The first lesson in a 22 lesson course on Monuments of Islamic Architecture developed by Professors Gulru Necipoglu and David Roxburgh at the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University. This lesson covers the early Ummayad Dynasty and the Dome of the Rock. Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “The Dome of the Rock.” Lesson 1/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.

The fourth lesson in a 22 lesson course on Monuments of Islamic Architecture developed by Professors Gulru Necipoglu and David Roxburgh at the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University. This lesson looks comparatively at the Mosque of Córdoba in relation to near contemporary prototypes in terms of morphology (building components: domes, arcades, different kinds of roofing), plan, construction techniques, and decoration. Second, this lesson will discuss Al-Hakam II’s refurbishment from 962 to 969 and the ways that they assert an ideology of Umayyad victory. Third, the palace at Madinat al-Zahra was built 3 miles outside of Córdoba as the new administrative and royal seat of the Umayyad caliph. Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “Architecture of Exile The Umayyads of Spain.” Lesson 4/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.

The seventeenth lesson in a 22 lesson course on Monuments of Islamic Architecture developed by Professors Gulru Necipoglu and David Roxburgh at the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University. In this lesson, by way of focusing on a single monument, namely the Süleymaniye mosque complex in Istanbul (1550s) commissioned by Sultan Suleyman (r. 1520-66) from his Chief Court Architect Mimar Sinan, we will discuss 16th century Ottoman architectural culture and practices. In which ways were elements from the Roman-Byzantine and Italian Renaissance architectural traditions selectively integrated into the Ottoman architectural idiom? How did the Ottoman sultanic mosques of Constantinople/Istanbul make direct references to the international prestige of the city’s premier 6th century Byzantine church, Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya, now functioning as the leading Friday mosque of their new capital)? How does the Süleymaniye complex differ from the Hagia Sophia and previous Ottoman mosques in terms of spatiality, scale, materiality, and ornament? What are the novelties of mosques designed by Sinan, who served as the Ottoman chief court architect for half a century (between 1539 and 1588) during the reigns of three sultans (Suleyman I, Selim II, Murad II)? Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “ The Mosque Complex of Sultan Süleyman.” Lesson 17/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.

The eighteenth lesson in a 22 lesson course on Monuments of Islamic Architecture developed by Professors Gulru Necipoglu and David Roxburgh at the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University. This lesson explores: What does the term “decorum” mean when it is applied to architecture? In what ways was architectural decorum informed social and territorial hierarchies in the Ottoman empire? How did a sultanic mosque differ from a mosque commissioned by a queen, princess or a vizier in terms of its architectural layout and features? What were the innovations Sinan introduce into the Ottoman architectural idiom? Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “Chief Court Architect Sinan and His Autobiography.” Lesson 18/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.

The eighth lesson in a 22 lesson course on Monuments of Islamic Architecture developed by Professors Gulru Necipoglu and David Roxburgh at the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University. This lesson addresses the ways in which the city of Cairo changed over time in response to new conditions. How did shifting political and economic realities influence architecture and patronage? How did the failure to convert the Sunni population to Isma’ili Shi’ism impact Fatimid architecture? How was it that the city of Cairo and Fustat were yoked together as a locus for court ceremony?

The twenty-first lesson in a 22 lesson course on Monuments of Islamic Architecture developed by Professors Gulru Necipoglu and David Roxburgh at the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University. This lesson will uncover the multilayered meanings of the Taj Mahal, a major Mughal monument from the mid-seventeenth century, which has been understood, in general, as an expression of the undying love of the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan for his wife, the queen Mumtaz Mahal. What was the significance of the complex for the creation of a commercial quarter in the city? In which ways did the complex gain paradisiac connotations? What are the roles of the usage of the chahar bagh garden type, the hasht bihisht plan type, and specific materials and decorative motifs in producing such architectural meanings and symbolism? Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “The Taj Mahal in Agra: The Mausoleum as Eternal Garden.” Lesson 21/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.

Research and Teaching Materials This series of presentations (narrated and unnarrated) presents a comparative picture of urban and architectural form across the vast geographical region commonly referred to as the Islamic World. Examples from both the so-called ‘high’ and ‘peripheral’ Islamic traditions are presented in the lectures, aiming at providing a thorough understanding of both the distinctiveness and diversity of outlying cultures and their established architectural practices.

