In Search of Identity

摘要

Some 15 years on since the death of Hassan Fathy, contemporary Egyptian architecture is 'struggling' to find a consistent approach. Mohamed El-Husseiny describes four projects, including his own Oteiba House, that may point a way forward. From the colossal Pharaonic monuments of ancient Egypt, to the elegant Arab/Islamic buildings of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and from chic, ornate French and Italian turn-of-the-century buildings to modern-style office buildings and five-star hotels, Egypt has it all. One would think that contemporary architects in a country with such a rich and inspiring architectural heritage would have little difficulty in producing excellent architecture. And yet architecture in Egypt is struggling. As we enter the 21st century, architecture in Egypt still seems to be fluctuating undecidedly between the adoption of Western models, as a vehicle conveying notions of modernity, affluence and efficiency, and a return to traditional historical and vernacular models as a statement of national pride, confirming and conserving the country's heritage.