Ali Labib Gabr

Ali Labib Gabr (February 14, 1898-January 19, 1966) was an Egyptian architect and the first Egyptian Dean of the School of Architecture at Cairo University. He is noted for being a leading 'pioneer architect', one of a group of architects who moved away from the then-prevalent Beaux-Arts style and integrated modernism into Egyptian design. Gabr was not interested in creating forms in line with any "national style"; in designing commercial and institutional buildings, workers' housing, apartment buildings and luxury villas, he blended modern and classic French and British forms with nods to Levantine traditions. His main concern was always functionality, practical utility and long-term viability, and ensuring that designs addressed real-world needs.

Career Gabr returned to his former school, working as Assistant Lecturer at the Architectural Department of the Polytechnical School. He became a Lecturer in 1927, and a Professor in 1930. In 1934, he became the school's Dean and held that post until 1955. However, beginning in 1928, he had a busy private practice. His first villas, designed in the typical Italianate manner of the time, reveal an early involvement with ornamental Art Deco but he was a great admirer of Willem Marinus Dudok and his work soon moved toward the cubism and Neoplasticism of the Amsterdam School. For his work on this project, Gabr was awarded the Medal of Sciences & Arts in 1964.

Personal life and death Gabr was married with one child. He was an avid photographer and painter and, for many years, led the Cairo Art Society. He traveled widely and used his knowledge of international trends and ideas in his teaching. He died in Cairo in 1966. Umm Kulthum Villa, Zamalek, 1935 Makram Ebeid Villa, Alexandria, 1936 Misr Spinning and Weaving Company Workers' Housing Development, El Mahalla El Kubra, 1936 Villa Erfan-Liscovitch, Maadi, 1937 Ahmed Kamel Pasha Building, Cairo, 1938 Embassy of Lebanon, Zamalek, 1939 Ali Hussein Bey Ayoub House, Zamalek, 1940 Abd Al-Hamid bey Attia Villa, Cairo, 1940 Waqf Raafat Bey Block, Cairo, 1940 Al-Shurbaji Factories, Imbaba, 1940 Raafat Bey Building, Cairo, 1941 Lawyers’ Syndicate Building, Cairo, 1948 Misr Rayon Company Mills Workers' Housing Development, Kafr El Dawwar, 1950 National Center for Scientific Research, 1950 Misr Spinning and Weaving Company Plant and Workers' Housing Development, Helwan, 1951 Mohammed Abdel Wahab Villa, Zamalek, 1951 Ali Labib Gabr Building, Zamalek, 1951 Government Press Building, Cairo, 1953 National Research Centre Building, Cairo, 1956 New Cataract Hotel, Aswan, 1961 Winter Palace Hotel, Luxor, 1963