The purpose of this lecture is to outline the significant place educational institutions have had throughout the history of the the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Potential explanations for this are articulated and the various and diverse reasons why certain schools were chosen as recipients frame the lecture. From the very first school awarded (the Pondok Pesantren Pabelan in Indonesia), the design and construction of educational facilities within Muslim communities around the world has been a key theme throughout the history of the Award.

Housing for all has been an ongoing concern of every government all over the world. Yet, the fact that there are more than a billion people who are homeless and another billion-plus people who are living in squatter settlements in our cities and towns challenges us, the architects, planners, engineers and social welfare activists to focus our attention on this key human issue. The formal and informal sectors in the housing process are integral to rapid urban and regional development. The Workshop on Community Architecture and Affordable Housing supported by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and conducted by Rizvi College of Architecture, Mumbai, India focused on the key issue of housing for all by selecting Indore, the financial hub of Madhya Pradesh, India for a detailed and critical inquiry into the policies, programmes and projects related to housing. Two projects were identified for the study, namely Aranya by Prof. Balkrishna Doshi and Slum Networking in Indore by Engineer Himanshu Parikh, which have been awarded the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) awards. This publication is a result of the Workshop.

The Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme repertoire of site conservation and socio-economic redevelopment activities follows a trajectory whereby traditional skills, that are directly related to the rehabilitation and conservation of historic monuments, are revived or, if needed, reintroduced. The impact that conservation and restoration of cultural heritage sites has on the development of skills of members of the local community can be profound. It is for that reason that the Programme seeks to undertake projects whose scope of economic benefits far exceeds the short-term creation of employment in the sphere of restoration and related traditional crafts. Indeed, it is with an eye on the direct and indirect employment opportunities that arise from project implementation and future operation of historical sites, that individuals are trained in a wide scale of professions – or in skills upgrading of those already engaged in a particular profession – through Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

In the autumn semester of 2019, the Department of Architectural Engineering & Environmental Design in AASTMT’s Faculty of Engineering & Technology organized two courses on integrated urban rehabilitation. Both courses drew extensively upon the experience and methodology of the Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme. The metropolis of Cairo is often characterized by its capability to juxtapose tradition, historicism and modernity, to concoct a blend unique that is this sprawling city; home to over 20 million inhabitants. Nevertheless, questions pertaining to urban design are inherent, and Cairo remains a consistent hot-bed for opportunities toward urban growth and development of the built environment, toward the advancement and sustainability of communities that inhabit this city. The course aimed to understand the different theories, principles, processes, and urban design procedures and enhance students’ practical urban revitalization skills. The course examined the ways that existing cities have spread and been redeveloped. The course included a rich collection of ideas and projects that urban designers were generating internationally, notably the Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme.

This lecture focuses on: methods of interventions on existing buildings and urban spaces for the enhancement of their historic significance; relevance of architectural qualities and urban characteristics of Islamic built environments to contemporary design; restoration and adaptive reuse of key buildings in Iran, Qatar and Oman; local architectural characteristics in comparison to high end Islamic architecture.

This lecture focuses ont: defensive architecture in the Islamic world and its key elements and importance; the features and characteristics of military architecture in different countries of the Islamic world; and their historical background and importance through rehabilitation projects including the citadels of Aleppo in Syria, Herat in Afghanistan and Bahla in Oman.

This lecture focuses on: the aesthetic qualities of Islamic architectural expression, and the factors that shaped their course and development; variations in their evolution throughout the different regions of the Islamic world; the impact of these qualities on spatial perception; the differences, similarities and peculiarities of regional paradigms in comparison to high end Islamic architecture, through two mosques as case studies: Quwwat al-Islam in India and Masjid al-’Ali in Oman.

This lecture focuses on: adaptive reuse of historic buildings and sites as a response to the human need for continuity and change in the built environment; definitions, rationale and relevance, methodological approach, design operations and tools for adaptive reuse. This theoretical framework is illustrated through examples from both grand and vernacular Islamic architectural traditions, with the aim to showcase a wide spectrum of strategies and operations; the strategic role adaptive reuse plays in the rehabilitation of both settlements and individual buildings, illustrated by the conversion of the Shigar Fort in Pakistan and Bait as-Sail in Oman, by the Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme (AKHCP) and ArCHIAM respectively.

