In the late 1980s, the family of entrepreneur Mahmoud Ali Fahmi commissioned Egypt’s renowned architect Hassan Fathy to design and build a holiday villa on a two-acre plot between Cairo and the Saqqara pyramids. The resulting Villa Mit Rehan, meaning "Pathway of the Basil," became a focal point for family gatherings over the next two decades, celebrated for its integration of traditional materials and sustainable architectural principles.

Hassan Fathy, born in 1900 and active until his death in 1989, was widely recognized for pioneering vernacular architecture that utilized natural materials such as mudbrick, stone, and adobe. He was also known for designing homes with passive cooling systems to mitigate the harsh climate, an approach that earned him awards including the Aga Khan Chairman’s Award for Architecture. Villa Mit Rehan embodies these principles with its limestone construction, domed ceilings, carved wooden mashrabiyas (latticework windows), and passive cooling features. During the villa’s construction, Fahmi served as a quasi site manager and recalls Fathy’s mentorship as transformative in shaping his perspective on beauty, architecture, and culture.

Originally planned as a two-bedroom limestone home, a second floor was later added for guests. The villa’s design emphasizes both aesthetics and function, featuring a central living room with a clay oven and abundant natural light filtered through arched windows. Although the family initially requested an open courtyard to maintain an unobstructed view of the gardens, Fathy persuaded them to build a wall with arched windows instead, citing safety concerns. Fahmi now agrees with this decision, reflecting on Fathy’s view that a home should serve as a refuge.

Despite Fathy’s international commissions—including buildings in New Mexico and Mallorca—his recognition outside Egypt remains limited. Locally, however, his philosophy is seeing renewed interest as architecture in Cairo confronts the challenges posed by rapid urban growth and modern construction trends dominated by concrete and mechanization.

Architects and designers familiar with Fathy’s work express concern that much of his legacy risks being reduced to mere aesthetics rather than the holistic, sustainable design philosophy he advocated. Cairo-based designer Randa Fahmy, who collaborated closely with Fathy and his protégé AbdelWahed El-Wakil, points out that younger generations tend to rely heavily on computer-aided design and conventional materials, moving away from hand-drawn, human-centered approaches. Fahmy recalls Fathy’s emphasis on repetition and the human quality of architectural space, which he considered essential to achieving lasting beauty.

The villa’s surroundings have changed dramatically since its construction. Once nestled amid fields and farms, Villa Mit Rehan is now encroached upon by traffic and urban development, mirroring broader shifts in Cairo’s landscape. After the mid-1990s, the family favored a seaside home in Sokhna, and the villa was used less frequently. Recently, they began renting the property for special events, including weddings, in an effort to sustain it and share its architectural legacy.

Currently, Cairo finds itself at an architectural crossroads: while vast new developments like New Cairo have drawn criticism for their mall-like character, a revival of historic neighborhoods such as Downtown, Heliopolis, and Old Cairo reflects a growing interest in preserving the “human” architecture championed by Fathy and his contemporaries. Environmentalist Mounir Neamatalla cites Fathy’s work as inspirational for projects that celebrate natural materials and community craftsmanship, contrasting with the prevailing trends of urban expansion.

Fathy’s legacy remains a subject of debate and reflection among architects and cultural thinkers in Egypt. His work continues to generate admiration for its innovative yet grounded approach to design, even as modern construction methods and urban pressures challenge the survival of these principles in contemporary architecture.