Geometrical Analysis of Alhambra Palace - Essay Example

GEOMETRICAL ANALYSIS OF ALHAMBRA PALACE GEOMETRICAL ANALYSIS OF ALHAMBRA PALACE Introduction Alhambra is an iconic architectural work adored in the history of the Islamic world due to its geometrical relation in the use of repetition, continuity and symmetry to create beautiful Islamic patterns. It European location call for questions and it represents one of the best Islamic architectural work in Europe. According to (Tennant, 2004, P. 4) Alhambra was built by Nasrid rulers in 13th Century A.D on the beautiful Hills that face the old Granada. Alhambra was constructed as a fortress, and it has a palace that is surrounded by Two Towers. The name Alhambra is an Islamic word for Red soil derived from the type of soil in the surrounding area. Alhambra represents the remains of the Islamic rule in the region, and it has gone through numerous alterations by the regime of people who occupied it after the Muslims. Alhambra was constructed between 1232 and 1492 but later it became archetypal occupied by the “Moorish” who were western scholars. However, the inhabitants changed in 1492 when monarchs Ferdinand II and Isabella I conquered the region and rule as a joint sovereign of Aragon and Castile up to 1504 when Isabella passed on. The grandson Emperor Charles V later occupied the palace between 1516 and 1556 and later taken over by a motley crew of Napoleonic troops (Denny & Grabar, 1980). Following the switching of the inhabitants and other years when the palace went unoccupied has resulted in the surface decoration changes, structural alterations and gradual decay. The most notable changes made especially during the reign of Isabella was the conversion of the Mexuar to a royal chapel and the created a residence in the area surrounding Cuarto Dorado. The alteration kept on and during Charles reign where the Camaras Palace was converted to royal apartment and renovation of the area around Lions to a large Rennaissance –style palace. According to Willmert (2011, p.67), very many things draw a person’s attention at the Alhambra palace. These include; exquisite rooms, the stone and the wood decoration, the ornaments, the wood carvings, the well-watered gardens, the courtyards, the positioning and the creativity in the building of fountain, the monuments, the towers and the beautiful archways. It is unimaginable the wealth of time and creativity invested in the building or constructing of the ornamental patterns, friezes, mosaics, star design and the motif in the brickworks (The Alhambra, 2013, P.23). Mosaics are one of the most interesting and intelligently designed to combine the use of art in relationship with mathematics to send or communicate some mathematical knowledge involved. Therefore the scientist and the Artist from the Muslim background raised the level of geometry use in construction coming up with complex patterns that I have never seen anywhere else. The mosaics are the art form of decoration where the image is a two-dimensional backgrounds are constructed using small colored pieces either glass, stone, tile, ceramics or just some other material applicable. Therefore, Geometry is viewed as a force that is capable of unifying the secular and the worship. The skills acquired can be used to in the practical art and since the science is a unit that can earn many of us a breakthrough. In the Alhambra, the geometric pattern can be found basically at all places such as the line of the mosaic tiles, friezes or other wall ornaments such as floors, ceilings ,carpets, manuscripts, and the wooden carvings. The doors and screens are well executed through material media such as the bricks, marbles, wood, brass, plaster, paper and glass. The geometrical concepts start from the simple geometrical properties such as line and circles to complex computational skills that are vital for the development of the astronomy. ALHAMBRA GEOMETRY The patterns on the tiles have geometrical relation to how they use repetition, how they use symmetry and the use of continuity on the patterns. The intelligent incorporation of mathematical symmetry in the constructed Muslim pattern creates an interesting bridge between art and mathematics to communicate the bigger picture they represent which is aesthetics, culture and history. However, we have to understand the mathematics behind the symmetry and their construction to have a chance of using them as a motivational tool in the classroom. Famous Mathematician Herman Weyl defined Symmetry as, “Harmony of proportions” in his classic book symmetry written in 1952. Therefore, the repetitions of the patterns on the tiles in the Alhambra palace, as shown below in figure one, fit the definition. To create these repetitive and beautiful patterns, we have to ensure a rigid motion that maintains the appearance throughout the decoration pattern. Normally on a two-dimensional view or surface the symmetries can be generated or created in four difference ways namely: i) Translation – the pattern is repeated in a linear directions after equal distances; ii) Rotation-The pattern is repeated at a given angle about the a given center; iii) Reflection- repeated in a way each pattern is a mirror image of the corresponding pattern across a given line; and iv) glide reflection –This combine the translation and the reflection qualities. In this case, the pattern is first translated in a given direction before it is reflected in a given central line that is parallel to the initial translation direction. Fig 1: Symmetrical patterns: representing translated symmetry, rotated symmetry, reflected symmetry and glide reflected symmetry. Source (Tennant, 2003, Pg 5). The designers or the Pioneer Muslim architects at the famous Alhambra uses the symmetrical pattern in a manner that it creates a symmetry group. The Islamic tiling pattern used can be classified into two categories namely: The type with pattern originating from a central location then grows gradually outwards. This type may for numerous or better called infinite symmetry types since they originate from the central point, they can neither be translated or glide reflected but can be rotated along a line that has to pass through the central point. The types of symmetry that have only rotational relationship are called cyclic patterns. While those reflected patterns are called dihedral. The second group of symmetry commonly created is a translational symmetry, and normally such patterns are classified depending on the smallest