“Once upon a time, there was an innate beauty in everything around us: we were ourselves.” Hassan Fathy, 1981 Hassan Fathy was a visionary Egyptian architect known for his humanistic and sustainable approach to architecture, which combined traditional techniques with modern solutions adapted to the local climate and culture. Born in 1900, Fathy promoted the use of indigenous materials like adobe and advocated for the active participation of communities in the construction process. His most iconic project, the New Gourna Village, exemplifies his commitment to accessible, ecologically and socially conscious architecture. Considered to be a pioneer of sustainable design, his legacy has profoundly influenced contemporary architectural thinking, especially in places with scarce resources and extreme climates.

José Tono Martínez, curator of the exhibition "Hassan Fathy: Against the current", which was presented at Casa Árabe, at its venues in Madrid and Cordoba, in 2021 and 2022, explores the origin of the thinking of the man known as the “architect of the poor” at this conference. Tono has reviewed the personal library owned by the Egyptian intellectual and will guide us on a journey through the rich, plural world, both ancient and modern, European and Arab, that forged the thought of Hassan Fathy, a central point of reference in contemporary culture, a prophet of sustainability who lived before his time, and the slow movement. The event will be introduced by Karim Hauser, Casa Árabe’s Culture Coordinator.

José Tono Martínez, with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and a PhD in Philosophy, is a writer, essayist and manager who has directed journals and numerous cultural centers and museums.He was the curator of the retrospective exhibition Hassan Fathy: Against the current, (Casa Árabe, 2021-2022), for which a catalogue was published by Ediciones Asimétricas. His most notable books include: El Cuarto Sello. Diario de la Peste (The Fourth Seal: Diary of the Plague, Ed. Polibea., 2020), El Anillo de Giges. Las peregrinaciones heterodoxas por Santiago, (Giges’ Ring: The heterodox pilgrimages through Santiago, Ed. Evohe, 2020.) La vez que firmamos la paz (The Time We Signed for Peace, Evohé, 2024.), Escapar del futuro con la dignidad intacta (Escaping the future with dignity intact, (essays),Ed. Trea), and Lissie (Te llamaban mi sombra), (Lissie: They called you my shadow, Ed. Polibea, 2024).

Video of the exhibition “Hassan Fathy: Against the current” (Casa Árabe, 2021-2022)