alhambra case study Islamic gardens part-2.pptx

alhambra garden case stidy

1. Alhambra: a case study part-2 of the Islamic gardens lecture series By: M.Tariq Architect & urban ecologist Erasmsus mundus joint masters alum

2. history The UNESCO World  Heritage  Site in Spain dates its origins back to the eighth century.  The Moorish style remains prominent throughout the city as intimate-built spaces invite the human scale with their captivating gardens and fountains. 

3. Moorish architecture is a style of Islamic architecture that is discernible in its intricately carved wood, repeating patterns, and complex tilework. This style of architecture was developed by the Moors, people of Arab descent who spread Islam throughout the Middle East and areas of Africa

4. Paradise concept This concept of paradise most probably has arisen as an effect of the climate of the Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa

5. The experience of oases in an arid land of sand would bring about the notion that paradise must be similar to this haven in the dessert, only multiple times better. Therefore, it is quite understandable for them to picture their eternal rest in the afterlife as a garden that would provide for all that they lack

6. During the Umayyad caliphate, Arabs eventually reached the Iberian Peninsula. With only a small military force, the commander Tariq ibn- Ziyad started the conquest on the south of Spain, or what was known as Hispania at the time. This was around the year 711 A.D . During their rule of Spain, the Muslims took Cordoba to be their capital, and Spain became known as Andalusia

7. The Alhambra started out as the ruins of a small fortress from the Roman Empire. It was later renovated and expanded into a palace-garden complex by the Nasrids in the mid-13th century The complex, whose name means ‘the red one’ in Arabic due to the redness of its brick walls,

8. The palace sits on the Sierra Nevada, overlooking the city of Granada. Although the walls of the Alhambra contrast painfully with the surrounding natural forest, The walls could also be linked to the idea of the walled paradise in Islamic religion, where only a select few can enter .

9. planning The complex comprises of several courtyards and spaces, each with its own pattern and layout The first space that one enters in the Alhambra is the Cuarto Dorado – the Patio of the Gilded Room. Its name is not an exaggeration, as in days when the sunlight was strong, this room really did appear as though it was gold-plated

10. In the middle of the patio is a small fountain inlaid in the floor. The fountain is a circular basin with scalloped edges and a water outlet in the middle. The single source of water causes circular ripples to emanate from the center, which will reflect some sunlight at their peaks.

11. The Court of Myrtles, as one might guess, gets its name from the neatly trimmed and manicured hedges of myrtle, stretching on either side of the open space. The myrtle is the first vegetation that one encounters in the Alhambra’s palace

12. An evergreen with glossy leaves that give off a fresh aroma similar to that of the eucalyptus It grows white flowers, which adds to the colorful aspect of the space, which would have been amplified by tapestries hanging from the windows at either side of the court. This combination of sensory stimulation – visual, auditory, and olfactory – are essential in the experience of pleasure in this court,

13. Moving from the Court of Myrtles, one would reach the Court of Lions, which might as well be the most famous court in Alhambra. The rectangular patio is famously named for the fountain in its center; a circular basin with a central jet, sitting on the back of 12 carved marble lions which spew water out of their mouths

14. Court of the Water Channel . This court, as one would guess, is named for the long canal of water across the center, along the viewer’s vision through the entrance. Behind the jets of water on both sides, there are beds of vegetation which provide a colorful display for the viewer to enjoy by including a staggering variety of flowering plants. These consisted of about twenty flowers common to Andalusian gardens,