angle of rotation that appears on the pattern (Grabar, 1978).The technique is regarded as the crystallographic restriction, and the only possible angles are 60°, 90°, 120°, 180°,or the pattern may luck rotational symmetry. However in a situation the pattern keep repeating themselves in a continuous outward manner result to infinite symmetry group. Such patterns are only possible to create in seventeen ways, and they are referred as wallpaper (crystallographic) groups. The patterns from the Alhambra can be used in a geometry class to teach geometry and for example an instructor may pick a pattern and ask the class to determine the steps and the pattern that can be used to achieve the specific tile pattern on a tile. From the discoveries and challenges, the learning objectives will be addressed, and they can learn better when excited by the freedom to experiment and help each other address the positive and negative development. Through this and the challenges that is involve in creating the patterns even with the use of the modern tools like geometers sketchpad will make the student appreciate geometry and appreciate the achievement of the pioneer Muslim builders for their creativity, perseverance and intelligence. The Palace architecture Alhambra was built from the normally known materials that have been used since the inception of building. Its structural skeleton is made bake bricks and wood that is covered with stucco ornamentation and tiles. The Nasrid Palace is a single building that has several compartments or better regarded as units that have two courtyards, the courtyard of Myrles and the court of the lion. However, it is good to point out that the Nasrid Palaces also had baths, gardens, fountain or pools. The use of light is amazing as it’s allowed to get through the windows and at the time create a decorative pattern on the walls. The use of space creates a sense of intimacy like the narrow space after the court of the golden room that has a tiny fountain. The use of water reflects the Muslim appreciation of water that lacked in their desert like areas (Hoag, 1963, p.59). The glass was originally stained, the ceiling multi-colored and this coupled with the dimensions made the room very intimate. The court of the lion represents the best architectural use of space and the fountain between the courtyard and Charles v palace had a fountain that has twelve lions from whose mouth water passes along the channel that are on each side of the court. The pavements are nicely made from marbles (Jacobs &Fernandez, 2000, P. 16-24). Two lateral room, the Hall of the Abencerrajes and the Hall of the two Sisters. The later in this case has a circular cupola that is transformed into octagon, and that metamorphoses are significant especially with the relation to the change of the view of the cupola as one changes position and at times look like a star cascading outwards, and this changes as one changes positions. The light from the 16 latticed windows create a light pattern and illuminate the marqarnas that has honeycomb estimated to be 5000 honeycombs and all this artistic appearance summed together create a sense of weightlessness that is in line with the cascading effect ( Irwin, 2004, p.35). The Arabs originated from very dry desert-like environment, and this can explain the use and appreciation of water in the palace. According to Hillenbrand (1994, p.42), the palace is so beautiful with the integration of well artfully arranged channels of water almost everywhere in the house. The water originates from a high mountain and descends through a narrow channel before it is distributed throughout the fortress. The water is used in a manner that it shows the coolness, use for decoration purposes, use to perform rituals in the mosques, for bathing, drinking and irrigation of the numerous gardens in the compound. The water is used in the Court of the Lions to feed the architectural palm while the Hall of the Abencerrajes and the hall of the two sisters use the sound created by the water flow or fountain to create visual happiness and therapeutic value (Bier, 2008, P.17). The Court of Myrtles, as shown in figure 2 below, has rectangular pool and adjacent to it are fountains. The water reflects the house producing the image of the building in it. The water in the garden, canals and pool recur and are used to create sound, sight, and bring cooling qualities. Fig 2: The court of the Myrtes with reflection Source (Tennant, 2003, Pg 5). Conclusion The timing, the quality and the people involved made the Nasrid building a historical site is so much analyzed and adored. Looking at the pattern and the creativity it is hard to imagine the amount of time taken to achieve that kind work and that make it even more impressive. The geometrical relationship is visual and too hard to ignore. However, the big question is how they would have drawn such shapes early while drawing them using a modern method is still so complex. This patterns used for various purposes apart from decoration may have had religious and cultural relationship at that point in time. The patterns are coiled from the size, shape, angles and distance to create geometrical relationship with the symmetry almost always observed. Muslim is one of the most experienced bring in their use of pattern and mosaic to communicate and decorate. References Bier,C.(2008).Geometric patterns and the interpretation of meaning: Two monument in Iran. Research Associate, the textile museum Denny, W. and Grabar, O. (1980). The Alhambra. Speculum, 55(4), p.791. Grabar, O. (1978). The Alhambra. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. Hillenbrand, R. (1994). Islamic architecture. New York: Columbia University Press. Hoag, J. (1963). Western Islamic architecture. New York: G. Braziller. Irwin, R. (2004). The Alhambra. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. Jacobs, M. and Fernandez, F. (2000). Alhambra. New York: Rizzoli. Tennant,R.(2003).Islamic constructions: the geometry needed by craftmen, BRIDGES/ISAMA international conference proceedings.459-463. The Alhambra. (2013). Islamic art & Architecture, [online] 6(5), p.3. Available at: http://islamic-arts.org/2013/the-alhambra/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2015]. Willmert, T. (2011). Alhambra palace architecture: an environmental consideration of its inhabitation. Muqarnas Online, 27(1), pp.157-188. Appendices Fig 1: The Seventeen Crystallographic Groups for Periodic Tiling’s. Source (Tennant, 2003, Pg 4). Read More