Hassan Fathy

Hassan Fathy was an Egyptian architect who devoted himself to housing the poor in developing nations and to using traditional building techniques. He was also a teacher, poet, artist, and inventor. He studied at the King Fuad University (now Cairo University) and graduated in 1926. He was influenced by the ancient Egyptian and Islamic architecture, as well as the rural and vernacular traditions. He advocated for the use of mudbrick and adobe as cheap, durable, and environmentally friendly materials. He also trained local inhabitants to make their own materials and build their own buildings. He designed nearly 160 projects, ranging from modest country houses to fully planned communities. Some of his most notable works include New Gourna Village, New Baris Village, Hamdi Seif al-Nasr House, and the Institute of Public Health in Giza. He also wrote several books, such as Architecture for the Poor, Natural Energy and Vernacular Architecture, and Gourna: A Tale of Two Villages. He received many awards and honors, such as the Aga Khan Chairman’s Award for Architecture, the Balzan Prize, the Right Livelihood Award, and the UIA Gold Medal. He died in 1989 in Cairo, leaving behind a legacy of humanistic and sustainable architecture.