Week 5- Islamic and Romanesque
This week in History of Interior Design we learned about Islamic and Romanesque. The figurehead of the Islamic religion is Mohammed, who lived in the years 570-632 C.E. Islamic design is solely based on the religion and has designs in Africa, Europe, and Asia which all vary in design.
Mosques, like churches, are the buildings designed for prayer and worship. Some main architectural features of mosques are a perimeter wall, a covered hall of columns (called a prayer hall), and an interior courtyard. In mosques, and everywhere that Muslims worship, they all pray in the same direction toward Mecca.
One of the most colorful mosques is the Mosque of Sultan Ahmed, which was built in 1609-1617. The interior contains over 20,000 handmade tiles, over 50 different tulip designs, 200 stained glass windows, walls that appear as carpet, and decorations that are geometric.
In Indian architecture one of the most well know Islamic architectural buildings is the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal consists of white domed marble mausoleum, which was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan upon the death of his wife.
In Spain, the design is a combination of European and Islamic design. Spain is a multi-religion country for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. The Alhambra has muqarnas filled arches, niches, and domes. Leaves and vines decorations are incorporated throughout, especially in the courtyard garden.
Romanesque, resulted from Ancient Roman architecture, arising in Italy and southern France around 800 AD. Charles the Great, better known as Charlemagne was crowned the Holy Roman Emperor during this time. He encouraged learning and the arts, preserved what was already there and built a new, Romanesque design. Churches were constructed with semicircular arches and vaults.
Taking inspiration from the Early Christian Basilica in their space planning, however, modified the nave, transept, and apse, and adding a die chapel in the wider transept. These churches were extravagant, having multiple aisles, an ambulatory for processions, better illumination, larger in size, and even a place for the choir to sing. The roofs were no longer made from wood, but masonry, walls were painted rich greens, blues, purples, and gold, the tapestries were rich, and the sculptures were gilded.
Within this period there were three types of churches: Urban Pilgrimage, Rural Monasteries, and Modest Parish Churches, the Urban Pilgrimage usually being the most extravagant and decorated.
Pisa, Italy houses the Pisa Baptistery which consists of 3 different structures; the Cross shaped cathedral, the Cylindrical baptistery, and the Tall Canpanile, or better known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, all of which are made of local marble.
One Step Further
In 1980, Brian Clarke the Royal Mosque at the King Khalid International Airport, which was built to accommodate 5,000 worshippers. 2,00 square meters of stain glass was used. The building was completed in just two years, and at the time it was considered to be the largest and most technically advanced stained glass of the modern period.
Clark has revolutionized stain glass today with technologies and philosophical conceptions and is considered the most important artist in the medium today. He was born in Lancashire, where his grandmother influenced him to be more spiritual, artistic, and the concept of past remains being an alive presence in the present. Clarke’s first true inspiration to become an architect specializing in stain glass when he visited the cathedral city of York in the nave of York Minister as a young boy.
The example you gave, Mosque of Sultan Ahmed it beautiful and thank you for labeling them so i knew what they were. And your one step further is great!
ReplyDeleteYour summary was really great, and I love the images you chose, especially the modern applications.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! 50/50 points
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