NEW GOURNA, EGYPT: CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY

Resumen

In 2009, UNESCO initiated a Safeguarding Project of Hassan Fathy’s New Gourna Village. In 2010, after New Gourna was included on the World Monuments Watch, World Monuments Fund (WMF) joined forces with UNESCO to evaluate conditions. WMF’s contribution included a community assessment to integrate social and economic concerns into decision-making about the future of the village. The indings of the assessment underscore dificult challenges regarding the conservation of human settlements and the complex relationship between people and heritage. Hassan Fathy inspired a new generation of practitioners worldwide through his integration of earthen materials with modern architectural principles. His innovative mixed-use plan for New Gourna, incorporating schools and other public buildings, remains a powerful and well-preserved element of the village; however, nearly 40 percent of the original buildings have been lost and many have been signiicantly modiied. The loss and modiication of these structures are attributable to a number of factors, including changing environmental conditions, technical issues, as well as evolving social dynamics. In short, Fathy’s buildings, in their traditional form, do not effectively meet the needs of most inhabitants today. To ensure the sustainability of the community, as well as preserve the legacy of Fathy, this social reality must be reconciled with the goals of protecting this earthen architecture icon. The process of creating – and now conserving -- New Gourna is as important as the product itself. Fathy championed the inclusion and empowerment of society’s less fortunate through participation in design and building processes, a signature theme in his seminal publication, Architecture for the Poor. As planning for the village moves forward, particularly in light of political shifts, such engagement will be evermore critical. This paper addresses the tensions between heritage conservation and social needs, and examines how community participation can serve as a tool to forge common aims.