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Thesystemofproportioninthedesignofthe
Prophetsmosque(6)20141110143036099
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FathiBashier
MakelleUniversity,Ethiopia
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THE SYSTEM OF PROPORTIONS
IN THE DESIGN OF THE PROPHET'S MOSQUE
IN AL-MADINAH AL-MUNAWWARAH
1.
Introduction
Architecture has since ancient times developed on evolutionary basis in which the
Classical aesthetic philosophy and design concepts such as harmony and proportions
have been the consistent underlying order. However, following the great changes
brought about by industrialization in the 19th century, this process has been seriously
disrupted. The advent of the Modern Movement in the 20th century replaced the
traditional architecture in many parts of the world especially Europe. As a result
architecture no longer follows a consistent and gradual progressive process as it has
for centuries. In fact the bulk of modern architecture today, as widely acknowledged
lacks concern for proportions and harmonious relationship.
Although the coming of modernism and the shift away from traditional
architecture has in the early 20th century led to the break up of the historical
evolutionary process in many parts of the world. The underlying Classical traditions,
however, which united the evolutionary process of architecture from Classical Greece
and Latin Rome to medieval architecture in the East and West, have prevailed in
contemporary traditional mosque architecture.
Medieval Muslim architects paid great attention to the Classical concepts of
proportions and harmonious relationships. The influence of Greek methods became
clear in Syria since the 8th century in the design of facades and ground plans. Grabar
(2006) observed that the striking proportions of the façade of the Great Mosque of
Damascus, which was to influence many Syrian mosques for several centuries, came
as a result of the dimensions and proportions of Hellenic prototypes.
Muslim concern for the Classical design concepts, had led to the development of
advanced systems of proportioning. They developed the use of gridline coordinating
method for regulating commensurate measurements, and achieving harmonious
proportions and unity in design. Proportions had been achieved by setting-out a
square network of gridlines based on basic units or modules that seem to be related to
human dimensions (Lewcock: 1978). An example from thirteenth century Aleppo,
Syria was presented by Tabbaa (1988).
Authors recognized that the use of a gridline system was found to be a common
feature of architects' drawings in the 15th and16th century. All drawings are executed
across a grid of squares (42- 62 mm), which represent the structural modules of the
plan. Not only that but surviving buildings in Central Asia since the 9th century
onwards were found to conform to such system that there seems no doubt that this
was the method by which buildings were designed, drawn and set out (Rai: 1993;
Tabaa: 1988).
Observations indicate that, despite strong impact of Modernism, the Classical
traditions of proportion and Muslim’s adding are preserved in present time traditional
mosque architecture a great example of which is the Prophet’s mosque in Al-Madinah
al-Munawwrah.
2.
The systematic measurements unit
in the design of the Prophet's mosque
The Prophet's mosque has received three extensions since its re-construction in 886H.
The Turkish extension of (1265- 77 H).The first Saudi extension (1368-75H) in which
special care was taken to blend the new with the previous Turkish one seen as each
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complements the other. The third, which is the latest major extension, is the second
Saudi extension (1405- 14 H) by King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz (Abdel Ghani: 2003), the
design remarkably maintains the integration of the earlier extensions into the unity of
the whole (Fig.: 1).
Initial observation of the Prophet's Mosque shows well proportioned interior
spaces checked with a pattern of square courtyards lined-up with long rows of
columns and arches. The setting out of this distinctive geometrical pattern follows the
Classical rule of order in which Vitruvius (1st century AD) defines order as the
selection of modules (a unit of measurement) from the elements of the work and
starting from these basic individual units constructing the whole composition to
correspond. The analysis of the plan demonstrates a clearly recognizable system of
proportions on 6.00 ms centre gridline basis, which brings consistency and
harmonious relationship between the parts and the whole.
The plan layout of the Prophet’s mosque is a simple repetitive pattern of covered
square courtyards based on a 6.00 ms grid. The courtyard sides measuring 24.00 ms
divided into four 6.00 ms bays with a three bay peristyle within it. The basic 24.00X
24.00 ms squares are grouped in five main blocks of 15 squares each, which are
joined together with a single square strip in the east-west direction (Fig.: 2). The three
central courtyards of each block are covered by eclectically driven movable domes.
The other twelve are flat roofed with cross beams forming nine squares each of which
was then divided into nine smaller square panels. In another way, the 6.00 ms grids
coinciding with center lines of columns are divided into three 2.00 ms sub-grids. The
sub-grids are in turn divided into three divisions marking-up the line of the roof
panels (Fig.: 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7).
The application of modular grid system established well articulated interior spaces
within a dynamic and harmoniously unified plan, which provided adequate spaces for
enormously increased numbers of prayers and allowed ultimate flexibility to adjust
the new expansion with the old sections of the mosque. Besides, of no less
significance the systematic pattern that developed from the application of grid system
made the application of consistent networks of technical services more readily
applicable
3.
Conclusions
The analysis of the drawings of the Prophet's mosque shows a clearly recognizable
Islamic system of proportions based on modular gridline system. The gridline system
has several functions; it is used in setting out modular measurements, regulating
proportions and bringing the inter-relationship between the parts and the whole from
the smallest to the biggest dimensions into harmonious unity. Adding a modernizing
dimension to these functions gridlines were used also in integrating networks of
highly advanced service systems incorporating lighting, sound systems, airconditioning and others.
The interplay of neatly embroidered light and colors with traditional vocabulary
and modern technology in the Prophet’s mosque is the expression of a new outlook of
traditional mosque architecture (Fig.: 3).The symphonic orchestration in the Prophet’s
mosque can be seen as modern-classic Muslim architecture that equals medieval
Muslim monuments and Gothic cathedrals.
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Notes:
F1: The Prophet’s mosque, view
F2: The Prophet’s mosque, plan
F3, 4, 5, 6, 7: The prophet’s mosque, interior
Fig. 1: The Prophet's mosque
Fig. 2: The Prophet's mosque, Interior
Fig. 2: The Prophet's mosque, plan.
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Fig. 3: The Prophet's mosque, interior.
Fig. 4: The Prophet's mosque, interior.
4
Fig. 5: The Prophet's mosque, interior.
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Fig. 6: The Prophet's mosque, interior.
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Fig. 7: The Prophet's mosque, interior.
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References
Abdul Ghani, M.I. (2002), History of Madinah Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia.
Fletcher, B. (1961). A history of architecture. The Athlone press, University of
London.
Lewcock, R. (1978). Materials and Techniques.In Michell, G. (Ed.), Architecture of
the Islamic World (pp. 129- 43). Thames and Hudson Ltd, London.
Rai, J. (1993). Mathematics and aesthetics in Islamic architecture: Reference to
Fatehpur Sikri.King Saud Univ. Vol. 5, Architecture and Planning, pp 19- 48,
Riyadah.
Tabbaa, Y. (1988). Geometry and Memory in the Design of the Madrasat al-Firdows
in Aleppo.. In Theories and Principles of Design in the Architecture of Islamic
Societies (ed.), a Symposium held by the Aga Khan Program for Islamic
Architecture at Harvard University and the MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts,
USA.
Dr. Fathi Bashier
Assoc. Professor
School of Architecture and Environmental Planning
Sharq Al-Neel College Khartoum , Sudan
E-mail: <[email protected]
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