ABSOLUTE TOWERS

Client: Fernbrook Homes/Cityzen Development Group
Status: First prize in international competition. Under Construction
Location: Mississauga, nr Toronto, Canada
Type: Residential Apartments
Building Area: Phase 4: 45,000 sqm; Phase 5: 40,000 sqm
Building Height: Phase 4: 56 stories/170 m; Phase 5: 50 stories/150 m
Directors in Charge: Ma Yansong, Yosuke Hayano, Dang Qun
Design Team: Shen Jun, Robert Groessinger, Florian Pucher, Yi Wenzhen, Hao Yi, Yao Mengyao, Zhao Fan, Liu Yuan, Zhao Wei, Li Kunjuan, Yu Kui, Max Lonnqvist, Eric Spencer.

PROJECT SUMMARY
Modernism has a famous motto: A house is a machine for living in. However, as we increasingly leave the machine age behind, we are left with a question: what message should architecture convey today? What is a house for now?

Like other fast developing suburbs in North America, Mississauga is seeking a new identity. We want to take this opportunity to respond to the needs of an expanding city, to create a landmark that can be loved by the people who live there.
In place of the simple, functional logic of modernism, our design expresses the complex and multiple needs of contemporary society. This building is more than just a functional machine: it responds to its location at the junction of two main streets to become a gateway that signifies entrance to a city. It is something beautiful, sculptural and human.

Despite its landmark status, the emphasis is not solely on height. In our design, a continuous balcony surrounds the whole building, eliminating the vertical barriers that are traditionally used in high rise architecture. The entire building rotates by different degrees at different levels, corresponding with the surrounding scenery. Our aim is to provide 360 degree views, to awaken the city dweller’s appreciation of nature, and to get them in touch with the sunlight and the wind.

The Absolute Tower has been nicknamed Marilyn Monroe by the locals.

Absolute Tower Mississauga images / information from MAD Aug 2008 / 160309. For more informatio about this article, please enter this site on Absolute Towers.

English Mosque Design : text from Makespacearchitects

Muslims are the fastest growing population in Britain, and mosque building has expanded exponentially over the last two decades to reflect this this trend. With debate raging on how Muslims position themselves in modern Britain, we think the buildings they build can positively contribute to an emerging and confident British Islamic culture.

Makespacearchitects have been working on a series of mosque designs in and around London, and in each have been developing a contemporary language of Islamic architecture that could be considered as a British evolution of the Islamic tradition.

A key aspect of mosque design lies in the close working relationship the architect has with the mosque committee and local community. Mosques are mostly small and local, set up and supported by the local muslim community, and therefore above all it must have a resonance for these users and meet their practical and symbolic needs.

Each mosque is therefore a negotiation between the communities expectations, the requirements of local planning policies, and the architect's aesthetic and cultural vision.

Mosque committees often have particular expectations of what a mosque should look like. These ideas are often rooted in certain interpretations of Islamic history, which centre on the architectural elements of the dome and minaret. The form of these elements and the style of their decoration has varied throughout Islamic history, depending on which culture implemented them.

We believe that an indigenous British Islamic architecture is a continuation of this process of interpretation and reference to tradition. As there are no actual requirements of what a mosque needs to be, other than the prayer being oriented towards Makkah, the formal responses are open to interpretation and suggestion. It is important to refer to elements that people perceive as traditional, as the mosque must have meaning for the people that use it as well as being a symbol for the ongoing evolution of the Muslim world, of Islamic tradition and of the diversification of British society.

Mosque building in London is a sensitive and intricate process. As architects we are negotiating the complexities of London's urban fabric, the desires and politics of a mosque community, the weight of Islamic architectural history, and demands of rapid cultural change.

London Mosque Design Images / information from Makespacearchitects 240409,or go to this url site on English Mosque.

