Reviving the Architectural Heritage Values of Al-Aqmar Mosque As an Archi- Tectural Inherited and a Source of Inspiration for Contemporary Interior Design
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Reviving the architectural heritage values of Al-Aqmar Mosque as an archi- tectural inherited and a source of inspiration for contemporary interior design RadwaMohamed Salah El Din 1, Prof. Dr. Ola Ali Hashim 2 , Prof. Dr. Ashraf Hussein 3 1) Demonstratorin the Department of Decoration and Interior Architecture - the Higher Institute of Applied Arts - 6th of October 2) Professor of Design, Department of Interior Design and Furniture - Faculty of Applied Arts - Helwan University 3) Professor of Design, Department of Interior Design and Furniture - Faculty of Applied Arts - Helwan University KEY WORDS: ABSTRACT: Keywords: architectural inher- The study examines the architecture of Al-Aqmar Mosque because ited, authenticity, architectural of its great importance in the Fatimid architectural inheritedand elements, entrances, muqarnas, the conclusion of the most important architectural values influenc- ing its construction and rooting those values through monitoring decades, architectural values. and analysis of some architectural elements and items through an- alytical studies provided by this mosque to show the extent of its impact on its design and how the mosque became a source of her- itage inspiration of the mosques of the following eras, with differ- ent parts of the design in the content and formulation according to the impact of the same era, and models of each type of following eras were selected for the Aqmar Mosque to confirm this, and how the security and wealth of the state affected the luxury of Fatimid architecture, The study also indicates how the material, texture, color, shade and light affect the architectural product and architec- tural treatments in the architectural formation. INTRODUCTION: element of Islamic decoration, as low-mounted domes Caliph Al AmrBeahkam Allah ordered the estab- appeared on spherical triangles and here have evolved lishment of the Al-Aqmar Mosque and his minister, to cover the corridors in the mosques in Egypt, and all al-Ma’mun al-Bataahi, supervised its construction of those features made Al- Aqmar mosque has historic that was completed (519 AH- 1125 AD). Fatimid value and dimension. architecture flourished in Egypt thanks to security, state wealth and religious tolerance and openness to RESEARCH PROBLEM: cultures. It is considered one of the most beautiful the lack of intellectual link between the legacy and Fatimid mosques and has several advantages: It is methods of application in contemporary interior de- considered the first facade decorated in the Egyptian sign, ie we see that contemporary design has become mosques, and through the analysis of this facade we a metaphor only formal without depth in the meaning find that the first phenomenon of decoration in the -fa of architectural formation. cade of the Al-Aqmar Mosque is the oyster radiation that emerges from the center that represents the sun, and the use of niche hanging from the top of the mihr- Research hypothesis: ab in the façade. It is also the first decorative example The architectural design of Al- Aqmar Mosque is a of its kind in the architecture of Cairo and even in the source of heritage inspiration for the mosques of eras whole Islamic architecture, in addition to the facade that follow it with some differences in both material contains a variety of ornaments that make it a unique and design according to the impact of the same era. masterpiece in the architecture of Cairo in the Fatimid era, and is also noted the first use of muqarnas as an 134 Volume 1, Issue 1, January 2020 Main objectives of the research are: tinuation of its past, and its future as a continuation of - To extract new relationships and lines of design that its present. Authenticity does not mean self-conflagra- serve the interior design in line with the spirit of the tion, rejection of others, and alienation of the stranger times and at the same time do not lose identity and as a fake intruder and intrusion in which the self-iden- maintain authenticity through the architectural and tity is lost, Authenticity in this sense is isolation. symbolic analysis of some architectural elements of Islamicinherited experienced authenticity and Al Aqmar mosque, and access to this analysis for the achieved it when it was contemporary, that is, when intellectual link between the legacy and contempora- it had an awareness of itself, time and history. With a neity as an applied axis of design. contemporary word when it was modern in its time, - Borrow concepts and items of traditional architecture this is the essence of modernity, creating authenticity in a modern and innovative way and integrate it into and not bringing it from anywhere, because the inher- contemporary concepts and items. ent is the first and last version of itself, and not from something else, so it was important to understand the The research follows: the historical and descriptive concept of communication. analytical approach. 