“The instrument of this change is the Compass, a tool that the Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy found in the Nubian tradition. The Nubian compass generated only a spherical dome. For me it wasn't satisfactory because I wanted more head space, more volume for more air movement and therefore better climatic comfort. It was necessary to modify the compass to obtain an ogive dome. This change has opened a new world of spaces and shapes based on polar geometry, from the construction of three-dimensional figures, to curved surfaces, adaptable to all the different needs of the project. The main need I encountered in Mauritania was to design and build a hospital requested without using wood (because it is an area in the process of desertification) or reinforced concrete (because it is imported, expensive and not suitable for the climate). Once these materials were discarded, the stone and earth remained, with which only curved compression structures can be made: arches, vaults and domes [...] "

 

Arch. Fabrizio Caròla