Architecture of the Muslim World

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Architecture of the Muslim World

• Thoughts on Islamic Architecture
• Adil Sharag-Eldin, Ph.D.
• 01/23/07

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What is Islamic Architecture?

• Architecture produced by Muslim?
• Architecture that serves Islamic functions?
• Architecture produced in the Muslim Lands
  (world)?
• Architectural Typology or Style?
• Architecture as a product or reflection to
  Islamic Civilization?

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Islamic Architecture
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What is Next?

• Define some characteristics that identifies IA
• Know that there are many exceptions
• Generalization is usually incorrect
• Generalization may explain some examples but not
  others

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Characteristics of Islamic Architecture

• Interiority
• Courtyard monuments
• Courtyard houses
• Small apertures
• Visibly walled
• Small openings
• Effect of these characteristics on urban character

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Interiorization of building Experiences

• An urban manifestation of tribal legacy
• Religious reasons
• Haram
• Importance of the individual action
• Importance of privacy
• Climatic
• Buildings are to be viewed from the inside not
  the outside

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Alcazar Toledo, Spain
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Alhambra, Spain
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Bait al-Sihaimi, Cairo Egypt
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Al Sihaimi house
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Al Sihaimi House
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Muslim Houses (Regionalism)

• Muslim house
• Similarities
• Differences

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Muslim Houses (Regionalism)

• Muslim house
• Similarities
• Differences

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Islam and Regionalism

• Characteristic feature of a geographic area
  (dict)

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Is interiority unique to Muslim Architecture?
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Roman Houses
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Roman Houses
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Chinese house
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Impact of Interiority on Urban Character

• Character as a manifestation of grouping

Jerusalem
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Urban character

• Hiding of urban features

Images from Cairo
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Common Characteristics

• Mostly Urban
• A clear separation between the private (haram)
  and public areas (in some areas more than others)
• Manifested in difference between decoration and
  articulation of the façade from the interiors
• Buildings are experienced from within
• Egalitarianism and urban characters
• Un-formal ????
• Orientation problems???
• Responded to climatic characteristics of the
  region
• At the endBeware of generalization!!!

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Images
Fatimid Cairo Al-Hakim Mosque and Bab al-Futuh
gate
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Streets of Cairo
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Fatimid Mosque Cairo
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Monuments vs. Interiority

• Exterior expression is an exception to the rule

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Monuments from the inside Scale and Detail
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Calligraphy as an architectural tool
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Interior Decorations

• Attention to details
• E.g. Muqarnas
• Structural
• Repetitions

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Form and Function

• Lack of a direct connection between form and
  function e.g. four-Iwan courtyard structures
• An Iwan is a large, vaulted chamber with a
  monumental arched opening on one side

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Sultah Hasan Mosque and Madrasa
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Form and Function

• No clear relationship between form and function
• Do not display an inherent directional or axial
  quality

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Formal Unity

• Buildings are not design as single balanced units
• Buildings as part of a greater urban complex

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Islamic Architecture

• There are enough similarities that justify the
  designation, but
• Differences
• For many reasons
• Cannot be fully understood without knowing
• Faith and its effect on
• People
• Place
• Time

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Islamic?
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A discussion topic

• In reference to Grubes assertions
• How can we explain existence of buildings with
  un-Islamic formal expressions such as the dome of
  the Rock and Taj Mahal and other free-standing
  structures in the Islamic context?
• Always and everywhere in the Muslim world, forms
  of architecture were built that remained
  basically unaffected by the process of
  Islamicization of pre-Islamic or non-Islamic
  cultures unabsorbed by Islamic art, these forms
  were consequently not an expression of Islamic
  culture but of the cultures from which they were
  originally derived

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Thoughts about Islamic Architecture

• Modern Interpretation of Tradition

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Public Housing Emirates
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Palace in the Emirates
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House in Cairo
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B2 House Turkey ????????