FLUID - AMPHIBIAN PAVILION YEOSU KOREA - WORLD EXPO 2012

The pavilion is prototypical architecture, drawing from the multidisciplinary source of product design- urban planning-architecture and naval design. The pavilion is resolved as a vessel - a floating exhibition space that can be sailed to other cities. It's an evolution of architecture- a futuristic adaptable living building that can adapt to suit an unknowable future. Its ingenuity will encourage multidisciplinary problem solving through sustainable solutions.

The concept, as presented, allows for the evolution of the schematic design which is alive, adaptive, and reactive to its oceanic environments. It aims to create a strong expression of the exhibition theme "The Living Ocean and Coast". Anchored to the coastline as if a living organism, rising and falling with the tides, the Pavilion illustrates the strong bond and interdependence of the ocean and the coastal eco system. The design sequesters the theoretical sciences and biology, taking contours from fluid dynamics and oceanic organisms showing the previously static building model to be outdated welcoming a new paradigm of living architecture. The pavilion becomes a vessel filled with analogous relationships to technology and marine life.

Yeosu is an emerging young city that demands a radically new metaphor. This vessel can carry the metaphor of change like an ark to the new world, a positive message to future generations, offering a platform for people to collaborate and create. Sustainability and conservation run through the design approach, allowing continued use of the pavilion well after the world expo has concluded. The open interior incorporates enough flexibility to accommodate all types of events and uses, while being financially efficient and optimizing investment returns, ensuring the full viability of the project.

Ocean conservation at an international and regional scale will be given an iconic beacon with its extensive exhibition program, promoting the commitment and efforts of Yesou and Korea in exploring environmental issues beyond the 2012 World Expo. "Fluid" the Amphibian pavilion will promote dialogue and encourage collaboration between Asia pacific countries about the importance of the preservation of oceans and ecosystem.

See full article on www.e-architect.co.uk

Niu Jie Mosque, Beijing

Built in 995, the Niu Jie Mosque is Beijing's largest and oldest mosque and the spiritual center for the city's estimated 200,000 Muslims.

History

The mosque was constructed by two Arabs in 995. Throughout the Yuan, Ming and Qing periods (13th-19th C), it underwent several alterations and since 1949 it has been repeatedly restored.

What to See

Niu Jie (Ox Street) is a cramped road running north-south in the Muslim Quarter, about a mile directly west of the Temple of Heaven. It is lined with offal stalls and vendors selling fried dough rings, rice cakes and shaobang (muffins), and populated by men wearing white hats and beards.

The Niu Jie Mosque occupies a site of over 6000 m² and includes several buildings: the prayer hall, the Bangge Lou (minaret), a six-cornered moon observatory tower, and two pavilions with stone steles.

The exteriors are designed in classic Chinese style, looking very much like Buddhist temples, but the interiors are more traditionally Arab. And of course, there are no idols to be seen. Both Chinese and Arabic inscriptions adorn the buildings.
Non-Muslim visitors cannot enter the prayer hall (which is usually fairly empty except on Fridays), but can admire the architecture of the exteriors and look around the courtyards. A small courtyard on the south side contains the graves of two Persian imams who preached here in the 13th century. Nearby is a copper cauldron, used to prepare food for devotees.

Blue Mosque, Istanbul

The cascading domes and six slender minarets of the Sultanahmet Mosque (better known as the "Blue Mosque") dominate the skyline of Istanbul. In the 17th century, Sultan Ahmet I wished to build an Islamic place of worship that would be even better than the Hagia Sophia, and the mosque named for him is the result. The two great architectural achievements now stand next to each other in Istanbul's main square, and it is up to visitors to decide which is more impressive.

History

The Blue Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I when he was only 19 years old. It was built near the Hagia Sophia, over the site of the ancient hippodrome and Byzantine imperial palace (whose mosaics can be seen in the nearby Mosaic Museum). Construction work began in 1609 and took seven years.

The mosque was designed by architect Mehmet Aga, whose unfortunate predecessor was found wanting and executed. Sultan Ahmet was so anxious for his magnificent creation to be completed that he often assisted in the work. Sadly, he died just a year after the completion of his masterpiece, at the age of 27. He is buried outside the mosque with his wife and three sons.

