A Vision for Future: Analysis of the Prominent Synthesis of Culture and Sustainability in Hassan Fathy Architecture

Abstract

Sustainability in architecture has become a global concern as one of the consequences of energy crisis and the calls for reliance on renewable energy resources. In the last two decades, Arab architecture has been witnessing an increasing interest in sustainability. A large number of attempts were carried out by Arab architects to present truly sustainable design solutions. Yet, most of these attempts have failed to expand the general meaning of sustainable architecture from designing environmentally friendly buildings to architecture incorporating culture and local identity into design process. Ignoring the local cultural peculiarities, while dealing with sustainable architecture in the Arab society, deprives architecture from expressing identity of the local community. The Egyptian leading architect Hassan Fathy, who passed away 25 years ago, has successfully addressed this issue through his work and left a great wealth of buildings that reflect the prominent synthesis of culture and sustainability. These buildings that Fathy designed through his fruitful and distinguished journey include numerous significant lessons for future.

Although a large number of researches and studies were carried out to investigate and analyze Fathy's work, yet the synthesis of sustainability and culture in his work has not been touched. Through focusing on this issue, this paper explores and analyzes the implications of integrating sustainability principles with cultural dimensions in Fathy's work to present an appropriate paradigm of sustainable architecture that engages culture and local identity of the community. This paradigm moves away from universal and absolute technologically based design methodologies to avoid the contradiction with cultural values of the local community. This paradigm is expected to guide architects, researchers, and decision makers in dealing with sustainable architecture in particular localities. To attain this objective, this research will discuss Fathy's thought and principles, in addition to investigate and analyze a number of his distinctive projects in Egypt.