Middle East Architecture
Great civilizations and religions began in the Arabian Peninsula and the region we know
as the Middle East. Stretching from Western Europe to the Asian lands of the Far East, the
area is home to some of the world's most remarkable Islamic architecture and heritage sites.
Tragically, the Middle East has also suffered political unrest, war, and religious conflict.
Treasures of Iraq
Nestled between the rivers Tigris
and Euphrates (Dijla and Furat in Arabic),
modern Iraq lies on fertile land that
includes ancient Mesopotamia. Long before
the great civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and
Rome, advanced cultures flourished in the
Mesopotamian plain. Cobblestone streets,
city building, and architecture itself have
their beginnings in Mesopotamia.
Because it lies at the cradle of
civilization, the Mesopotamian plain
contains archaeological and architectural
treasures that date back to the beginning of
human history.
About 20 miles south of Baghdad are the ruins of the ancient city of Ctesiphon. It was
once the capital of an empire and became one of the Silk Road cities. The Taq Kasra or
Archway of Ctesiphon is the only remnant of the once glorious metropolis. The arch is thought
to be the largest single-span vault of unreinforced brickwork in the world. Built-in the third
century A.D., this grand palace entrance was constructed of baked bricks.
Saddam’s Babylonian Palace
About 50 miles south of
Baghdad in Iraq are the ruins of
Babylon, once the ancient capital of the
Mesopotamian world well before the
birth of Christ.
When Saddam Hussein rose to
power in Iraq, he conceived a
grandiose scheme to rebuild the
ancient City of Babylon. Hussein said
that Babylon's great palaces and the
legendary hanging gardens (one of the
seven wonders of the ancient world)
would rise from the dust. Like the
powerful King Nebuchadnezzar II who conquered Jerusalem 2,500 years ago, Saddam Hussein
intended to rule over the world's greatest empire. His ambition found expression in often
pretentious architecture used to awe and intimidate.
Archaeologists were horrified as Saddam Hussein rebuilt on top of ancient artifacts, not
preserving history, but disfiguring it. Shaped like a ziggurat (stepped pyramid), Saddam's
Babylonian palace is a monstrous hill-top fortress surrounded by miniature palm trees and rose
gardens. The four-story palace extends across an area as large as five football fields. Villagers
told news media that a thousand people were evacuated to make way for this emblem of
Saddam Hussein's power.
The palace Saddam built was not merely large, it was also ostentatious. Containing
several hundred thousand square feet of marble, it became a showy confection of angular
towers, arched gates, vaulting ceilings, and majestic stairways. Critics charged that Saddam
Hussein's lavish new palace expressed exuberant excess in a land where many died in poverty.
On the ceilings and walls of Saddam Hussein's palace, 360-degree murals depicted
scenes from ancient Babylon, Ur, and the Tower of Babel. In the cathedral-like entryway, an
enormous chandelier hung from a wooden canopy carved to resemble a palm tree. In the
bathrooms, the plumbing fixtures appeared to be gold-plated. Throughout Saddam Hussein's
palace, pediments were engraved with the ruler's initials, "SdH."
The Mudhif of the Marsh Arab People
Many architectural treasures of Iraq
have been jeopardized by regional turmoil.
Shown here is a communal structure made
entirely of local reeds by the Madan people
of southern Iraq. Called the mudhif, these
structures have been built since before
Greek and Roman civilization. Many of the
mudhif and indigenous marshes were
destroyed by Saddam Hussein after
the 1990 Gulf War and rebuilt with the help
of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
It is constructed of reeds, reed mats spread
over reed bundles, arching over and meeting at the top, so that the whole is a perfectly regular
and exquisitely constructed yellow tunnel, 50 yards long.
Treasures of Iran and Islamic Architecture
Islamic architecture began when the Islamic
religion began — and it could be said that Islam
began with the birth of Muhammad around 570
A.D.
The Agha Bozorg mosque in Kashan, Iran is from the 18th century but exhibits many of
the architectural details we associate with Islamic and Middle Eastern architecture. Note the
ogee arches, where the highest point of the arch comes to a point. This common arch design is
found throughout the Middle East, in beautiful mosques, secular buildings, and public structures
such as the 17th century Khaju Bridge in Isfahan, Iran.
The mosque in Kashan shows ancient techniques of building such as the extensive use
of brickwork. Bricks, an age-old building material of the region, are often glazed with blue,
imitating the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli. Some brickwork of this time period can be intricate
and ornate.
The minaret towers and golden dome are typical architectural parts of a mosque. The
sunken garden or court area is a common way of cooling large spaces, both holy and
residential. Windcatchers or bâdgirs, tall open towers usually on roofs, provide additional
passive cooling and ventilation throughout the hot, arid lands of the Middle East. The tall badgir
towers are opposite the minarets of the Agha Bozorg, on the far side of the sunken courtyard.
