ARCHITECTURAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH LANDSCAPE

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Hassan Fathy, an Egyptian architect, believed that a building's design should begin with the site it sits on. He stressed that the location, whether it be a desert, valley, mountain, forest, or riverside, must be considered when designing a structure. However, the way in which the built environment interacts with the surroundings varies depending on the place and the architect. Fathy is renowned for his experimentation and promotion of traditional building techniques in modern architecture, with a particular focus on providing housing for the underprivileged in developing nations.

Given the hot and dry climate of Egypt, Fathy carefully chose materials that not only respond to the environment but also the surrounding landscape. He typically starts a project by creating a central courtyard that encloses palm trees and dry vegetation found on the site. This courtyard allows hot air to rise, and most of the fenestrations are oriented toward it. Fathy dedicates roughly 50 percent of the entire built-up area to the courtyard itself. In the Hamed Said House plan, we can see that the courtyard is the focal point around which the plan is developed. A narrow hallway connects the interior living spaces to the courtyard, with larger openings facing north and jalis on the south, demonstrating how the orientation and plan are derived from the landscape and built around it. Fathy's approach demonstrates how the site becomes an integral part of the design process for architects, regardless of the location or climate.

Luis Barragan, a renowned Mexican architect, endeavored to harmonize with the natural world while simultaneously showcasing the cultures and customs of Mexico. Like Fathy, integrating the landscape within the architecture was of utmost importance to Barragan. At the start of a project, he would bifurcate the site into two equal parts, dedicating fifty percent of the land to the surrounding scenery. Barragan crafts his spaces in such a way that the courtyard is the final destination in one's journey through the building. He generates movement throughout the structure by employing walls as planes and channeling one's gaze through openings of diverse forms such as slits and cross windows.

These windows are deliberately positioned, taking the landscape into account. The apertures are expansive, with slender frames, framing the natural environment in a way that produces an impression of boundless space. Even in a confined area, the trees and foliage appear expansive. Barragan calls this place "a place for solitude" [2]. It isolates one from the clamor of the city. There is a direct relationship with the landscape, and Barragan likens this sentiment to one's connection with the divine. It provides a sense of serenity, instilling tranquility while allowing one to engage in introspection.

The role of landscape in architecture extends beyond the physical setting, encompassing historical and cultural contexts. For Fathy, Egypt's architectural history and abundant mud serve as inspiration and material for his designs. By using mud bricks made from local soil, Fathy creates buildings that blend seamlessly into the landscape, appearing to emerge from the earth itself. The mud façade connects the building to the land and history of Egypt and Africa, establishing a sense of continuity and belonging.

Meanwhile, Barragan prioritizes the representation of Mexico's culture in his work, using stark walls and bold colors to create de Chirico-like settings that reflect the context of Mexico's historical painters. The walls guide movement and create hierarchy within the space, and are complemented by the presence of greenery. The walls' rough texture is enhanced by the shadows of the trees, creating a contrast that enriches the overall experience. Barragan's play of planes through walls and nature showcases his idea of landscape and environment, in which walls are not only the supreme entity but also the inhabitants of a larger metaphysical landscape.

The architectures of both Luis Barragan and Hassan Fathy are intricately intertwined with the landscapes in which they are situated. Despite sharing the common feature of a central courtyard, the two architects approach its representation differently, drawing from both physical and metaphysical contexts. Fathy's choice of mud as a building material is both an economic and aesthetic decision that connects the built form with the surrounding landscape and Egypt's architectural heritage. Conversely, Barragan's design is driven by the desire for solitude and the creation of a serene space enveloped by endless greenery and a celebration of Mexico's rich cultural traditions, expressed through the vertical planes of bright, stucco walls.

The landscape not only influences the architects' material choices but also determines the proportions and orientation of the built form, leading to deliberate decisions regarding the sizes and shapes of openings, volumes, spanning elements, and the overall configuration of the built form. Indeed, the landscape is an essential element that not only serves a functional purpose but also informs the overall design ethos, imbuing it with meaning and significance.

Bibliography: 

[1] Natural Energy and Vernacular Architecture: Principles and Examples with Reference to Hot Arid Climates -Fathy, Hassan. Edited by Walter Shearer and Abd-el-rahman Ahmed Sultan, and published by Chicago for The United Nations University in 1986.

[2] The Architecture of Luis Barragan- Ambasz, Emilio. Published by The Museum of Modern Art in 1976 , Distributed by New York Graphic Society.