The original mosque complex included a madrasa, a hospital, a han, a primary school, a market, an imaret and the tomb of the founder. Most of these buildings were torn down in the 19th century.

What to See

One of the most notable features of the Blue Mosque is visible from far away: its six minarets. This is very unique, as most mosques have four, two, or just one minaret. According to one account, the Sultan directed his architect to make gold (altin) minarets, which was misunderstood as six (alti) minarets.

Whatever the origins of the unique feature, the six minarets caused quite a scandal, as the Haram Mosque in Mecca (the holiest in the world) also had six minarets. In the end, the sultan solved the problem by sending his architect to Mecca to add a seventh minaret.

The other striking feature of the exterior is the beautifully-arranged cascade of domes that seem to spill down from the great central dome. The arcades running beneath each dome add further visual rhythm. None of the exterior is blue - the name "Blue Mosque" comes from the blue tiles inside.

The main west entrance is beautifully decorated and very much worth a look. However, to preserve the mosque's sanctity, non-worshippers are required to use the north entrance, off the Hippodrome. Hanging from this gate are symbolic chains that encourage everyone, even the sultan who entered on horseback, to bow his or her head upon entering.

Inside, the high ceiling is lined with the 20,000 blue tiles that give the mosque its popular name. Fine examples of 16th-century Iznik design, the oldest tiles feature flowers, trees and abstract patterns. The overall effect is one of the most beautiful sights in Istanbul. The Iznik tiles can be seen in the galleries and and on the north wall above the main entrance. The remaining tiles, which have a less delicate design, were made in Kütahya.

The interior is lit with 260 windows, which were once filled with 17th-century stained glass. Sadly, this has been lost and replaced with inferior replicas.

For more info about this articel, please click www.sacred-destinations.com

The cascading domes and six slender minarets of the Sultanahmet Mosque (better known as the "Blue Mosque") dominate the skyline of Istanbul. In the 17th century, Sultan Ahmet I wished to build an Islamic place of worship that would be even better than the Hagia Sophia, and the mosque named for him is the result. The two great architectural achievements now stand next to each other in Istanbul's main square, and it is up to visitors to decide which is more impressive.

History

The Blue Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I when he was only 19 years old. It was built near the Hagia Sophia, over the site of the ancient hippodrome and Byzantine imperial palace (whose mosaics can be seen in the nearby Mosaic Museum). Construction work began in 1609 and took seven years.

The mosque was designed by architect Mehmet Aga, whose unfortunate predecessor was found wanting and executed. Sultan Ahmet was so anxious for his magnificent creation to be completed that he often assisted in the work. Sadly, he died just a year after the completion of his masterpiece, at the age of 27. He is buried outside the mosque with his wife and three sons.

The original mosque complex included a madrasa, a hospital, a han, a primary school, a market, an imaret and the tomb of the founder. Most of these buildings were torn down in the 19th century.

What to See

One of the most notable features of the Blue Mosque is visible from far away: its six minarets. This is very unique, as most mosques have four, two, or just one minaret. According to one account, the Sultan directed his architect to make gold (altin) minarets, which was misunderstood as six (alti) minarets.

Whatever the origins of the unique feature, the six minarets caused quite a scandal, as the Haram Mosque in Mecca (the holiest in the world) also had six minarets. In the end, the sultan solved the problem by sending his architect to Mecca to add a seventh minaret.

The other striking feature of the exterior is the beautifully-arranged cascade of domes that seem to spill down from the great central dome. The arcades running beneath each dome add further visual rhythm. None of the exterior is blue - the name "Blue Mosque" comes from the blue tiles inside.

The main west entrance is beautifully decorated and very much worth a look. However, to preserve the mosque's sanctity, non-worshippers are required to use the north entrance, off the Hippodrome. Hanging from this gate are symbolic chains that encourage everyone, even the sultan who entered on horseback, to bow his or her head upon entering.

