Hassan Fathy (1899-1989), noted Egyptian architect, pioneered appropriate technology for building in Egypt, especially by working to re-establish the use of mud brick (or adobe).

Fathy trained as an architect in Egypt, graduating in 1926 from the University of King Fuad I (now the University of Cairo). He designed his first mud brick buildings in the late 1930s. He held several government positions and was appointed head of the Architectural Section of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Cairo, in 1954.

Fathy was recognized with the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1980.

Fathy utilized ancient design methods and materials. He integrated a knowledge of the rural Egyptian economic situation with a wide knowledge of ancient architectural and town design techniques. He trained local inhabitants to make their own materials and build their own buildings.

Climatic conditions, public health considerations, and ancient craft skills also affected his design decisions. Based on the structural massing of ancient buildings, Fathy incorporated dense brick walls and traditional courtyard forms to provide passive cooling.

Sources

Hassan Fathy. Architecture for the Poor : An Experiment in Rural Egypt. University of Chicago Press, March 1976. ISBN:0226239160 Find it at amazon.com

Hassan Fathy, Walter Shearer (Editor). Natural Energy and Vernacular Architecture : Principles and Examples, With Reference to Hot Arid Climates. University of Chicago Press, September 1986. ISBN:0226239179 Find it at amazon.com

James Steele. An Architecture for People : The Complete Works of Hassan Fathy. Whitney Library of Design, October 1997. ISBN:0823002268 Find it at amazon.com

External link(s)

Biography and images of Fathy's architecture