An introduction to these study notes

This is a working area. These pages constitute some of my notes on a subject which very much interests me. They are constantly being added to, and no page or subject should be taken as complete. The pages are a work in progress and should not be seen as formal essays or papers in an academic sense. They started life as jottings made over a period of time and reflect my interest in the subject. Please remember when you read these pages that they are only a small part of the notes I have, and that they’re a temporary resting place for work in progress. They are not properly structured: they will be re-structured, added to, amended from time to time when, and as, something comes to mind. Or what’s left of it. Right, I think that’s enough repetition of the warnings…

It follows that the notes worked on in any logical order. The ad hoc system of recording is triggered by things I see or recall which may mean I have a number of subjects being considered at the same time. Generally, the notes are amended in small increments rather than being the result of considerable research and considered structure.

Although I have titled these studies, ‘Arabic / Islamic Design Studies’, my main interest is in Arabic / Islamic architecture and planning with particular reference to the Persian / Arabian Gulf; even more specifically, Qatar. I have an interest in the traditional architecture of Qatar, and the lessons to be learned from its relatively limited architectural design. This is a fairly narrow subject with little written material I’m aware of. However, the issues raised by what is termed ‘Islamic design’ are fascinating and, along with other aspects such as the historical and socio-political background, need to be addressed by those looking at the narrower fields of architecture and planning in the region. Already, ‘Islamic design’ is discussed in the Gulf, and ‘new’ responses to it are being created relating, it is argued, to the traditions of the past. This has seen a burgeoning not only of architecture relating more to the larger centres of Islamic architecture, but also to other arts – Fine Art, Music and Dance spring to mind – which have no relationship whatsoever to the traditions of the Gulf in general and Qatar in particular.

There is one final point I should make relating to the way I have written the notes on these pages. I am very much aware that I talk about ‘Islamic’ and ‘Western’ values and issues in comparing and contrasting views. This is a form of shorthand. Of course people are not as easily characterised as ‘Islamic’ or ‘Western’ as we all belong to other groupings where we are distinguished by age, social group, politics, class, education, nationality, profession and so on. These groupings overlap and create diversity. So, please excuse any perceived attempt on my part to draw unnatural comparisons, and consider my remarks in their general context of concern for the effects of Western values on those living and working in the Arabian / Persian Gulf.

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Towards a definition of Islamic design

So, what is Islamic design? There has been a great deal written about Islamic art, Islamic architecture, Islamic design and so on. In the majority of cases the term appears to be incorrectly used – and this seems to apply not only to users brought up in the West, but also by many brought up in the Gulf but trained in the West.

At its simplest, I believe that it is correct to use the term ‘Islamic design’ to refer to design specifically created within, and true to, an Islamic environment. By this I mean in its religious sense. Islamic design is produced by Islamic culture: it is expressed in the architecture, design, music, organisations and structures of the Islamic society – wherever they are. Thus we should anticipate that Islamic design will differ from place to place, reflecting the traditions, pressures and solutions found by each cultural group, as well as the different vocabularies and materials available to them.

There is one important fact to bear in mind. Islamic societies were developed upon existing societies which had their own traditions, vocabularies and materials prior to the introduction of Islam. Many of the characteristics that some believe are Islamic can be traced back to pre-Islamic times and, in general, these are responsible for the nuances which differentiate design and the arts in the wide Islamic world.

Nevertheless, bearing this in mind we need to look at the intrinsic values of Islam in order to define the term ‘Islamic’ further with regard to architecture, planning, design and so on. I believe there are five values which are central to the manner in which Islamic design can be seen in its true sense:

• first and paramount, a focus on the internal, cohesive family and its values,
• consideration for neighbours and the wider society,
• a lack of ostentation,
• a distinction between public and private rôles and realms, and
• conservation of the environment and the wise use of its resources.

‘Arab’ design might be thought to share the above but might also differ from it in that there are here a series of related styles sharing similar characteristic but not necessarily having specific elements in common. This is relatively true for the wider, Islamic, world but, of course, is less so when dealing with a smaller, physical area. However, even the Persian/Arabian Gulf has conflicting styles related to the development of architecture in the Arabian peninsula and in Persia facing it. You should also be aware that, in the West, and with regard to design, the terms ‘Arabic’, ‘Muslim’ and ‘Islamic’ are often used interchangeably, with little understanding of their essential differences.

These issues will be looked at in a little more detail in the related pages but, for the moment, the important thing to bear in mind is that the way in which we tend to view Islamic design is overwhelmingly defined by the Western education we have been given. This applies not just to the framework in which we understand what we see, read and are told, but also to the way in which we understand Islam, the socio-religious framework which defines everything for a Muslim.

Perhaps worse than this, we in the West see Islamic design conceptually in a similar manner to the way in which we are trained to see Christian designs, even though this makes no sense and is based on a lack of understanding of Islam.

Edward Said’s book, 'Orientalism' was, probably, the most significant document to have given Western commentators the beginnings of an understanding of the manner in which many in the Middle East see the educational bias of those observing from the West. It is certainly worth reading even though it has, itself, come in for critical review.

The key point to bear in mind is that there is no prototypical Islamic architectural design. It may be that some of the better known buildings and developments can be regarded as being of Islamic design, but they will all be products of the Islamic society in which they were developed, and many would have been based on pre-Islamic designs derived from local socio-cultural traditions. The only exception to this argument I can think of as being a truly Islamic feature, is the minaret.

Finally, you should be aware that there are two contradictory design tendencies which can be seen in the Arab world. The first is the increasing use of modern Western styles of architecture, though this may be extended to other arts such as music and dance. This is argued to be caused by the disassociation of the privileged from their cultural roots and their desire to demonstrate progress with images and artefacts taken mainly from the West.

Conversely, the argument may also be deployed that people seek refuge in traditional arts and architecture in response to the uncertainty of the immediate changes happening in their countries, and their concern for the future: sometimes this being expressed as pastiche or reinvention. It may seem unfair to express or understand that as a criticism, for the same can be seen as a characteristic of the West where, particularly, elements of architectural vocabulary from centuries ago are desired – and are seen to add value to – new buildings.

These contradictory trends relating to modernism and traditionalism are developing increasingly rapidly both in the Middle East and the West, and need to be understood in order to produce better solutions for those living in the Gulf – if not elsewhere… I believe that the challenge is to combine traditional functional theory and detailing within an Islamic design framework based on the best of environmental design theory, eschewing pastiche and, particularly, inappropriate Western design vocabularies.