Cyrus the Great Tomb:

- Pre-Islamic (3000 BC - 6th Century)

- built during Achaemenid Empire (550 - 330 BC)

- made of stone and has two (2) axes

Persepolis:

- Pre-Islamic (3000 BC - 6th Century)

- 1 of 3 capitals

- erected during Achaemenid Empire (550 - 330 BC)

Persepolis:

- high level of dynamic w/ landscape and surroundings

- predominantly stone w/ wooden roofs (roofs are no longer existing b/c wood rotted away)

- Pre-Islamic Trait: using stone to portray beliefs

Persepolis:

- architecture into and out of stone

- design is VERY integrated with nature

Persepolis:

- courtyards are very prominent; very thick, stone masonry walls, and overall space is porous for internal circulation throughout the structure

Water Temple:

- carved into stone, and  VERY integrated with nature

Mosque:

- Islamic Period (6th - 18th Century)

- a place of prayer that is ALWAYS facing towards Meca

- has a very grand entrance, but has a simple rectangular courtyard, then a dome structure

Mosque:

- highly ornamented and made w/ arcades and squinches

- squares represent Earth, and circles represent Heaven (transition can be seen architecturally with a squinch)

Mosque:

- use of small stained glass windows

- simple patterns are carved into strutural support

Garden:

- highly involved with symbolism (images of Heaven and Earth)

- Divine Origin of the Garden:

- pardis/ferdous (meaning "garden"): lit. "around wall" (enclosed space)

- "pardis" like paradise in English

- great use of geometry and water

- highly vegetated and has a microclimate that is cooler than surrounding area

- water is brought primarily from mountains

Landscape Element: Water -

- water is in different forms (reflected pools, fountains, etc.)

- used to connect spaces with one another

Landscape Element: Water -

- most spiritual purpose of water is reflection: "Everything on Earth represents something within a higher reality."

- Water Example: 40-Column Garden (only 20 actual columns, but reflection in the water makes 40 total)

Landscape Element: Plants -

- promenade plants: give a constant representation of plantlife b/c they don't change w/ the seasons

- courtyard plants: always changing colors

Landscape Element: Plants -

- usually, very enclosed areas, and main axis is always integrated w/ both plants and water

Architecture Element: Enlosure -

- space/areas are enclosed with the purpose of creating a sacred or serene space separate from outside influence

Architectural Element: Entrance -

- having a grand/elegant entrance leads one to believe, or prepares one for the spiritual/natural experience of the space

Kooshk/Ivan Pavilion:

- a space in which water, plant-life, enclosure and elegant entrances have been fully integrated

Courtyard House:

- residene occurs around sunken-in courtyard

- horizontal mulitgenerational housing that is vast in size

Courtyard House:

- very close in concept to the idea of the mosque

- creation of microclimate because of enclosure

Courtyard House:

- installation of vertical elements (wind towers) that help in making a cooler microclimate

- a highly vegetated space

Bazaar & Urban Fabric:

- marketplace (major component of city)

- Isfahan (7th - 18th Century)

- vast square surrounded by palaces, a mosque and a school

Bazaar & Urban Fabric: Naghsh-e-Jahan Square -

- 4 courts and a water motif

- shool, mosque, palace and bazaar are all present within this square

Bazaar & Urban Fabric: Naghsh-e-Jahan Square -

- has domes and pointed arches (greater structural support)

- marketplace/retail also present within space

- highly ceremonial entrance, and very ornamented inside of the space (squinches, pointed arches, and large domes)

- royal garden is where royal family, at one time, could relax and speak to the common people

Bazaar & Urban Fabric:

- four "points" of Urban Fabric as a statement about culture:

1) Mosque: Religion

2) Shool: Science/Education

3) Palace: Power

4) Bazaar: Economy

Friday Mosque at Delhi:

- Mughal India

- highly influened by Persian architecture (reference Persian architecture)

Fatehpur Sikri:

- Mughal India (had 5 major rulers)

- third of the 5 great rulers proposed construction for theological study

Fatehpur Sikri:

- roughly 2 miles and surrounded by about 9 miles of stone wall

- built along NE to SW ledge of Mughal India

Fatehpur Sikri: Panch Mahal -

- very porous

- supposed to be more for public use

- 4 columns clustered together for structural support throughout the space

Fatehpur Sikri: Diwani-Khass -

- meeting place for scholars

- massive column in center (highly ornamented)

- pierced stone throughout space (sacred ritual)

Taj Mahal:

- Shah Jahal (architect and emperor of Mughal India at the time), built in memory of his deceased wife

- symbol of a bride (white interior), and love (redish interior)

- massive dome in the center

- red stone entrance pavilion

- single, central axis (promenade w/ water fountain)

Taj Mahal:

- on top of a Mauseleum Platform

- unusually high dome (wanted to be clearly visible from outside)

- double layered interior of dome

- both layers have the same design/ornamentation so that all may see the same thing no matter where they are

- walls and floors have and inlaid stone decoration

- has pierced stone windows (Jali Windows)

Taj Mahal:

- both Shah Jahan and his wife are burried within the Taj Mahal

- the sarcophagi have inlaid stone decoration of floral designs