Still in use, and well cared for, are a series of modest private residences shaped by his profound understanding of vernacular design. Doc hassan fathy and traditionalvernacular architecture. Hassan fathy was an egyptian architect, artist, and poet who had a tremendous impact on generations of architects and planners. Hassan fathy 19001989 is a household name to architects for one book he wrote about one project. This unique and traditional architectural features were the reason for creating new vocabulary of architecture in the time where lots of technology and. See more ideas about vernacular architecture, architecture and building design. Vernacular buildings are typically simple and practical, whether residential houses or built for other purposes. Hassan fathy is the middle easts father of sustainable architecture posted on february 26, 2010 by tafline laylin in architecture with 65 comments hassan fathy, an egyptian architect saw the value of natural building long before it became a fad in the west. The reference to nubia was already clear in his project for the hamed said house, built a year later in the cairene suburb of almarg, evolving into a paradigm in his. Hassan fathy devoted himself to housing the poor in developing nations and deserves study by anyone involved in rural improvement. Architect hassan fathy writer of architecture of the poor his work, his books, his philosophy. The use of earth in the architecture of hassan fathy and fabrizio. He primarily applied a working knowledge of ancient.
However, when one looks at the photographs of his works, they do not look like modern architecture but traditional, moreover vernacular, buildings. Hassan fathy and traditionalvernacular architecture. Domed architecture in upper egypt is funerary, not residentialdomestic, hence. He was an egyptian architect, artist and poet who had a lifelong commitment to architecture in the muslim world. Vernacular architecture is architecture characterised by the use of local materials and knowledge, usually without the supervision of professional architects. Hassan fathys prototype for mass housing in egypt attracted international. This first dedicated and cohesive book on egyptian architect hassan fathy 190089 compiles an rich amount of diverse material on the modernist architect known for his work developing traditional arab architecture alongside principles of modernism. Collections architects archives hassan fathy archnet. Vernacular architecture is climatically responsive. His book construire avec le peuple, 1972 to build with the people, published in 1973 as architecture for the poor, title given by university of chicago press, triggered a. In 1946 hassan fathy, egypts green architect, built a model village near luxor called new gourna out of mud.
His major contributions were to socalled vernacular architecture which, inspired by traditional nubian and islamic materials and styles, urged. His visits to neighborhoods where the public monies were being spent were revealed to him as modern, expensive housing that also would be nearly impossible for its new, poor, inhabitants to maintain. He worked to reestablish the use of traditional building methods and materials. His major contributions were to socalled vernacular architecture which, inspired by traditional nubian and islamic materials and styles, urged an approach to the built environment that was economically and ecologically sustainable and responded to contextual needs of the. Hassan fathy, an egyptian architect saw the value of natural building. Principles and examples with reference to hot arid climates by hassan fathy, walter shearer, et al. The use of earth in the architecture of hassan fathy and. Responsiveness of vernacular architecture to the climate one of the most significant influences on vernacular architecture is the macro climate of the area in which the building is constructed. In order to protect the monuments from theft, the egyptian government commissioned hassan fathy in the 1940s. Climate responsive design is based on the way a building form and structure moderates. He built thick brick walls and traditional courtyards, which both supported cultural values and created passive cooling see design above, and enlisted the villagers as builders of their own homes. Hassan fathys new gourna model village lies shambles. Experimental and unorthodox as his ideas were, more than twothirds of his projects were.
Before it was fashionable or even fathomable, he was championing earth architecture in the. Influence of climate on vernacular architecture roof. See more ideas about vernacular architecture, architecture and islamic architecture. But hassan fathy began this real life story as a young civil servant in the municipal buildings offices. Domed architecture in upper egypt is funerary, not residentialdomestic, hence the refusal of such form by villagers. Directly or indirectly, his work inspired many young architects in the muslim world and led to a host of fascinating. Fathy cared more about improving the standard of living for the people he served than he did about fancy building materials and technology. Fathy discovered nubian vernacular architecture and the significance of the vault in egyptian history during a trip to aswan, visiting archaeological sites with students in 1941. An egyptian architect who devoted himself to housing the poor indeveloping nations. Introduction hassan fathy was born in egypt in 1899. Hassan fathy march 23, 1900 november 30, 1989, egyptian arabic.
