Founders

Hisham Fathy
Education

Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning
University of Southern California, USA

 

B.Sc. in Architecture
Cairo University

Associations

Egyptian Syndicate for Engineers, Architects’ branch

Egyptian Engineers Association, Planners’ group

Society of Egyptian Architects

America Planning Association

Egyptian American Organization

Board member of El-Nil Research for Ethnographic Films. 198

Middle East Studies Association

Organization committee for ACSP conference

Egyptian syndicate for engineers, Architects’ council & Supreme Council

Steering Committee of Inter Build International Conference. 1994 – 2009

Planning Consultant, Urban Planning Organization. 1994 – 2009

Board member of El Sedique Society for social Development (NGO). 1995 – 2005

Egyptian Diplomatic Club

Egyptian society of Engineering Consultants

German-Arab Chamber for Industry and Commerce

Planning Consultant, Tourism Development  Agency

Board member of the Society to Support Engineering Arbitration

Federation of Engineering Institution of Islamic Countries

Executive board member of “Bayan” association

Member Board of Trustees of the Arab International

Organization to rebuild Gaza

Academic Activities

Research

 

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA

Research assistant to Prof. P. Gordon, T. Banarjee, and L. Wingo in grant for Earthquake Mitigation Policies. School of Urban and Regional Planning, 1985

El-Nil Research, Beverly Hills, California

Research Associate for ethnographic film El-Sobou’ Birth ritual in Egypt, 1986

Cairo University / MIT Giza, Egypt and Cambridge, Mass. USA

Research assistant for The Housing and Construction Industry in Egypt: Improvement of Interior Finishing for the Housing

Construction Industry Researches, 1981

 

Teaching

 

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA

Lecturer of PLUS 499 Special Topics THE ISLAMIC CITY: A Cultural Approach to the City Form. School of Urban and Regional Planning, 1986 – 1988

Teaching assistant to Prof. L. Wingo for PLUS 605 Advanced Planning Theory II. School of Urban and Regional Planning, 1985 – 1988

Teaching assistant to Prof. L. Wingo for PLUS 200g

Foundations of Contemporary Public Affairs

School of Urban and Regional Planning, 1985                                                 

Teaching assistant to Dean A. Kreditor for PLUS 601 Advanced Planning Theory I. School of Urban and Regional Planning, 1986

Teaching assistant to Prof. W. Baer for PLUS 599 Special Topics Housing in comparative perspective: U.S., Europe, and The Third World. School of Urban and Regional Planning, 1985               

 

Lectures

 

University of South California,

Combining Campus Architecture in the Social Context, 1986

California State University, Pomona, California

History of Islamic City, 1986

California State University, Long Beach, California      

Architectural Perspective for Urban Life and Its Problems, 1987

Urban Planning Organization, Egypt

Series of lectures, since 1994

Conferences

Middle East Studies Association Annual Conference, Beverly Hills, A Theory for the Islamic City. 1988

Planning and Social Reality ACSP conference, Los Angeles. 1987

Middle East Studies Association Annual Conference, Baltimore, The Islamic City Revisited. 1987

USC/Berkeley Workshop on Planning Methodologies Cross Cultures: Are They Transferable? 1987

American Society for Mechanical Engineers International, Conference, Congress of Urban and Regional Planning, Ethics and Political Thought. 1987

ACSP Conference, Milwaukee, Co-author, Physical Area Analysis: An Approach to classify Urban setting. 1986

Publications

AMSE proceedings – International Congress in Urban and Regional Planning, Boston, Mass, USA. 

Ethics and Political thought: A Search in Ideology and Religion. 1987 

Alam Elbena, Cairo, Egypt Co-author, The Visual Analysis of Old Cairo Islamic District Cairo University / MIT, Cairo, Egypt. 1983

Publications Report: The Housing and Construction Industry in Egypt: Improvement of Interior Finishing. 1981

University of California, Los Angeles, Is There an Islamic Solution to Urban Problems?  1990

Hisham Fathy, Ph.D.

Principal & Founder

A principal and founder of T.H.E, Dr. Hisham Fathy has played a fundamental role in shaping the firm’s vision and growth. He earned his degree in Architecture from Cairo University in 1977, followed by the first fulfillment of a Master’s Degree in City Planning, equivalent to a Diploma in City Planning, from the Faculty of Engineering, Department of Architecture (1979–1981).
With a deep interest in arts, design, and urban planning, Dr. Hisham pursued independent research alongside his formal studies. His commitment to academic excellence led him to the University of Southern California (USC), where he earned his Ph.D. in Planning in 1988. His doctoral research, The Social Reality Approach to Planning: Application to Islam, explored the intersections of public policy evaluation, planning theory, and the Islamic city. Throughout his academic career, he lectured at various American universities and served as a teaching assistant at USC, contributing to courses on advanced planning theory, housing policy, and the cultural dimensions of urban development.

In parallel with his academic work, Dr. Hisham has made significant contributions to urban planning research. He worked as a research assistant to Professors P. Gordon, T. Banarjee, and L. Wingo on a grant for Earthquake Mitigation Policies at USC (1985) and contributed to The Housing and Construction Industry in Egypt: Improvement of Interior Finishing, a joint research effort between Cairo University and MIT (1981). His publications include Ethics and Political Thought: A Search in Ideology and Religion (1987) and The Visual Analysis of Old Cairo Islamic District (1983).

Dr. Hisham has been an active leader in professional and industry organizations. He served as a board member of the Egyptian Syndicate of Engineers, engaging in initiatives that enhanced Egypt’s architectural and engineering community. Additionally, he has been a member of the APA (American Planning Association), MESA (Middle East Studies Association), and ACSP (Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning). His influence extends to major industry events, where he has been a steering committee member of the Interbuild International Conference for over a decade, actively shaping discussions on urban identity, sustainable development, and city planning.

Throughout his career, Dr. Hisham has lectured at international conferences and institutions, including the Middle East Studies Association Annual Conference in Beverly Hills (1988), the American Society for Mechanical Engineers International Conference (1987), and the Interbuild International Conference (2001, 2002).

For years, Dr. Hisham was leading T.H.E Qatar Engineering Consultancy, overseeing the firm’s expansion in the Gulf region. His dedication to planning, research, and urban development continues to shape T.H.E’s legacy, reinforcing its position as a leading multidisciplinary firm in architecture, engineering, and planning.

Hisham Fathy

Knowledge is Power

Acquiring continuous knowledge empowers the team for a vibrant practice. Symbolic architecture is my passion.