DESIGN 6:
SITE DEVELOPMENT AND LANDSCAPING
T-ARCH321/LA
ISLAMIC
ARCHITECTURE
Presented by HANS MATHEW R. AQUINO
Points of Discussion
1. Influences 3. Structures in Islamic Architecture
Climatic Dwelling Houses
Geographical Islamic Gardens
Geological Madrasa
Historical Mosques
Religious Palace
Social & Political Tombs & Shrines
2. Key Characteristics
Arches Types
Domes
Minarets
Muqarnas Vaulting
Ornamental Details
2025 | HANS MATHEW R, AQUINO
WHAT ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE?
Islamic architecture contains religious structures designed for Muslim worship and material
structures constructed in or utilized by Muslims in predominantly Islamic regions.
Muslim-majority nations worldwide and European countries with Arab or Islamic pasts are
the primary locations where you may see Islamic art and architecture.
2025 | HANS MATHEW R. AQUINO
Climatic Influences
Most of the territory historically dominated by Islam tends to be
fertile by irrigation rather than direct rainfall.
Excessive sunshine has generally led to a tendency toward wide
eaves and sheltering arcades, minimizing window openings and
neglecting rainwater disposal.
Geographical Influences
The Early Islamic Architecture developed from Roman, Byzantine,
Iranian, and Mesopotamian architecture and all other lands that the
early Muslim conquests conquered in the seventh and eighth
centuries. Further east, it was also influenced by Chinese and Indian
architecture as Islam spread to South and Southeast Asia.
Geological Influences
As each country's geological formations differed, local materials,
mostly marble, stone, brick, plaster, and wood, were employed.
In Spain, brick and plaster were the principal materials responsible
for the peculiar decorative surface treatment.
In India, domes were frequently constructed of brick plastered or
stones externally and internally.
Northern and central India evolved a more monumental type,
made of marble and red sandstone. The inlay of precious stones
enhanced the richness of the surface decoration.
Historical Influences
The Indian States began to fall into the hands of Islamic invaders in
AD 1000
The Mogul Empire consolidated the Muslim Empire by absorbing
small kingdoms in India. Mogul Dynasty erected the Taj Mahal and
the Pearl Mosque at Agra in North India.
Trading played a role in the spread of Islam in several parts of the
world, especially in China.
Under Mongol rule, Muslim administrators from Islamic parts of the
empire went to China. Muslims grew in size and wealth.
Muslim merchants and traders came to Southeast Asia because of
the rare spices.
With the conquest of different countries, Islamic architecture
encompasses secular and religious buildings. It includes everything
from large-scale mosques, fortresses, palaces, tombs, schools, and
other public buildings to smaller-scale fountains, public baths, and
domestic structures.
2025 | HANS MATHEW R. AQUINO
Historical Influences
The expansion of the Arab Empire following Muhammad's death
led to the creation of caliphates occupying a vast geographical area.
Syria fell in AD 632-639
Egypt fell in 638
North Africa became subjects between the years AD 647-709
North African Muslims who conquered the Iberian Peninsula and
many surrounding Western Mediterranean islands brought Islamic-
influenced architecture to parts of Europe. Many prominent
examples of this style are in Spain. In the mid-19th century, a revival
movement included the work of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí,
influenced by the Islamic style in Spain.
Persia fell in AD 632-651.
In Turkey, Constantinople fell in AD 1453, marking the period of
Byzantine influence on Architecture. Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine
Cathedral, is the motif of the style.
Religious Influences
The Islamic way of life and attitudes greatly influenced their
architecture.
1. Acceptance of the dominance of Islam and the immutability of its
revelations.
2. An acceptance of the transitory of earthly life.
3. Personal humility.
4. Abhorrence of image-worship.
The Effects of Religion on Architecture
There is no essential differentiation in techniques between buildings
with a direct religious connotation and other buildings.
Expanding architectural endeavors on buildings for direct social or
community purposes, including worship.
Decorations tend toward the abstract, using geometric, calligraphic,
and plant motifs, with a preference for a uniform field of decoration
rather than a focal element.
Conservatism discouraged innovations and favored established
forms.
2025 | HANS MATHEW R. AQUINO
Social & Political Influences
The war of conquest by which Islam was to subjugate the world
bears a critical relation to the evolution of the style.
Each caliph, a spiritual and temporal ruler, was responsible for the
many religious buildings erected.
Architecture was continually receiving impetus because of the
building of new capitals and consequent the change of dynasties.
The position of women in the social system influenced the planning
and design of palaces and houses as a consequence of the isolation
of the harem.
