Islam

Mohammad is the figure-head of Islamic religion. The first mosque, Mohammad's farm, was the prototype of mosques in the future. The common features of mosques were perimeter walls, covered halls of columns and a courtyard. A mosque is where people of Islam would come to pray to God kneeling on a carpet always facing Mecca.

One example of a mosque back then is The Great Mosque of Kairouan. This is the Prayer Hall in the Mosque. It had classic capitols with the Islamic arch. It is the most famous arch in Tunisia.

This is an interior of the Mosque of Sultan Ahmed. This is the prayer area and main dome. I love the detail that went into it and the multiple domes that are present. The color also stands out to me and how different mosques have different design techniques. 

One other mosque that really stood out to me was the Taj Mahal. It is a breathtaking piece of history that still stands today. It is a white domed marble mausoleum. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned this building upon death for his favorite wife- Mumtaz Mahal. I thought that was crazy that he went through so much and created such an amazing building for his wife. I can't imagine how much time and effort must have went into building such a large, beautiful mosque.

Here is a picture of the Taj Mahal with the intended reflection in the pond in front of it. It adds so much more design to the mosque.

One complete opposite interior design of a mosque would be the Great Mosque of Cordoba. The colors and multiple arches are phenomenal. The fact that they could pull off such an interior is amazing. The arches are thoughtfully planned out to create repetition and design techniques.

I thought the Alhambra was just breathtaking. The gardens as well as the interior are so elegant and beautiful. So much design went into planning that and I am just amazed at what they came up with back then.

One of my good friends is Muslim and she often goes to this Arabic restaurant/entertainment club Downtown Chicago called Alhambra. It feels as though you are in a palace when you are in it and actually living in that time. The food is really good and the people are so friendly and put on a great show every time I've gone.

I thought the design and architecture really fit with the Islamic design and made it feel like you were actually in a building back then.

Here is another example of modern Islamic design. The design against the window is so beautiful and definitely completes the design.

I thought this video showed a wide variety of different mosques located around the world. If you have time I would suggest watching some of it and seeing how much detail went into the architecture of these mosques. The differences in styles and design as it travels around the world is remarkable.

I looked at Natalie L's blog and I loved the modern pictures she had. I think the simplest forms of history in design is incredible to see. I can't believe after all these years we still find ways to incorporate these designs into spaces today. I also looked at Rachael's blog and she had great input on the detailing that went into designing mosques. I love looking at even the tiniest details of buildings and I always wonder how someone was so patient to put all of their concentration into the design for such a long period of time!