DES376 Introduction to Islamic Architecture (650 - 1650)

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course is a survey of the architectural heritage of the Islamic world from the early caliphate to the era of the Muslim superpowers of the pre-modern times. It traces the most significant and influential edifices of the Muslim world from Spain in the west to India in the east. Monuments will be studied and analyzed in their political, religious, socio- economic, cultural, and aesthetic contexts. The course will also examine the evolution of such varied building types as mosques, madrasas, mausoleums, caravanserays, and palaces. Selected structures will be studied through a range of methodologies and the development of Islamic architecture will be analyzed from the standpoint of the manipulation of space, materials, and building technology.