Sa Bassa Blanca Alcudia, Majorca, Spain Architect Hassan Fathy

Sa Bassa Blanca Alcudia, Majorca, Spain Architect Hassan Fathy

Sa Bassa Blanca Alcudia, Majorca, Spain Architect Hassan Fathy Fundación Yannick y Ben Jakober Apartado 10 07400 Alcudia, Mallorca, España teléfono: 34 (971) 54 69 15 fax: 34 (971) 89 71 63 E Mail : fuybjako@arrakis.es www.fundacionjakober.org

MAIN BUILDING In 1978 Ben Jakober and Yannick Vu decided to build a house on the existing site of Sa Bassa Blanca, an old rundown farmhouse surrounded by military constructions of no architectural value. The legendary architect Hassan Fathy (1900-1989) was invited to draw up the plans for the new construction retaining some of the existing outside walls, then realized under Hassan Fathy s direction by Majorcan architect David Torres and master builder Antonio Cifre. Hassan Fathy chose a rectangular configuration with a central courtyard or haramlik or Ribat (fortress) planned with Mudejar garden courtyard now boasting large Palm trees, Jacarandas, lime trees as well as jasmine and Galan de Noche (Cestrum nocturnum). On his first visit to Majorca in 1978, Hassan Fathy was on his way back to Cairo after having given a conference at Berkeley University, so the Jakobers and Antonio Cifre had the privilege of having a lecture for their sole benefit while Hassan Fathy commented the 16mm movie he had taken to Berkeley. A correspondence followed and in March 1979 the Jakobers went to Cairo to get the final set of plans for the Cupola which had been omitted previously. Hassan Fathy showed them the most interesting old houses in Cairo and they were invited to lunch to the house built by Hassan Fathy on Saqqarah Road, Sharbamant neighbourhood, the Fouad Riad House, Giza. They then visited the house he built in 1971 for himself in Sidi Krier, near Alexandria and later went to see the work of the master in New Gourna near Louxor. On Hassan Fathy s suggestion the Mashrabiyas were executed on the spot by expert Mustapha Al-Nagar who spent six months in Majorca for that purpose. Mindful of the Master s advice the Jakobers used old bricks to build the main cupola and the balustrades according to ancient Nubian technique. The Jakobers visited Hassan Fathy for the last time in 1988 when he was already ailing and he told them how pleased he was to have donated all his archives to the Aga Khan Foundation. 4

Hassan Fathy s letters to Ben Jakober concerning Sa Bassa Blanca 5

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Hassan Fathy s sketches for the main cupola done during the Jakobers stay in Cairo March 1979 14

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Hassan Fathy s plans for sa Bassa Blanca, at the time called called Alpha Bianca 16

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Above: Yannick Vu, Hassan Fathy, Ben Jakober, Saqqara March 1979 Left and right: Hassan Fathy and Yannick Vu, visiting a house in Khan Khalili to get ideas on how to use ceramic tiles and Mashrabiahs in Sa Bassa Blanca 19

Above top: construction of one of the three vaults Above: construction of the main cupola 20

Above top: winter 1981, completion of the ribat, the military barraks are not yet demolished Above: South façade just after completion, the barracks have been removed 21

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Previous page: aerial views of Sa Bassa Blanca 2005 Above: North façade of Sa Bassa Blanca, 1990 circa 23

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Previous page, top: the courtyard of Sa Bassa Blanca in 1984 Previous page below: the same courtyard in 1998 Above: The tower of Sa Bassa Blanca 1n 1984 25

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Previous page top: Details of the tower Above: the main Cupola seen from the South 27

The courtyard, the Tower, 1984 28

The courtyard, the Cupolas, 1984 29

The Courtyard of Sa Bassa Blanca, 1984 30

Bassa Blanca seen from the hill, 1984 31

The main Cupola in 1990 32

The Courtyard of Sa Bassa Blanca, 1990 33

Sa Bassa Blanca, North and West façades, 1990 34

Sa Bassa Blanca, North and West façades, 1990 35

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Previous pages and this one, different views of Sa Bassa Blanca Courtyard 39

Following pages and this one, different views of Sa Bassa Blanca Courtyard, 2010 40

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Previous page, the theater Above the Courtyard 45

Above the Courtyard and the Mashrabiyahs, 2010 Next page: The dining room Mashrabiyas, outside and inside, 2010 46

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The dining room Mushrabyas, 2010 48

The Summer dining room Mashrabiyas, 2010 49

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Previous page: the Summer dining room Mashrabiyas, 2010 Above: the iron work under the arches, 2010 51

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Previous page: the main cupola Above: one the the three vaults 53

Above: The hammam Next page: one of the two small cupolas in the hammam 54

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Above: The South façade, 2010 56

Since 1993, the finca Sa Bassa Blanca has become a cultural Foundation. The main building signed by Hassan Fathy is open to the public and has become an exhibition space where modern and contemporary art is exhibited. Its libary of more than 7.000 volumes about art and architecture can be consulted. The edifice is well maintained and with the exception of Greece is the only existing building done by the Master in Europe. The Foundation is looking for maximum patrimonial protection so that this testimony of the extraordinary talent of Hassan Fathy can be seen by many more admirors of his work. 57

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Touristic Unit for Alpha Bianca S.A. A unbuilt project by Hassan Fathy 60