The BA Celebrates Egypt's Best Known Architect Hassan Fathy as Part of Its Anniversary
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Alexandria—
Dr. Ismail Seragedlin, Director of the Library of Alexandria, chaired on Thursday, 25 October 2007, a seminar on Hassan Fathy and inaugurated an exhibition featuring some of the sensitive projects of the great Egyptian architect, who was recognized with the Aga Khan Award for Architecture Chairman's Award. Hassan Fathy Exhibition is held at the BA, in coincidence with Aga Khan Exhibition on the occasion of the Award's 25th anniversary. This exhibition is presented in conjunction with L'Institut du Monde Arabe of Paris.
Dr. Ismail Seragedlin, in his opening speech, referred to the fact that Hassan Fathy was the dominant figure in the architecture of Egypt in the 20th century. He was a controversial figure and one whose impact was widely acknowledged but not quite understood, although he had a continuous presence on the scene for almost 60 years.
During his PowerPoint presentation, Dr. Serageldin spoke on Hassan Fathy's works and architectural paradigms. He added that appraising the intellectual contributions of Hassan Fathy is not an easy task. Perhaps his most significant legacy will be the humanism that he championed and the boost he gave to the self-image of architecture in the Third World generally, the Muslim World specifically, and in Egypt in particular. Hassan Fathy revealed his positions over the years with a remarkable clarity, courage and consistency.