Key Characteristics of
Islamic Architecture
ARCHES TYPES:
Horseshoe Pointed Scalloped/Multifoil Ogee
2025 | HANS MATHEW R. AQUINO
Domes
Domes are architectural features on many important buildings,
such as mosques, cathedrals, and governmental structures.
Domes are on structures called pendentives, making it fit a round
dome on a rectangular or square room. Pendentives have mosaic
tiling.
Domes built above Mosques have Arabic Calligraphy.
Islam prohibits the drawing of living beings on domes.
The shapes designed on domes symbolized different things.
1. Circle – sky, perfection, and eternity
2. Square – earth
3. Star – the spread of Islam
Minarets
Minaret comes from the Arabic word Minara - a derivation of
another Arabic word, Nur, meaning Light.
Hence, Minara, in essence, means Tower of Light. It is a generic term
referring to towers, from lighthouses to mosque towers.
Islamic Architecture refers to the tower that stands near a mosque
where the Muezzin recites the Azan to call the faithful to prayer.
They are towering spires with interior staircases and small windows.
Muqarnas Vaulting
The Muqarnas Vaulting is a form of decorative vaulting in which the
surface of a vault or dome splits into niche-like cells.
Muqarnas Vaulting resembles a honeycomb or stalactite pattern.
Muqarnas vaulting adds a textural and monochromatic touch to the
ceilings of often intricately and colorfully tiled interiors.
Ornamental Details
Islamic decoration often includes multicolored mosaic tile featuring
repeated patterns and geometric or vegetal motifs and patterns,
such as the arabesque. It also features Arabic calligraphy scripts, such
as passages from the Qur'an.
Another striking feature is mashrabiya, or wood latticework, used on
windows for privacy and climate control. It's also sometimes used in
a modern context as a purely decorative element or option for
dividing interior spaces.
Islamic architecture often features gardens, walled interior
courtyards, open halls with a roof held up by columns, and vaulting.
2025 | HANS MATHEW R. AQUINO
Structures in Islamic Architecture
Dwelling Houses
Planned with interior courts on to which the principal rooms face.
Provide special regard for planning the privacy of the corridors and
the isolation of the harem or women's apartment.
The windows towards the street are small and strongly barred in
the lower stories, while those to the upper stories have latticework.
Plain outside but have the ornamentation lavished in the porticos,
walls, and interior pavements.
Islamic Gardens
A place of rest and reflection and a reminder of paradise
Elements of an Islamic Garden.
1. Water - fountains, pools flowing watercourses, and the greenery.
2. Walls or screens make the garden an enclosed rectangle,
mysterious and private.
3. A layout in harmonious symmetry, using beautiful geometric
shapes for pools, paths, pavilions, or flowerbeds
Charbagh is a Persian-style quadrilateral garden divided by
walkways or flowing water into four smaller parts.
Bustan is a garden in the inner court of a house with a formal
garden with pools and water channels.
Jannah is an orchard with palms, oranges, and vines irrigated by
canals.
Madrasa
The word 'madrasa' has a Semite origin, meaning to study in a place.
In Arabic and many Arabic-influenced languages, madrasa
represents any private, public, secular, and religious learning
institution, including a school and a university for Muslim or non-
Muslim learners.
Most madrasas are usually, but not always, linked to mosques.
Mosques
MASJID – the Arabic word for Mosque.
Mosques are more internal than external in their architecture,
resembling the Egyptian Temples.
Mosques have elaborate domes, minarets, and prayer halls in varying
styles of architecture.
Mosques serve as a place where Muslims can come together.
Place of Prostration – believers bow their heads to the ground in
veneration to God and as part of a well-defined ritual of prayers
expressing their faith.
2025 | HANS MATHEW R. AQUINO
Palace
Complexity in plan and design from Islamic rituals and beliefs.
Separation of sexes required living quarters for men and women
1. Harem - wives, concubines, and female servants
2. Dar - men's apartment
3. Selamuk - men's guest quarter
Elements adapted from mosques, such as domes, minarets, and
arabesque ornamentation, were employed.
Tombs and Shrines
The tomb architecture is another feature of Islamic architecture as the
practice of burying the dead is adopted.
The general pattern of the tomb architecture consists of a domed chamber
(hujra), a cenotaph in its center with a mihrab on the western wall, and the
grave in the underground chamber.
An example is the Samanid Mausoleum in Bukhara, Uzbekistan - one of the
earliest surviving examples of funerary architecture in the Islamic world.
The building of burials involved architectural demonstrations that evolved
varying structures, designs, decorations, and arts and crafts applications.
Based on significance and ritual practices, people increasingly constructed
tomb structures.
Islamic funerary architecture provides us with a variety of mausoleums.
Reference:
History of Architecture 3: T-ARCH 225
Islamic Architecture
