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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 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 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.

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 on: the relevance of trade and interconnections in the development of cosmopolitan cities; urban structures and architectural features of ‘sea port’ and ‘land port’ cities in different contexts; engagement with the sea and desert frontiers of Islam, through examples of ‘high’ and ‘peripheral’ Islamic architectural contexts; the historical background of Zanzibar (Tanzania), Timbuktu (Mali), Muscat and Sinaw (Oman).

This lecture focuses on: one of the crucial building types that evolved under Islam, the mosque; the collegiate mosque, madrasa; the variety of architectural adaptations of the mosque to local contexts through the presentation of examples from both ‘high’ and ‘peripheral’ Islamic traditions aiming at providing a comprehensive understanding of such significant heritage and living architecture; and the historical background, architectural details and regeneration projects of Masjid al-Ayn in Oman, Aqsunqur Mosque (blue mosque) in Cairo and Amiriya Madrasa in Yemen.

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: 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.

This lecture focuses on: the importance of building a resilient community through collaborative rehabilitation efforts; participatory design methods and strategies applied to restoration and adaptive reuse initiatives; the necessity of addressing community needs and anticipating future aspirations, particularly in vernacular contexts of the Islamic world; a community rehabilitation project, the Earthen Architecture Programme in Mali, as well as an initiative for the establishment of a community cooperative in Misfat al-Abriyin, Oman.

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 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 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. This lesson covers the late Ummayad Dynasty and early mosque architecture.

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 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.

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.