ARCHITECTURE FOR HUMANITYArchitectural Design Approaches of Hassan Fathy and YB Mangunwijaya

Architects’

Background

Works and Awards

Theoretical Approaches

Case Studies:

Comparative Analysi

s

Summary and

Conclusion

Introduction and

Objectives

ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK

“Everyone, rich or poor…deserves a shelter for the soul” Samuel Mockbee, Architecture of Decency, 2004

INTRODUCTION

This study presents the architectural approaches of the two most important figures in the built environment thatchampioned a generation of creative design carried out in the service of the greater public and humanity. Theirtheoretical, philosophical and design praxis has expanded architectural design as an active social activism, andhas been regarded as remarkably important and generative.

It is an honor for us to analyze and present the architectural design methodologies of both the late Hassan Fathyand the late YB Mangunwijaya . We hope this study will benefit in the betterment of architectural knowledgeand the built environment.

OBJECTIVES

1. To analyze and understand the thinking and theoretical approaches of both architects.

2. To learn from their past experiences of exemplary works, and try to abstract their approaches in order tocreate a more reflexive and responsive design methods in our academic progression and experience.

3. To outline the similarities and differences of their approaches in responding to architectural andcontextual needs.

4. To understand the established mechanism of design and implementation process of these two greatarchitects.

ARCHITECTS’ BACKGROUND

HASSAN FATHY(Alexandria, Egypt, 23 March 1900 - Cairo, Egypt, 30 November 1989)

Education:• University of Cairo, Egypt (1926)

Professional Activities:• Architect/ Engineer• Writer• Lecturer• Musician and Dramatist

Teaching Experiences:• University of Cairo, Egypt

Other Affiliations/ Activities:• Steering Committee, Aga Khan Award for Architecture• Founder of Institute of Appropriate Technology• Member of the High Council of Arts and Letters, Egypt• Honorary Fellow, American Research Centre, Egypt • Honorary Fellow, American Institute of Architecture

Source: wikipedia.org

WORKS BY HASSAN FATHY

Hassan Fathy is noted for pioneering the use of appropriate technology for building in Egypt. His works mostly re-establish the use of adobe/ mud brick and other traditional system as opposed to Western’s concepts and systems.

Fathy has build more than 100 projects both in his hometown, Egypt as well as internationally. Some of his mostimportant architectural works are:

1. New Gourna Village, Egypt

2. Arab Refugee Housing, Palestine

3. Hamdi Seif al-Nasr House, Egypt4. Iraq Housing Programme, Iraq5. New Baris Village, Egypt6. Nile Festival Village, Egypt7. Polk House, USA8. Roxbury Mosque, USA9. Sudan Conference Centre and Mosque, Sudan10. Wehda Mosque and Islamic Centre, Egypt

Fathy’s experience in designing and building the New Gourna Village extended his effort in building for the poor bypublishing a very influential book titled Architecture For The Poor (1973).

Fathy also serve as a delegated consultant for the United Nations Refugee World Assistance, as well as consultantfor other institutions and international aid agencies.

AWARDS RECEIVED BY HASSAN FATHY

1959Encouragement Prize forFine Arts and Gold Medal

1967National Prize forFine Arts andRepublic Decoration

1980Chairman’s Award,Aga Khan Award for Architecture

1980Right Livelihood Award

1980Balzan Prize forArchitecture and UrbanPlanning

1984Gold Medal for UnionInternationale desArchitectes

Project Name: New Gourna Village, EgyptProject Type: Housing Development, New Town PlanningUsage: Residential, Urban Design and Development

The idea for the village was launched by the EgyptianDepartment of Antiquities as a potentially cost-effectivesolution to the problem of relocating an entire entrenchedcommunity of entrepreneurial excavators that had establisheditself over the royal necropolis in Luxor, Egypt.

The Village was meant to be a prototype but rather thansubscribing to the current idea of using a limited number ofunit types, Fathy took the unprecedented approach of seekingto satisfy the individual needs of each family in the design.

In his book Architecture For The Poor,Fathy justified his decision to build eachhouses in New Gourna unique and differentby quoting;

“In nature, no two men are alike. Even ifthey are twins and physically identical, theywill differ in their dreams. The architectureof the house emerges from the dream; thisis why in villages built by their inhabitantswe will find no two houses identical”.

Source: Architecture For The Poor, 1973

Source: archnet.org

ARCHITECTS’ BACKGROUND

YUSUF BILYARTA MANGUNWIJAYA(Ambarawa, Central Java, 6 May 1929 - Jakarta,Indonesia, 10 February 1999)

Education:• Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia (1959)• Rheinisch Westfaelische Technische Hochschule, Germany (1960-1966)• Fellow Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies, USA (1978)

Professional Activities:• Architect• Writer• Catholic Religious Leader• Lecturer/ Teacher

Teaching Experiences:• Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia• Initiated the Elementary Education Dynamics Foundation for SD Kanisius Mangunan, Indonesia

Other Affiliations/ Activities:• Humanitarian Activist

Source: wikipedia.org

WORKS BY YB MANGUNWIJAYA

Mangunwijaya has always been regarded as Indonesia’s Father of Modern Architecture and his interests and workswere mainly associated with his sympathy towards the poor and marginal community as well as religious buildingcomplexes.

