Site Visit to Chale Sharif Tomb & Mosque Project - Gujrat

Photography by: 
Architect Najam Shameem - a recent graduate from BNU's Architecture Program.

Selections from an Exhibition on Islamic Architecture - I

‘Mithaal-e-Mulk-e-Abad’- 

The Time-less Message of Islamic Architecture – 

An Exhibition exploring its Philosophy, Principles, Symbolism & Methods

This exhibition was designed and produced at Kamil Khan Mumtaz Architects for an International Conference of Islamic Art & Architecture held at National College of Arts, Lahore in November 2008. In the next few posts we would like to share some of these panels. 

Panel 00-Introduction 

Panel 01-Background

Please click on posters below for a larger view

Panel 02 -Background

Panel 03 -Principles of Islamic Art

Please click on posters below for a larger view

Selections from an Exhibition on Islamic Architecture - II

‘Mithaal-e-Mulk-e-Abad’- 

The Time-less Message of Islamic Architecture – 

An Exhibition exploring its Philosophy, Principles, Symbolism & Methods

This exhibition was designed and produced at Kamil Khan Mumtaz Architects for an International Conference of Islamic Art & Architecture held at National College of Arts, Lahore in November 2008. In the next few posts we would like to share some of these panels. 

Panel 05-Architecture- Symbolism 

Panel 09-Architecture- Methods

Please click on posters for a larger view

Panel 13 -Case Studies (A medieval Family of Architects)
Panel 14 -Case Studies (Master Mason Haji Abdul Aziz)

Please click on posters for a larger view

More Muqarnas Studies

Left: Study Model for a Minar Muqarnas based on a Minar at Timur's Tomb in Samarqand (1398-1404).
Model by: Zeeshan & Sibtain, 5th year students at BNU's Architecture Dept. interning at KKM architects for the summer.

Minar at Timur's Tomb Samarqand

Recently finished Frescos at Baba Hassan Din Shrine

Top: Qalib-Kari conrnice based on 17th century Tomb of Dai Anga (inside Gulabi Bagh located next to UET on the G.T. Road). Plaster work by Ustad Jafar; Fresco by Ustad Rafaqat and Calligraphy by Ustad Shaukat Minhas.

Bottom: General view of entrance passage to Baba Hassan Din's tomb (2010).

Click here for video of KKM on Symbolism of Sufi Tombs

‘Geometrical’ and ‘Gaz-grid’ Analyses of the Sheesh Mahal (Lahore Fort)

Extract from:

In Search of the Time-less in Architecture

Figs. 15 & 16 show the ‘Geometrical’ and ‘Gaz-grid’ analyses respectively, of the Sheesh Mahal built by Shah Jahan in the Lahore Fort in 1630-31 AD. The Geometrical Analysis (fig 15) shows that all the main divisions of the plan are derived from a series of rotating and inscribed squares. 

In the Gaz-Grid Analysis shown in fig 16 the grid is of 2.5 gaz. The over-all length 62gaz; the width of the court 40gaz; the central Veranda of the Sheesh Mahal 20gaz; the side double storey verandas 10 gaz; the inter-columnar distances for the two verandas 6gaz and 3gaz respectively; Length of the Naulakha Pavilion in the West 10gaz, the round portion of the central pool 13gaz.

Thus once sees that the design of the building utilises two processes simultaneously, namely ‘geometric’ and ‘analytical’.[1]

The design was first drawn more or less theoretically, according to geometric proportions. Then, the analytical process was applied, and one dimension within the design was selected as a module. This module would be equal to, or commensurate with the gaz.[2]

---

[1] This mirrors the process outlined for Timurid Architecture by Golombek and Wilber, The Timurid Architecture of Iran and Turan, basing themselves on the definitive Russian work of  Bulatov, M.S, Geometricheskaiia Garmonizatsia v Arkhitekture Ssrednei Azii IX-XV, Moscow, 1978.

[2]Golombek and Wilber, The Timurid Architecture of Iran and Turan, Op.cit. p 139

Qalib-Kari (Stucco Plaster-work) & Naqqashi (Fresco Painting on wet lime-plaster)

Qalib-Kari drawing in chalk by Usatd Jafar in an Iwan.











Shafaat and Majid at work on Frescos in a dome assisting their father Master Fresco Painter Rafaqat.

Click for Image of Mosque & Qalib-Qari design on Dome