By HASSAN FATHY

Egyptian Architect(1900 – 1989)

Designed 160 separate projects from modest country retreats to

fully planned communities, markets, schools, theatres, places for worship

and for recreation.

Architectural perspectives

• Ancient design methods and materials• Utilizing a knowledge of rural Egyptian

economic situation• Space design suitable to surrounding environ-

ment• Low cost construction without using R.C.C and

steel• Training locals to build ones own house

Design elements

• Mud brick (Adobe) walls• Thick walls• Wind-catcher and Qanat• Decorative screens• Building orientation and placement of

windows • Domes and Vaulted roofs• Courtyard

Gourna mosque

The elevation

Plan And Sectional elevation

Guma Mosque, Gourna

Screens in Window

Vaulted roof at Gourna Theatre

Ventilation system -Kharga Market -

Overall understanding• Mud brick – Low heat radiation, low cost, availability• Thick wall – high insulation• Small windows not facing the sun.• Windcatcher – Air circulation, a pressure gradient used

to get away with the hot air.• Qanat – Used with windcatcher to cool the interior air

by deep cut canal in the floor filled with water.• Screens – Restrict glare of light • No use of R.C.C and Steel for high heat radiation• Courtyard with partial greenery to screen dust and

sand in the prevailing wind.

Design Phillosophy

• Low cost construction• Usage of local materials and vernacular architecture• Training of local people in construction to reduce labor

cost• Against western techniques and ‘Matcbox houses’• Design development with energy conservation

technique, Study of temperature and wind patterns.• Passive cooling

Developed by

1. Misba.2. Saba.3. Kalyani.4. Suman.

Thank You !!!