Inside, the high ceiling is lined with the 20,000 blue tiles that give the mosque its popular name. Fine examples of 16th-century Iznik design, the oldest tiles feature flowers, trees and abstract patterns. The overall effect is one of the most beautiful sights in Istanbul. The Iznik tiles can be seen in the galleries and and on the north wall above the main entrance. The remaining tiles, which have a less delicate design, were made in Kütahya.

The interior is lit with 260 windows, which were once filled with 17th-century stained glass. Sadly, this has been lost and replaced with inferior replicas.

For more info about this articel, please click www.sacred-destinations.com

'Bill-ding' in Lithuania

One of the next landmarks in Lithuania is already turning heads. Nearly complete, the new building has an aluminium-and-glass façade that looks like a Lithuanian bank note.

"Special will be the look of the building, the nice picture on the façade," says Eimantas Lenciauskas of Savoja UAB.

The investors wanted something special and inspiring. The builders had an idea and considered the possibilities with suppliers. The suppliers said yes and are delivering. And the building will be complete in early 2008.

"Everything is possible as the pictures show," says Mart Petermann, who is responsible for Hydro’s aluminium building systems operations in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Verslo Centras 1000 is a showcase project both for the metal builder, Savoja UAB, and for Hydro and its Wicona-brand building systems. The office building uses the brand’s high-tech aluminium facades for the Kaunas construction.

"When choosing materials for this building, there is no alternative – it should be aluminium. It is a 'green' material," says Lenciauskas.

Banking and financial services

Part of the building will be used for banking services and part for other financial services. The city of Kaunas, which is Lithuania's second-largest city, is experiencing a period with growing investment, and Petermann notes that more businesses are looking for office space.

"The wish of these investors was to build something that people would look at," he says. "In the competition for the project, we were able to explain the possibilities of Wicona in solving the challenges of the building.

"It is important to remember that the idea of the building changed many times."

Verslo Centras 1000 is using 35 tonnes of aluminium in the form of Wicona’s Wictec 50 SG facades. A Dutch supplier is delivering the special glass for the facades.

Hydro is Europe's preferred supplier of aluminium building systems, and delivers to scores of other countries around the globe. Its three international brands - Domal, Technal and Wicona - cover the range of system products.

Take from : www.hydro.com

Landscape Architecture

Landscape architecture is a the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve socio-behavioural, environmental, and/or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the careful design of interventions that will interact with these conditions and processes to produce the desired outcome. The scope of the profession includes urban design,site planning, town or urban planning, environmental restoration, parks and recreation planning; green infrastructure planning and provision, all at varying scales of design, planning and management. A practitioner in the profession of landscape architecture is called a landscape architect.

Through the 19th century, urban planning became more important, and it was the combination of modern planning with the tradition of landscape gardening that gave Landscape Architecture its unique focus. In the second half of the century, Frederick Law Olmsted completed a series of parks which continue to have a huge influence on the practices of Landscape Architecture today. Among these were Central Park in New York, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, and Boston's so called Emerald Necklace park system.

Landscape architecture continues to develop as a design discipline, and has responded to many of the movements of design and architecture through the 20th century. Today, a healthy level of innovation continues to provide challenging design solutions for streetscapes,parks and gardens. The work of Martha Schwartz in the US,and in Europe designs such as Schouwburgplein in Rotterdam by the Dutch design group (West 8) are just two examples.

Ian McHarg is considered an important influence on the modern Landscape Architecture profession and land planning in particular. With his book "Design with Nature", he popularized a system of analyzing the layers of a site in order to compile a complete understanding of the qualitative attributes of a place. This system became the foundation of today's Geographic Information Systems (GIS). McHarg would give every qualitative aspect of the site a layer, such as the history, hydrology, topography, vegetation, etc. GIS software is ubiquitously used in the landscape architecture profession today to analyze materials in and on the Earth's surface and is similarly used by Urban Planners, Geographers, Forestry and Natural Resources professionals, etc.

Critical Regionalism

Critical regionalism approach to architecture that strives to counter the placelessness and lack of meaning in Modern Architecture by using contextual forces to give a sense of place and meaning. The term critical regionalism was first used by Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre and later more famously by Kenneth Frampton.