Pdf on jan 1, 2014, ismail serageldin and others published hassan fathy. You must start from the beginning, letting your new buildings grow from the daily lives of the people who will live in them, shaping the houses to the measure of peoples songs, weaving the pattern. As an intellectual, writer, humanist, architect and scientist, he. Climate responsive design is based on the way a building form and structure moderates the climate. Hassan fathy is the middle easts father of sustainable architecture green prophet the most beautiful mosques in america. Hassan fathy is the middle easts father of sustainable.
Hassan fathy 19001989 was an egyptian architect and engineer who has been credited with bringing the vernacular architecture of egypt to a wider. The substantial volume combines previously unpublished drawings, personal letters, interviews and photography unfolding the story of. Environment and architecture hassan fathy equipo bonsai. Hassan fathy 19001989 was among the most important architects of africa and the middle east. In contrast hassan fathy, who has spoken more forcefully than any other on the beatify of the vernacular and the importance of tradition, states. Cities for tomorrow 2015 social infrastructure with bjarke ingels duration. Fathy worked to create an indigenous environment at a minimal cost, and in so doing to improve the economy and the standard of living in rural areas. Using mud bricks, the native technique that fathy learned in nubia, and such traditional egyptian architectural designs as enclosed courtyards and vaulted roofing, fathy worked with the villagers.
But what happened to this stunning dar arsalam community, egypt, by architect hassan fathy. Hassan fathy was a noted egyptian architect who pioneered appropriate technologies for buildings in egypt. Fathy discovered nubian vernacular architecture and the significance of the vault in egyptian history during a trip to aswan, visiting. Just like the great master of western architecture, frank lloyd wright, hassan fathy s genius was initially appreciated mostly by an intellectual. Vernacular nubian architecture is the result of lots of environmental, social and cultural aspects and economic values. See more ideas about vernacular architecture, building design and architecture. Hassan fathy egyptian vernacular architecture youtube. See more ideas about vernacular architecture, architecture and egypt. He embraced traditional, vernacular forms, techniques, materials and throughout his career promoted their use as part of a campaign to improve the conditions of egypts rural poor. Hassan fathy is egypts bestknown 20thcentury architect. Works of hassan fathy, egyptian vernacular architect. Pdf natural energy in vernacular architecture 2009.
Gourna, a vernacular village in upper egypt was built above the pharonic heritage site. In his lifetime he designed more than thirty projects including several villages for the poor. This book will be essential reading for students, academics and general readers interested in fathy, and the development of arab and vernacular architecture, earth construction, architecture for the poor and sustainability. Hassan fathy 19001989 was an egyptian architect and engineer who has been credited with bringing the vernacular architecture of egypt to a wider audience, and for putting neglected traditional building systems to work for the poor. An indispensable architect in the history of modern islamic architecture is the egyptian hassan fathy 1900 89. This beautiful, fascinating, and scholarly book will be essential reading for students, academics, and general readers interested in fathy, and the development of arab and vernacular architecture. He established a privatepractice in cairo where he also worked as professor of fine arts andhead of the architectural school, at the university of cairo. He embraced traditional, vernacular forms, techniques and materials and throughout his career promoted their use as part of a campaign to improve the conditions of egypts rural poor. Vernacular architecture hassan fathy, an egyptian architect, has taught on the faculty of fine arts in cairo and served as head of its architectural section. You must start from the beginning, letting your new buildings grow from the daily lives of the people who will live in them, shaping the houses to the measure of peoples songs, weaving the pattern of a village as if on the village looms, mindful of the trees and the crafts that grow there, respectful of the skylines and humble before the seasons.
Hassan fathys is a name that is instantly recognisable among arab architects and conjures up idyllic images of handsmoothed walls and domes covered in adobe, nestled in a verdant countryside while pigeons swoop overhead. New gourna was a housing project masterminded by hassan fathy with the objective of rehousing the seven thousand people of gourna, a village built on the site of the tomb of the nobles, part of the ancient cemetery of thebes now luxor, egypt. He designed houses to meet the needs of the families living in them. Undoubtedly, the similarity in methods of design of both fathy and the founders of the modern movement, were not acknowledged because they had worked in different contexts. His major contributions were to socalled vernacular architecture which, inspired by traditional nubian and islamic materials and styles, urged an approach to the built environment that was economically. Egypts visionary architect 9 it is somewhat ironic that hassan fathy, whose name is so closely associated with architecture for the poor, built much for wealthy patrons.
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