The Jameh mosque of Isfahan, Iran
expresses many of the same architectural
details common to the Middle East: the ogee
arch, the blue glazed brickwork, and the
mashrabiya-like screen ventilating and
protecting an opening.
Ziggurat of Tchogha Zanbil, Iran
This stepped pyramid from ancient
Elam is one of the best-
preserved ziggurat constructions from the
13th century B.C. The original structure is
estimated to have been twice this height,
with five levels supporting a temple on
the top. The ziggurat stepped design became a popular part of the Art Deco movement in the
early 20th century.
When a British petroleum company was searching for oil in the area of the Khoozestan province
in 1935 they accidentally discovered what were thought to be a sand mound. The French
archaeologist Roman Ghirshman was in charge to unfold the Chogha Zanbil history and to do
research on this hill during 1951 to 1961. His discoveries unfolded many mysteries of the
Elamites history; this ziggurat of Iran.
Ziggurat is a Mesopotamian architecture – mostly sacred – during the Elamite, Babylon,
and Assyrian dynasties.
Ziggurat of Chogha Zanbil architecture is unique and different with the other ones in
Mesopotamia. It used to have 5 floors. Each of them was erected vertically from the foundation
level as a series of concentric towers except the fifth one which was built on the fourth floor and
was a temple.
The main building materials in Chogha Zanbil were mud bricks and occasionally baked
bricks. The monuments were decorated with glazed baked bricks, gypsum and ornaments
of faïence and glass. Ornamenting the most important buildings were thousands of baked bricks
bearing inscriptions with Elamite cuneiform characters were all inscribed by hand. Glazed
terracotta statues such as bulls and winged griffins guarded the entrances to the ziggurat. Near
the temples of Kiririsha and Hishmitik-Ruhuratir, kilns were found that were probably used for
the production of baked bricks and decorative materials. It is believed that the ziggurat was built
in two stages. It took its multi-layered form in the second phase.
Modern Wonders of the Middle East
Often called the cradle of civilization, the Middle East is home to historic temples and
mosques. However, the region is also known for innovative modern construction.
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has
been a showplace for innovative buildings. The Burj
Khalifa shattered world records for building height.
Construction of the Burj Khalifa began in 2004,
with the exterior completed five years later in 2009. The
primary structure is reinforced concrete and some of
the structural steel for the building originated from
the Palace of the Republic in East Berlin, the former East
German parliament.
The design is derived from the Islamic architecture
of the region, such as in the Great Mosque of Samarra. The
Y-shaped tripartite floor geometry is designed to optimize
residential and hotel space. A buttressed central core and
wings are used to support the height of the building.
References: https://www.thoughtco.com/architectural-treasures-of-the-middle-east-3992477
Asian Architecture
Indian Architecture
The architecture of India includes present day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and
Sri Lanka. These countries later got separated by political boundaries but still share a
common cultural heritage. The diversity of Indian culture is represented in its
architecture. Indian architecture comprises a blend of ancient and varied native
traditions, with building types, forms and technologies from west, central Asia, and
Europe.
Indus Valley Civilization
The earliest known civilization in the Indo-Pak region of South Asia. The Indus
valley civilization is dated around 3000 B.C. It comprises many urban settlements,
including the large cities of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro. It is characterized by a variety
of house types, many of which had private baths connected to public drainage systems.
The arch, a cornerstone of world architecture, was first developed by the Indus
valley civilization, and would later be a staple of Indian architecture. The earliest
production in the Indus Valley Civilization was characterized by well-planned cities and
houses where religion did not seem to play an active role. The presence of drainage
systems and public baths showed advanced standards of hygiene and sanitation and
ingenious planning.
Elements of Indian Architecture
1. Sikharas
- These are the peaks of the towers rising from the core of Hindu temples.
- These towers are always extravagantly decorated.
- They vary in shape throughout the country.
2. Stupas
- The stupa is a shrine that represents the sacred Mount Meru, as well as
providing a sanctuary for relics of the Buddha.
- They have four ceremonial gates to the shrine.
- It was mostly a Buddhist art, though Jains also seemed to have built stupas.
3. Symbolic layers
- The towers of Hindu temples tell stories as they rise skywards.
- Each has its own distinctive “handwriting” and depicts the concerns of local
cults as well as universal themes.
4. Animal statuary
- To Hindus, all life is sacred and deserving of representation.
- Most of the temples show fine sculptures and carvings of animals.
5. Figurative decorations
- To Hindus, all life is sacred and deserving of representation. Most of the
temples show fine sculptures and carvings of animals.
6. Cave temples
- The cave architecture in India is believed to have begun in the third century
BC.
