Fathy, Hassan

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Fathy, Hassan (1900–89). Egyptian architect. He used traditional materials, means of construction, and vernacular styles in his search for an inexpensive architecture for the poor. At New Gourna, Luxor (from 1945), he created a model village made of sun-dried bricks, and exploited traditional methods to encourage the natural convection of cool air. He founded the International Institute for Appropriate Technology, Cairo (1977), intended to develop his ideas. His writings include Architecture for the Poor (1973) and Natural Energy and Vernacular Architecture (1986), and his individual dwellings include the Said (1945), Stopplaere (1952), Riad (1967), and Samy (1979) houses outside Cairo. He also designed the Presidential Rest-House, Gharf Hussain (1981), and the Greiss house, Abu Sier (1984).

Bibliography

Hezel (1993);
J. M. Richards et al. (1985);
Steele (ed.) (1994a, 1997)