LARCH 060

Tuesday, February 2nd, 1999
Announcements: class was cancelled on Thursday, January 28th

Lecture notes:

ISLAMIC INFUENCE:

~The West was inhabited by the Moors~

~The East was inhabited by the Moguls/Mughals~

~Then the Persians came along and settled~

Land/Environment:

• desert to mountainous
• this environment was very challenging to the peeple

Socio-cultural milieu:

• Irrigation: Water was channelled for miles, qanat-usually was in a gridlike formation
• Hunting parks had special intimately closed spaces for praying. These were referred to as paradise gardens, places of bliss, all split into 4 parts
• This quadrilateral design was referred to as the chahar bagh. Water made up the axis and the middle usually consisted of a water tank or pavillion

• Allah (the god) Mohammed to spread his word - written in Koran/Quran - offered tribes beliefs and prayers. This effort expanded the Islamic Empire. Governments and religious bodies were the same.
• The Persian Garden became a concept of paradise from the Koran and it tried to reflect the beauty of God
• Nomadic Experience
• Intellectual Innovation
• Cordoba, Spain - flourishing city made up of sculptures, innovations, design intricacies. This city rose to power and consisted of erratic streets and buildings

Design Expressions:

-----WEST-----

• Courtyards took up a lot of open space. They even built courtyards in places of worship
• Plant materials were geometrically distributed
• Indoor/outdoor interpretation
• Progression of space: Public-----Semipublic-----Private Areas
• Examples were the Court of Myrtles which had a quiet body of water with a fountain. Had much stillness and gave the feeling of floating, strong relationship between inside and outside
• Courtyard/gardens were reconfigured to resemble modern Western patios

-----EAST-----

• Moguls took their faith and beliefs Eastern
• Hindus and Moguls (Islams) clashed in expression
• In Persian gardens water was more active, there was more openness, tombs were incorporated as part of gardens.
• Examples such as Shalimar Bagh in Cashmere (17C) series of gardens intended to provide progression of space. They were places of quietness and rest. Water reiforces the land contours
• Another example is the Taj Mahal (17C) which is a tomb/pavillion with a large chahar bagh. The pavillion is at the end intended to connect the two tombs of husband and wife. Tomb which is reflected in the pool signifies eternal life