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The Courtyard Houses of Syria |
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By: Mahmoud Zein Alabidin, Tue 09 March, 2010 |
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Mr. Mahmoud Zein Alabidin The courtyard house is one of the most enduring architectural forms, transcending regional, historical and cultural boundaries. Its balance of simple appropriate construction, environmental control and social and familial structures continues to engage architects and architectural historians. The emphasis on courtyard in Islamic architecture gave it the name of the "architecture of the veil", because it focuses on the inner spaces (courtyards and rooms) which are not visible from the outside. Courtyard housing is an architectural device with a long history first appearing in the buildings of Syria and Iraq three millennia ago. Arab nomads first made use of the concept of a courtyard during their travels and stay in the desert. They set up their tents around a central space, which provided shelter and security to their cattle. With the development of Arab-Islamic architecture, the courtyard became an essential typological element. It is likely that the previous nomadic desert lifestyle of Arabs had a strong influence on their permanent houses. The courtyard therefore fulfils a deep-rooted need for an open living area. This article describes the typology of the Syrian courtyard house, and presents a number of examples of courtyard houses in Aleppo.
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Architectural Links between East and West in Early Modern Times |
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By: The Editorial Board, Fri 19 February, 2010 |
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The Editorial Board In a programme broadcasted on BBC Radio 3 on Sunday 14 February 2010, the work and influence of the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan was highlighted, through the description of his magnificent buildings in Istanbul and its influence on Italian Renaissance architecture. We here present a link to this programme for online listening, with further resources.
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Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil or the Triumph of the Islamic Architectural Style |
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By: The El Sayed Foundation, Tue 27 October, 2009 |
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The El Sayed Foundation Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil is one of the leading voices in contemporary Islamic architecture and a practitioner known worldwide for his design of the Oxford University Centre for Islamic Studies. His use of traditional form and technique won him the 2009 Richard H. Driehaus Prize administered by the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture. The prize is awarded annually to an outstanding architect whose work applies the principles of classicism, including sensitivity to the historic continuum, the fostering of community, and consideration of the impact to the built and natural environment. Over the past four decades, El-Wakil has built mosques, public buildings and private residences throughout the Middle East, maintaining balance between continuance and change. The following article presents a coverage about the work and career of Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil and stresses the triumph of the Islamic architectural style in his designs.
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Islamic Art in Poland: The Kornik Castle |
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By: FSTC Limited, Wed 14 May, 2008 |
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The article is about the famous Kornik Castle near Poznan, in Poland which has many features inspired by Islamic art and architecture. Outlining the reasons of this influence, Mrs Latour-Abdalla describes the many aspects of Islamic art, architecture and learning featured in this monument until today.
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Sheikh Zayed Great Mosque in Abu Dhabi: Islamic Architecture in the 21st Century - Cont'd |
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By: FSTC Limited, Fri 11 April, 2008 |
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A splendid mosque was erected recently at Abu Dhabi. Named after the late Sheikh Zayed al-Nahyan, the Mosque was opened at the end of 2007 to emerge as one of the ten major mosques of Islam with a total capacity of 40,000 worshippers. It proved to be a gigantic project which took twelve years to complete, and has already achieved three entries into the Guinness Book of World Records with the largest carpet, the biggest chandelier as well as the largest dome of its kind in the world. Bringing classical Islamic architecture to a summit of refinement, and providing all the contemporary commodities, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is an outstanding example of Islamic architecture in the 21st century.
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Sheikh Zayed Great Mosque in Abu Dhabi: Islamic Architecture in the 21st Century |
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By: FSTC Limited, Thu 10 April, 2008 |
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A splendid mosque was erected recently at Abu Dhabi. Named after the late Sheikh Zayed al-Nahyan, the Mosque was opened at the end of 2007 to emerge as one of the ten major mosques of Islam with a total capacity of 40,000 worshippers. It proved to be a gigantic project which took twelve years to complete, and has already achieved three entries into the Guinness Book of World Records with the largest carpet, the biggest chandelier as well as the largest dome of its kind in the world. Bringing classical Islamic architecture to a summit of refinement, and providing all the contemporary commodities, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is an outstanding example of Islamic architecture in the 21st century.
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The Seljuk Face of Anatolia: Aspects of the Social and Intellectual History of Seljuk Architecture |
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By: FSTC Limited, Tue 15 January, 2008 |
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This article deals with the Seljuk Anatolian architecture and art. The art of the Seljuk sultans showed much interest in public buildings such as caravanserais, schools and hospitals. This architecture was based on strong religious and cultural sources of inspiration that nourished the works of architects, artists and artisans.
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Sinan’s Acoustical Technology |
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By: Prof. Mutbul Kayili, Mon 04 June, 2007 |
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This article gives the the results of a research project studying the acoustical properties of several Ottoman mosques designed by Mimar Sinan in the 16th century. The results of measurements concerning several of these mosques are provided and analysed. Important conclusions are deduced from this carefully conducted analysis, demonstrating the innovative designs of in-built acoustical systems.
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A Discovery in Architecture: 15th Century Islamic Architecture Presages 20th Century Mathematics |
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By: FSTC Limited, Mon 26 February, 2007 |
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This article relates the discovery by two American scholars, Paul J. Steinhardt and Peter J. Lu (respectively from the department of physics at Princeton and Harvard universities) that medieval Islamic artists produced intricate decorative patterns using geometrical techniques that were not understood by Western mathematics until the 20th century.
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The Minaret, Symbol of a Civilization |
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By: Cherif Jah Abderrahmán, Wed 17 January, 2007 |
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The minaret is the architectural shape which best indicates the presence of mosque. Over the centuries the mosque assumed a number of roles including a social centre, place for prayer, teaching institute, court of justice, space for financial transactions and an area for administrative organization. This presentation reviews the philosophy behind the shape and function of the Minaret.
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