Islamic Design

The religion of Islam began in 628 CE. According to the Qur'an (the Islamic sacred text), the prophet Mohammed was given the word of Allah, which he recorded as a way to live. Islam had a wide reaching following spreading from Asia to Europe and into Africa, which meant there was a lot of variety in terms of its architecture. Although the mosque is considered the universal place of worship, different mosques had different architectural features which made them unique. There are two types of arches found commonly in Muslim architecture-

The horseshoe arch

And the Ogival Arch, sometimes referred to the Persian Arch.

Another feature common in mosque designs are muqarnas

Which served as a transition piece from the four sided walls of the mosque to the domed prayer area. They not only added visual appeal, but helped with the load bearing of the domes. 

Islamic places of worship are interesting in that it is impermissible to use religious imagery,  unlike Christian places of worship, which almost always depict images of Christ and other key figures. Muslims instead use symbols and patterns to decorate their mosques, which make for a really gorgeous visual. 

This is a modern day application of Islamic inspired design. You can see hints of geometrical patterns on the arch of the fireplace. It's also reflected on the material in the doorway. 

Other Blogs- I think Rachel had a really gorgeous example of a modern day Islamic interior. I also like that she focused on the mosque of Sultan Ahmed. It really is a stunning bit of architecture that should be highlighted in any discussion on mosques. 

I also looked at Samantha's blog on Islam and really enjoyed the video she posted on Alhambra of Granada. It gives a really in depth look at this marvelous palace and thought it was lovely that the palace was inspired by poetry. They also describe how the palace is alive in all of its architectural details, which is an interesting thought.