This lecture focuses on: contemporary debates surrounding the issues of conservation and restoration in the Islamic world, with a focus on the approach to integrated urban rehabilitation of the Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme (AKHCP). the importance of ensuring the continuity of the key characteristics of Islamic architectural and urban forms and, most importantly, of human agency; the regeneration of Darb al-Ahmar district in Old Cairo, Egypt (AKHCP) and the Heritage Management Plan for Salalah’s old town districts in Oman (ArCHIAM), so as to provide comparative understanding of different approaches to sustainable, heritage-led revitalisation of Islamic heritage in distinct geographical and cultural contexts.

The contents of this collection (publication and lectures) are intended to form a brief introduction to the principal cultures of Asia and their buildings. That inevitably involves a great deal of generalization, a lot of simplification — and the reader will have to accept that. But in doing so we are trying to make the subject approachable and intelligible. And to show something of the extraordinary sweep of architecture over one continent in a period of over four and five thousand years. This book will trace the domestic architecture of many regions of Asia and in each area will attempt to show how that relates to the development of the religious buildings of each culture. Overall it examines the question of the genesis of architecture and urbanism as conscious responses to the environment to social conditions and to beliefs and ideologies. Eastern Architecture is a collection of lectures given by Professor Ron Lewcock at the School of Architecture, University of Queensland, Australia. The lectures were organised Dr. Pedro Guedes. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) Education Programme is grateful to the School of Architecture at the University of Queensland, Australia, and to Professor Ron Lewcock for having authorized the posting on Archnet of these 12 lectures. The lectures were filmed by Hana Broughton and edited by Dr. Pedro Guedes. The lectures are accompanied here by a guidebook co-edited in 2019 by Prof. Lewcock and Dr. Pedro Guedes. AKTC wishes to thank Dr. Guedes for having facilitated the sharing of this high-quality Creative Commons educational resource, which can be accessed on the University of Queensland platform In this collection: Eastern Architectures Secular and Religious: From Pre-historic Times to the Early Twentieth Century Pre-historic Asia (2 parts) Southeast Asia Transoceanic Influences Hindu Temples and Houses Buddhist Temples and Houses China (2 parts) Japan Korea Korea, Japan, and the Islamic World Part 1 The Islamic World Part 2 The Islamic City (2 parts)

The seventh lesson in a 22 lesson course on Monuments of Islamic Architecture developed by Professors Gulru Necipoglu and David Roxburgh at the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University. This lesson looks at the city of Fatimid Cairo, the first 50 years of Fatimid rule in North Africa and the growth of Cairo from its inception in 969 through the mid-11th century. It will discuss the urban form as it relates to shifts in ceremonial practices and planned conversion of the Sunni population. Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “Fatimid Cairo.” Lesson 7/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.

The tenth lesson in a 22 lesson course on Monuments of Islamic Architecture developed by Professors Gulru Necipoglu and David Roxburgh at the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University. This lesson explores cultural connections and interactions between the two new frontiers of Islam, namely Anatolia and India, through the newly emerging architectural styles, forms and decorative programs in both regions. Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “The Seljuks and New Frontiers in Anatolia and India.” Lesson 10/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.

The eleventh lesson in a 22 lesson course on Monuments of Islamic Architecture developed by Professors Gulru Necipoglu and David Roxburgh at the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University. This lesson will explore how new kinds of cities and palaces developed under the Mongols to reflect forms of cultural and artistic adaptations and assimilations. These adaptations were driven by Mongol lifestyle which was nomadic, and the sedentary territories over which they ruled. What were the effects of adapting to aspects of sedentary culture? How did this relate to changes in artistic and architectural practices? How do we define permanent and portable architecture? How do these differences relate to nomadic and sedentary lifestyles? Another part of what we will focus on today involves the very close connections that are established between Qubilai Khan, the Great Khan of China and Mongolia, and the lands of Greater Iran ruled over by the Ilkhanid dynasty founded by Hülegü, Qubilai Khan’s brother. How does urban planning in contemporary China compare and contrast with Iran? Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “Between Portable and Permanent Architecture.” Lesson 11/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.