Frampton put forth his views in "Towards a Critical Regionalism: Six points for an architecture of resistance." He evokes Paul Ricoeur's question of "how to become modern and to return to sources; how to revive an old, dormant civilization and take part in universal civilization". According to Frampton, critical regionalism should adopt modern architecture critically for its universal progressive qualities but at the same time should value responses particular to the context. Emphasis should be on topography, climate, light, tectonic form rather than scenography and the tactile sense rather than the visual. Frampton draws from phenomenology to supplement his arguments.

Two examples Frampton briefly discusses are Jørn Utzon and Alvar Aalto. In Frampton's view, Utzon's Bagsvaerd Church (1973-76), near Copenhagen is a self-conscious synthesis between universal civilization and world culture. This is revealed by the rational, modular, neutral and economic, partly prefabricated concrete outer shell (i.e. universal civilization) versus the specially-designed, 'uneconomic', organic, reinforced concrete shell of the interior, signifying with its manipulation of light sacred space and 'multiple cross-cultural references', which Frampton sees no precedent for in Western culture, but rather in the Chinese pagoda roof (i.e. world culture). In the case of Aalto, Frampton discusses the redbrick Säynätsalo Town Hall (1952), in which, he argues, one finds a resistance to the domination of universal technology, as well as to vision by means of the tactile qualities of the building's materials; for instance, in 'feeling' the friction of the brick floor of the stairs to the springy wooden-floored council chamber.

As put forth by Tzonis and Lefaivre, critical regionalism need not directly draw from the context, rather elements can be stripped of their context and used in strange rather than familiar ways. Here the aim is to make aware of a disruption and a loss of place that is already a fait accompli through reflection and self-evaluation.

Critical regionalism is different from regionalism which tries to achieve a one-to-one correspondence with vernacular architecture in a conscious way without consciously partaking in the universal.

Critical regionalism is considered a particular form of post-modern (not to be confused with postmodernism as architectural style) response in developing countries.

In addition to Aalto and Utzon, it could be argued that also the following architects have used the Critical Regionalism approach in some of their works: Studio Granda, Mario Botta, B. V. Doshi, Charles Correa, Alvaro Siza, Rafael Moneo, Geoffrey Bawa, Raj Rewal, Tadao Ando, Mack Scogin / Merrill Elam, Glenn Murcutt, Ken Yeang, William S.W. Lim, Tay Kheng Soon, Juhani Pallasmaa, Juha Leiviskä, and Tan Hock Beng.

The term "critical regionalism" has also been used in cultural studies, literary studies, and political theory, specifically in the work of Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. In her 2007 work Who Sings the Nation-State? co-authored with Judith Butler, Spivak proposes a deconstructive alternative to nationalism that is predicated on the deconstruction of borders and rigid national identity. She has expanded this definition in other recent writing. Douglas Powell's book Critical Regionalism: Connecting Politics and Culture in the American Landscape (2007) traces the trajectory of the term critical regionalism from its original use in architectural theory to its inclusion in literary, cultural, and political studies.

Taken from : Wikipedia

Deconstructivism

Deconstructivism in architecture, also called deconstruction, is a development of postmodern architecture that began in the late 1980s. It is characterized by ideas of fragmentation, an interest in manipulating ideas of a structure's surface or skin, non-rectilinear shapes which serve to distort and dislocate some of the elements of architecture, such as structure and envelope. The finished visual appearance of buildings that exhibit the many deconstructivist "styles" is characterized by a stimulating unpredictability and a controlled chaos.

Important events in the history of the deconstructivist movement include the 1982 Parc de la Villette architectural design competition (especially the entry from Jacques Derrida and Peter Eisenman and Bernard Tschumi's winning entry), the Museum of Modern Art’s 1988 Deconstructivist Architecture exhibition in New York, organized by Philip Johnson and Mark Wigley, and the 1989 opening of the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, designed by Peter Eisenman. The New York exhibition featured works by Frank Gehry, Daniel Libeskind, Rem Koolhaas, Peter Eisenman, Zaha Hadid, Coop Himmelb(l)au, and Bernard Tschumi. Since the exhibition, many of the architects who were associated with Deconstructivism have distanced themselves from the term. Nonetheless, the term has stuck and has now, in fact, come to embrace a general trend within contemporary architecture.

