The twenty-second 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. Throughout the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth century, European powers invaded and colonized large portions of the Islamic world, reshaping both the physical boundaries of these territories and the structures of authority. What this period brought with it are two interrelated trends in terms of art historical study: Europe’s and America’s discovery of Islamic art and its impact in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in what came to be known as Orientalist art. This is also a period when the first books on Islamic art and museum collections are formed. In the arts of the Islamic world, there was an integration of European ideas and techniques. More broadly, the increase in globalization and the subversion of Islamic lands under Western hegemony led to the growth of nationalism and revivalism. Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “The Legacies of Islamic Architecture in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries.” Lesson 22/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.

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.

The twelfth 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 a dialogue between soft and hard architecture, between an architecture that is portable, ephemeral and essentially nomadic in nature, and its intersection with sedentary forms of architecture that were mostly permanent and fixed. What exchanges occurred between temporary and permanent architecture? How do ceramic tiles reflect the impact of portable architecture? In Timurid Samarqand, we will explore a slightly different process of assimilation than that of the Ilkhanid projects, which primarily functioned as translation from the nomadic to sedentary. Rather, we will investigate how Timur and the nomadic tribes of Central Asia, who were already deeply familiar with the traditions of sedentary Islam, accumulated and redirected diverse cultural and aesthetic traditions. Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “Timurid Cities in Iran and Central Asia.” Lesson 12/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.

The fifteenth and sixteenth lessons 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. Th lessons explores the ways in which the Mamluks inscribed their political power and presence on the urban landscape of Cairo. How did they transform the monumental topography of Cairo? On which parts of the city was Mamluk patronage activity focused? We will learn about architectural innovations in Cairo through one main case study, the construction of the Sultan Hasan complex. How did the waqf system become a tool for the Mamluk elite to display their piety to the public and also to protect their wealth. Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “The Madrasa-Mosque Complex of Sultan Hasan and the Mamluk System of Charitable Endowments.” Lesson 15-16/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.

The ninth 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 artistic and architectural developments from 1050 to 1250 will be discussed with a major focus on the mosque and hospital complex in Divriği, north central Anatolia. Citation Necipoglu, Gulru and David Roxburgh. “The Mosque and Hospital Complex of Divrigi.” Lesson 9/22 presentation developed for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Education Programme, 2019.