1.4. Concept of communication: Communication is the interdependence of all time in 1.1 The concept of revival: the past, for it, interdependence does not mean confor- Revival is a concept of the process of intellectual link mity, but means developing it, preserving its spirit and between heritage and contemporaneity, which is the supporting it with modern methods and the latest sci- re-use of heritage deliverables at the cultural and civ- ence and arts techniques. Heritage is not something for ilizational level. Architectural revival means the com- transport, but for the addition, development, growth plete or partial recovery of ancient symbols, concepts, and modernization and linking it with the future, as ideas and solutions. linked to the past, and perhaps the most important There is no doubt that this requires a deep understand- thing when studying the culture of a society is the ing of the roots of architectural thought represented in study of the values contained in that culture, no doubt the architecturalinherited, which still retains its heri- that culture is a link to the past with the present and tage characteristics as a source of architectural forma- the future through shared and continuous and evolving tions and formulations, and these roots are the overall values between them. result of culture, civilization and the spirit of the times In order to preserve the principle of personality devel- with natural influences, meaning that the peoples who opment rather than reproduction, it is necessary to find aim to revive the ancient heritage must still maintain the language of intellectual communication between a large part of the elements of civilization in which the architectural inheritedand contemporary designs this heritage originated, and the process of revival of and apply it in designs that reflect the intellectual con- heritage depends on two basic and consecutive steps: nection between heritage and contemporaneity. reading and inspiring the values of heritage, and then revive heritage values inspired and integrate them into the architectural framework or contemporary interior design. 1.2 Architectural inherited: Architectural inheritedrefers to the sum of buildings that have continued and proved their authenticity and value against continuous change. The architectural inheritedstands out as a reference and a governing framework, comprising “visual and canvases con- stants” that can inspire, guide and influence the archi- tect in his search for “optimal formulas” to shape the environment and architectural production. 1.3. Authenticity: Authenticity means homogeneity in time and commu- nication with thelegacy, and that the present is a con- 135 مجلد 1 ، عدد 1 ، يناير 2020 Table (1) shows the analysis of the horizontal projection of Al Aqmar mosque: Description and analysis Symbolic analysis Illustrations Architectural Description: Symbolism emerged from the The mosque consists of a cen- falls of to be free in two direc- tral open courtyard square with tions, one horizontal level link- a small area and is surrounded ing it to the place of the Kaaba by four corridors, the largest of and the other vertical upward to which is the qibla hallway. In the sky appears through the dome mosques in the Ottoman era. and minarets and balconies, and The concept of alignment of the thus symbolize the absolute and building of the street first ap- interdependence between the peared in Al Aqmar Mosque, earth and the sky. where the mosque is directly di- Wrapping value: The laws of rected to the qibla and is aligned substance are the small wraps with the facade facing the street. around the large; the electron in The broken entrance area faces the atom revolves around the nu- the west to allow the facade to cleus, the moon around the earth, align with the street. This tenden- the earth around the sun, the sun cy to modify the position of the around the galaxy, and the gal- qibla in order to level the ranks axy around a larger galaxy. The of worshipers when praying and circumnavigation of the Kaaba Figure (1) Horizontal projector of Al thus became the Qibla in the cor- is one of the rituals of Muslims Aqmar Mosque “Quoting from the Cen- rect position inside the mosque in Hajj and Umrah. Where the ter for Registration of Islamic and Coptic deviated for its facade, and this Almighty says: (and (again) cir- Antiquities in the Citadel” architectural element appeared cumambulate the Ancient House) for the first time in Al Aqmar (verse 29) of Surat Al-Hajj, and mosque. It was taken by most the idea of roaming does not only mosques and mosques that have exist in the world, but also found been exposed to the phenomenon in the Hereafter at Paradise and of Qiblah tendency in the Islam- Hell, in Paradise the Almighty ic world and Egypt, where Egypt says (And round about them is deviated from the direction of will (serve) youths of perpetual the Kaaba and the qibla in Egypt (freshness) {Verse 17} of Surat year southeast in the direction of Al Waqea, in hell, the Almighty the Kaaba.