960s, most of the Developing World’s countries, especially Muslim nations, were obtaining their independence after a long period of colonization. As a result of the uncertainties created by the introduction of modernism, architects began to search for national identity. When Fathy’s architecture began to be widely known from the 1970s onward, these architects were influenced by his works, not only because of their links to the vernacular, but also because of their associations with Islamic architecture.

The common response of these architects to Fathy’s architecture was that they regarded his buildings as prototypes for the contemporary Islamic architecture of the Middle East as his traditional forms and techniques epitomize their national and regional features. Fariborz Atapour argued that Fathy was vital in motivating architects to appreciate the God-given values of the past. He also believed that Fathy showed Muslim architects how to preserve the monuments of their ancient civilizations, as well as to fulfill that yearning for harmony and beauty which represents the essence of their Islamic culture, and which neither the conquerors of the East nor of the West have been able to destroy. Like Atapour, Hassan-Uddin Khan argues that Fathy is a reminder to us… that what is valuable is looking at our own places and at who we are… But we need to look at him with our eyes open.

On the other hand, the response of Western architects to Fathy’s architecture and ideas varied. While some architects admired the new possibilities of building domes and vaults with a primitive material such as mud, others were inspired by Fathy’s philosophy and his humanistic approach. Mimi Lobell argues that Fathy’s experiments in New Gourna "show us by example, what architecture should be for us all. We all have a right to expect the buildings we live in to respond to all aspects of