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Geometry in the Islamic Architecture Background Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day. What today is known as Islamic architecture owes its origin to similar structures already existing in Roman, Byzantine and Persian lands which the Muslims conquered in the 7th and 8th centuries. This was mainly in the ottoman time, when Islamic art and architecture was at its boom and about half of the developed world was under Islamic rule. Even though there was an objection to portraying the human form or human face in any of the paintings or sculptures, the Muslim artisans and the craftsmen soon gained such a reputation that their products were sought all over the globe. Fractal geometry, in this matter has also been a key utility in the making of designs for these architectures. Other significant features employed as motifs include columns, piers, domes and arches.
Islamic Architecture Islamic architecture is very famous under three main categories that are the palace, the fortress or castle and the tomb or shrine. The finest architectural monuments are in Spain, Egypt, Iraq, Iran and the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. A common feature of Islamic art is the application of geometric patterns on the surface.
Function of Geometry in the Islamic Architecture An element of Islamic art is usually found in decorated the walls and window screens of mosques, Muslim homes and buildings which is known as the arabesque art. It is an elaborate application of repeating geometric forms that often echo the forms of plants, shapes and sometimes animals. The choice of which geometric forms are to be used and how they are to be formatted is based upon the Islamic view of the world. To Muslims, these forms, taken together, constitute an infinite pattern that extends beyond the visible material world. It was widely accepted that the use of geometric shapes reflects the language of the universe and helps the believers reflect on life and the majesty of creation. Islamic architecture now holds its place in the modern world with many wonderful and exciting projects.
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The decorative patterns are obtained by repeating simple interlocking or overlapping elements. Together with the taste for symmetry, it provides a dynamic and harmonious effect. For example the images given above can be replicated multiple times to fill a wall. The design multiplied on the whole wall will form another image that would look as beautiful as the individual patch of design. The detail does not prevail on the whole. There is no tension between reasons, only equilibrium. The infinite recurrence of the themes is a metaphor for, “eternity fills all� and a way of capturing the mutability of the universe.
Source: http://www.researchomatic.com/islamic-architecture-and-geometry-128649.html
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