Originally, some of the architects known as Deconstructivists were influenced by the ideas of the French philosopher Jacques Derrida. Eisenman developed a personal relationship with Derrida, but even so his approach to architectural design was developed long before he became a Deconstructivist. For him Deconstructivism should be considered an extension of his interest in radical formalism. Some practitioners of deconstructivism were also influenced by the formal experimentation and geometric imbalances of Russian constructivism. There are additional references in deconstructivism to 20th-century movements: the modernism/postmodernism interplay, expressionism, cubism, minimalism and contemporary art. The attempt in deconstructivism throughout is to move architecture away from what its practitioners see as the constricting 'rules' of modernism such as "form follows function," "purity of form," and "truth to materials."

3deluxe’s Leonardo Glass Cube Communicates a brand through the building

Leonardo Glass Cube is the first permanent building implemented by 3deluxe. On the premises of the glazing company Glaskoch, the Leonardo Glass Cube conveys to guests and the staff alike the company’s philosophy and visions in an inspiring manner across a total area of 2,900 sq m.

The glass façade of the building represents the passage to a hyper-naturalistic world with heightened aesthetic appeal. The graphically illustrated elements displayed on it were derived from the architecture and the surrounding landscape.

Three white sculptural structures – so-called ‘Genetics’ – connect the separate zones of the building to each other again. On the glass façade ‘Genetics’ appear again in a two-dimensional version. The superimposed pilaster strips are continued in a network of white concrete pathways that surrounds the entire building and lets it grow together with its location.

On both floors the wall rolls in to form niches that are used for various functions such as themed product orchestrations and meeting lounges. In particular in the breaks in the wall these lines predominate as a significant graphic design element that is continued on the ceiling as a system of ventilation joints.

Taken from : http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com

Interior Design

Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants, and are aesthetically attractive. Designs are created in response to and coordinated with code and regulatory requirements, and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability.

The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, whereby the needs and resources of the client are satisfied to produce an interior space that fulfills the project goals.

The work of an interior designer draws upon many disciplines including environmental psychology, architecture, product design, and traditional decoration (aesthetics and cosmetics). They plan the spaces of almost every type of building including: hotels, corporate spaces, schools, hospitals, private residences, shopping malls, restaurants, theaters, and airport terminals. Today, interior designers must be attuned to architectural detailing including floor plans, home renovations, and construction codes. Some interior designers are architects as well.

Vitruvius

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (born c. 80–70 BC, died after c. 15 BC) was a Roman writer, architect and engineer (possibly praefectus fabrum during military service or praefect architectus armamentarius of the apparitor status group), active in the 1st century BC. By his own description Vitruvius served as a Ballista (artilleryman), the third class of arms in the military offices. He likely served as chief of the ballista (senior officer of artillery) in charge of doctores ballistarum (artillery experts) and libratores who actually operated the machines. He has been called by some 'the world's first known engineer.

Vitruvius is the author of De architectura, known today as The Ten Books on Architecture, a treatise written of Latin and Greek on architecture, dedicated to the emperor Augustus. In the preface of Book I, Vitruvius dedicates his writings so to give personal knowledge of the quality of buildings to the emperor. Likely Vitruvius is referring to Marcus Agrippa's campaign of public repairs and improvements. This work is the only surviving major book on architecture from classical antiquity. The next major book on architecture, Alberti's reformulation of Ten Books, was not written until 1452.

