Case Study

1 New Gourna Village in Egypt by Hassan Fathy

2 Kanchanjunga Apartments in India by Charles Correa (1970-1983)
3 Tube House in India by Charles Correa (1961-1963)
4 Parekh House in India by Charles Correa (1967-1968)
5 The Artist Village in India by Charles Correa (1983-1986)
6 Cotton Tree Pilot Housing in Australia by Clare Design (1992-1994)
7 Slateford Green in Scotland by Andrew Lee (1996-2000)
8 Gotz Headquarters in Germany by Webler+Geissler Architekten (1993-1995)
9 Minnaert Building in The Netherlands by Neutelings Riedijk Architekten
(1994-1997)
10 Hall 26 in Germany by Herzog+Partner (1994-1996)
1 New Gourna Village in Egypt by Hassan Fathy
New Gourna Village is a reinterpretation of a traditional urban and architectural setting by
Hassan Fathy who is an early visionary of sustainable architecture. It provides sustainability
both in culture through use of local materials and techniques and in environment with its ex-
traordinary sensitivity to climatic problems. It is an outstanding example of the integration of
vernacular technology with modern architectural principles.
Fathy brought back the use of mud brick (adobe) and with special techniques keep building
cooler during the day and warmer during the night.
Fathy believed that architecture was about bridging the gap between new architectural tech-
niques and older techniques. These older techniques are sustainable and energy effcient,
helping the villagers to reduce their reliance on modern technologies, which are not only
expensive, but have negative effects on their culture and environment.
2 Kanchanjunga Apartments in India by Charles Correa (1970-1983)
By developing climatic solutions for different sites and programs, Indian architect Charles
Correa designed the Kanchanjunga Apartments. Located in Mumbai, the U.S. equivalent
of New York City in terms of population and diversity, the 32 luxury apartments are located
south-west of downtown in an upscale suburban setting embodying the characteristics of the
upper echelon of society within the community. The Kanchanjunga Apartments are a direct
response to the present culture, the escalating urbanization, and the climatic conditions for
the region. They pay homage to the vernacular architecture that once stood on the site before
the development in a number of ways. More on Kanchanjunga Apartments after the break.
4 Parekh House in India by Charles Correa (1967-1968)
Returning to Correas infuence, its coming to my attention that Im developing a stronger
passion for affordable architecture and an ideal that everyone deserves good design. Cor-
reas projects were not only considering a new Indian vernacula but offering it to those of low
income, which always makes me ponder, is architecture really a luxury product, afforded only
by those with money? I would like to think that my role as an architect is to take the money a
client has and offer them something that tailors their brief into delightful living spaces on or un-
der budget. Why is it that most people believe they cant afford an architect? I dont think any-
one really knows the answer to this question but it is something Id like to explore in the future.
5 The Artist Village in India by Charles Correa
The 55 hectare Artist Village brings an interesting mix of Goan atmosphere and culture to Be-
lapur. Designed by Indian architect Charles Correa, the project is a testimony to the capabilities
of a genius urban designer when he thinks beyond design. Built for middle and lower income
groups, the village is organic in its design and execution. Charles Correa, in providing a hous-
ing solution for mixed income groups in Mumbai, derives from traditional building styles that
have been severed from the built environment in urban cities altogether. He resuscitates the
courtyard style of buildings, which inherently have communal spaces built within their layout.
Correas deep understanding of the nature of cities is refected in his clus-
ter modules, which although very simple, relate to each other in a complex way.
His housing project is a blend of the quality of life of a village and the sophistication of a
city. Each cluster permits the emergence of a hyper-local community feeling, while inte-
grating each house to the whole settlement at different levels; the hierarchy itself is very
organic. The clustered organisation and overall layout seem to function pretty well, as
the movement through it is varied, rich and dense and the scale changes are in harmony.
Artists Village is aimed at accommodating densities close to those achieved by
high rises while providing the environment and lifestyle more closely associat-
ed with rural and semi-urban areas in India. Its objective is to create a close-knit, se-
cure, convenient, urban family-with-children community in the heart of the city
one in which the quality of life competes with that of other cities and suburbs.
Despite the projects relatively small site, the architect managed to endow every home with
its own private open-to-sky space and a shared courtyard. The communitys site plan di-
vides the units into groups of 21, further subdividing them into seven-unit clusters. Individ-
ual houses rely on simple foor plans and building methods, enabling local masons and
craftspeople to construct them. The courtyard serves the necessity for a protected family
private communal space. The village was produced with the idea that the residents were
going to alter it in many ways, making it truly their own, therefore homes are freestanding,
so residents can add on to them as their families grow; and differently priced plans appeal
to a wide variety of income levels. The development supports Correas theory that low-
rise architecture and high-density planning are not contradictory approaches to housing.
6 Cotton Tree Pilot Housing in Australia by Clare Design
A low-rise multifamily housing development in a subtropical climate that serves a mixed
community of families and single peoples, homeowners and renters, in a complex that pre-
serves trees on the site and draws on the local vernacular for its forms, materials and low
energy solutions.