Some of his most important architectural works are:

1. Pemukiman Warga Tepi Kali Chode, Yogyakarta

2. Kompleks Religi Sendangsono, Yogyakarta

3. Gedung Keuskupan Agung Semarang

4. Gedung Bentara Budaya, Jakarta

5. Gereja Katolik Jetis, Yogyakarta

6. Gereja Katolik Cilincing, Jakarta

7. Markas Kowihan II

8. Biara Trappist Gedono, Salatiga, Semarang

9. Gereja Maria Assumpta, Klaten

10. Gereja Maria Sapta Duka, Mendut

Mangunwijaya was also the author of numerous literary works, architectural books and journals, religious booksand was an active writer on social critic issues.

His most important literary fiction is Burung-Burung Manyar.

AWARDS RECEIVED BY YB MANGUNWIJAYA

1975Radio Nederland ‘sGolden Windmill Awardfor fiction literature

1991Golden Indonesian Instituteof Architect Award forMarian Shrine inSendangsono

1992Aga Khan Award for Architecturefor Cooperative Housing for SlumDwellers of Kali Chode

1996Ramon Magsaysay Awardfor the literary fictionBurung-Burung Manyar

1995Ruth and Ralph Erskine Award forCooperative Housing for SlumDwellers of Kali Chode

Source: archnet.org

Laid between two important rivers, this village started out asillegal squatters that explains the location below the highwaybridge and its proximity to the river.

Burnt down year after year by the local government so as todiscourage these squatters from ‘breeding’ illegally here, thecommunity still held strong and with the help fromMangunwijaya, who encouraged and inspired the people tolegalized and build this settlement from waste materials.

“The problem of the poor inhabitants of theChode-Riverside was evidently not

architecture, but, as I gradually learnedfrom them, how to minimize their

inferiority feelings - the common feelingsof people that were rejected and

abandoned; the everyday feelings of peoplethat lived with permanent fear of beingswept away one day by the capitalistic

policies of development andmodernization.”

YB Mangunwijaya’s speechin accepting the Ruth and Ralph Erskine Award

Sweden, 1995

Source: Swedish Association of Architects

THEORETICAL APPROACHES

Both Hassan Fathy and Mangunwijaya are best known for their active role in developing and implementinghumanitarian approaches in their architectural polemic theories. We will outline their theories in order to learnand understand them in an analytical comparative way.

YB MANGUNWIJAYA HASSAN FATHY

“jeritan suara hati nurani masyarakat”

A collective approach in problem solving is seen asthe most appropriate way in helping the poor and

marginalized community

“architecture for the poor”

Answers to today’s problem in the world of builtenvironment are to response to each unique

humans’ dream and reality

Theology of Liberation and ContextualizedApproaches

Traditionalist - Innovative Approach

local conditionsinnovation and

creativity local traditionsappropriation in

innovation(community

participation)(community

participation)

Source: Menuju Kampung Pemerdekaan, 2002

THEORETICAL APPROACHES

YB MANGUNWIJAYA HASSAN FATHY

Universal Humanism Traditionalist

spiritual beliefs socio-cultural socio-cultural appropriation oftechnology

Material Values Material Values

sense recycle-use locality modesty plasticity form-valuelocalitymodesty

Unique CharacteristcsUnique Characteristics

pride poverty = ugly non-standard non-standard unique aspiration

THEORETICAL APPROACHES

YB MANGUNWIJAYA HASSAN FATHY

Social Knowledge

artists NGOs

Cross-Collaboration Practice: Cross-Collaboration Practice:

writers, poets,journalists

religiousmovements

sociologists

anthropologists economists

technicians

THEORETICAL APPROACHES

YB MANGUNWIJAYA HASSAN FATHY

Function of the Architect: Function of the Architect:

“ARCHITECT AS SOCIAL LEADER” “ARCHITECT AS SOCIAL LEADER”

“ARCHITECT AS SOCIAL WORKER”

from societalpoint of view

from micro level;community development,

capacity building

from communalpoint of view

from macro level;geographical, political-

economical, socio-cultural

from all level ofintervention

REFERENCES

1. Fathy, H., Architecture For The Poor: an Experiment in Rural Egypt, University of Chicago Press, CA, 1973.

2. Khudori, D., Menuju Kampung Pemerdekaan, Yayasan Pondok Rakyat, Jakarta, 2002.

3. Bell, B. & Wakeford, K. (ed.), Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism, Metropolis Books, NY, 2008.

4. Frampton, K. (et al.), Modernity and Community: Architecture in the Islamic World, Aga Khan Awards for Architecture, Thames & Hudson, London, 2001.

5. Silas, J., The Kampung Improvement Programme of Indonesia, John Willey & Sons, NY, 1984

6. www.arkitekt.se/erskine

7. www.wikipedia.org

8. www.archnet.org

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