Vitruvius is famous for asserting in his book De architectura that a structure must exhibit the three qualities of firmitas, utilitas, venustas — that is, it must be strong or durable, useful, and beautiful. According to Vitruvius, architecture is an imitation of nature. As birds and bees built their nests, so humans constructed housing from natural materials, that gave them shelter against the elements. When perfecting this art of building, the Ancient Greek invented the architectural orders: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. It gave them a sense of proportion, culminating in understanding the proportions of the greatest work of art: the human body. This led Vitruvius in defining his Vitruvian Man, as drawn later by Leonardo da Vinci: the human body inscribed in the circle and the square (the fundamental geometric patterns of the cosmic order).

Vitruvius is sometimes loosely referred to as the first architect, but it is more accurate to describe him as the first Roman architect to have written surviving records of his field. He himself cites older but less complete works. He was less an original thinker or creative intellect than a codifier of existing architectural practice. It should also be noted that Vitruvius had a much wider scope than modern architects. Roman architects practised a wide variety of disciplines; in modern terms, they could be described as being engineers, architects, landscape architects, artists, and craftsmen combined. Etymologically the word architect derives from Greek words meaning 'master' and 'builder'. The first of the Ten Books deals with many subjects which now come within the scope of landscape architecture.

Taken by from : Wikipedia

Architecture and Lighting Culture

At the start of the 21st century, architecture is increasingly acquiring a greater role and receiving more attention when it is a matter of presenting corporate values and public prestige. Modern architecture and up-todate design are values which can set buildings, rooms and companies and organisations associated with them apart from the mainstream.Architecture and the lighting design associated with it Architectural applications are therefore to be viewed as the royal discipline of lighting design is occupying an increasingly larger guiding example function.

The market characterised by high-speed change therefore demands in this segment excellent variable standard ranges as well as highly complex special solutions. Technical building management and lighting design are inseparable components of a holistic lighting solution which we develop jointly with our customers. Space, light, design and ecology provide the new architecture with a characteristic dimension. Together they form an impressive, modern attitude to which we feel committed.

INTRODUCTION to ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

Muhammad (c. 570 -632) born and brought up in Makka (Mecca), an ancient city in Arabia, heard God's message for the first time around 610 AD. That is the birth of the faith of Islam. Since then, Muhammad as a prophet gradually got frequent revelations from God and told them to his followers, so that those messages were compiled posthumously into the holy book for Islam, the "Qur'an" (Koran).
God is one and all men are equal before God. Under that doctrine Islam rapidly propagated to Syria, Persia, Egypt, so as to establish a great politico-religious empire expanding all the way to Spain in the west and as far as the Central Asia in the east.
As for India, Islamization began relatively late, at the end of the 12th century when invading troops from the west overthrew the Hindu dynasty of Delhi. Since Indian Islamic culture, which was to develop from the 13th century, was brought through Persia (Iran), Islamic architecture in India came to wear Persian character.

As the followers (Muslim for masculine, Muslima for feminine) worship the God five times a day, they built 'Masjid' (Mosque in English) as a place of worship all over the world. What is unique is every mosque is built in the direction of Makka. The wall facing Makka is called Qibla wall, center of which provides a 'Mihrab' (a niche to indicate this wall as the direction of Makka) and a 'Minbar' (pulpit) on its right side.
Generally outside of the prayer room is a Minaret (tower for calling the congregation to worship) and in the center of the courtyard is a fountain or an ablution tank for washing the followers' hands and feet before worship.

After the subjugation Muslims succeeded architectural traditions of each region and bred different styles of Islamic architecture from region to region. We can discern four representatives among those styles:

1. Arabian type that has a hypostyle hall covered by a flat roof
2. Persian type that has four Iwans facing each other around a courtyard
3. Turkish type that has a big spherical dome enclosing an astylar interior space
4. Indian type that has an outstanding worship hall in Makka side like an independing building

At all events, it can be defined as 'Membranous Architecture' or 'Enclosing Architecture' surrounding a courtyard or a worship space, in comparison with Hindu temples as 'Sculptural Architecture.

As for the sects, there is the Sunni sect as a majority group and the Shiite sect as a minority group mainly in Persia, but architecturally there is very little difference.

Taken From : Takeo Kamiya