- These caves were used by Buddhist and Jain monks as places of worship
and residence.
- Initially the caves were excavated in the western India.
- Some examples of this type of cave structure are Chaityas and Viharas of
Buddhists.
Buddhist and Jain Architecture
Buddhism gained prominence during the reign of the emperor Ashoka around the
3rd c. bc. It is primarily represented by three important building types- the Chaitya Hall
(place of worship), the Vihara (monastery) and the Stupa (hemispherical mound for
worship/ memory).
The Greek influence led the Indian architecture of the time, especially the rock-
cut art, to fall under one of the two categories: the Mathura school of art and the
Gandharva school of art. The division of Buddhism into Hinayana and Mahayana
phases also influenced the nature of rock-cut art, the former being represented by
artifacts used by the Buddha, and the latter by images of the Buddha.
Hindu Temples
The reference to temples in literature go back early to(520 BC - 460 BC). Early
temples were rock-cut, later structural temples evolved. The temple is a representation
of the macrocosm (the universe) as well as the microcosm (the inner space).
Indian temple architecture has often been called sculpture on a mass scale
rather than true architecture. They are designed as sculpture and are best experienced
and understood from the outside. Interiors are very small and dark spaces which are not
as impressive as the exterior.
A basic Hindu temple consists of an inner sanctum, the garba griha or womb-
chamber, in which the image is housed, a congregation hall, and possibly an
antechamber (entrance hall) and porch. The sanctum is crowned by a tower-like
shikara. The structural system of temples was essentially post and beam and with
massive blocks of stone being the basic raw material for the local craftsman. Decoration
was fundamental to this type of architecture.
There were three major styles of temple architecture: the northern or Nagara
style, the southern or Dravida and the Vesara or hybrid style but the most common are
the Nagara and the Dravida. They are distinguishable by the shape and decoration of
their shikharas or superstructures.
1. North Indian Temples (Nagara)
- The Nagara style which developed around the fifth century is characterized by
a beehive shaped tower called a shikhara.
- The plan is based on a square, but the walls are sometimes so broken up that
the tower often gives the impression of being circular.
2. South Indian Temples (Dravida)
- From the seventh century the Dravida or southern style has a pyramid
shaped tower consisting of progressively smaller storeys of small pavilions, a
narrow throat, and a dome on the top.
- The repeated storeys give a horizontal visual thrust to the southern style.
Indo Islamic Architecture
Influence of Islam and the Mughal Architecture
With the arrival of Islam, the previous Indian architecture was slightly adapted to
allow the traditions of the new religion, but it remained strongly Indian at its heart and
character. Arches and domes began to be used and the mosque or masjid too began to
form part of the landscape, adding to a new experience in form and space.
The fundamental difference lay in the fact that Islam prohibited idol worship and
therefore a concentrated point of focus such as the garba-griha was unnecessary. The
most famous Islamic buildings in India emerged during the Mughal period.
Chinese Architecture
Chinese architecture refers to a style of architecture that has taken shape in Asia
over the centuries. The structural principles of Chinese architecture, determined by
environmental conditions and social concepts, have remained largely unchanged for
thousands of years, except for the decorative details.
Features
Certain features are common to most Chinese architecture, regardless of specific
region or use:
1. Horizontal emphasis
- The most important feature is an emphasis on the horizontal axis, in particular
the construction of a heavy platform with a large roof that appears to float
above it, with little emphasis on the vertical walls. Chinese architecture
stresses the visual impact of the width of the buildings.
- This emphasis on the horizontal axis may have been dictated by the timber-
frame construction supporting a heavy tiled roof that is prevalent throughout
Chinese architecture, which limited the height that could be achieved in each
story of a building.
- The absence of load-bearing walls placed a greater importance on
foundations and roofs.
2. Architectural bilateral symmetry
- Another important feature is the emphasis on articulation and bilateral
symmetry and balance, found everywhere in Chinese architecture, from
palace complexes to humble farmhouses.
- Buildings and building complexes are constructed around a central room or
hall, with additional buildings or rooms of equal numbers and sizes added on
either side.
3. Enclosure
- Much of traditional Chinese architecture is characterized by buildings or
building complexes that occupy an entire property but enclose open spaces
within themselves.
- There are two forms of enclosed spaces: the open courtyard (院) and the "sky
well" (天井).
- The use of open courtyards is a common feature in many types of Chinese
architecture.
- It is best exemplified in the siheyuan (Chinese: 四 合 院 ; pinyin: sìhéyuàn), a
historical type of residence commonly found throughout China and particularly
in Beijing, which consists of an empty space surrounded by buildings
connected with one another directly or through verandas.
4. Hierarchical placement
- The projected hierarchy, importance and use of buildings in traditional
Chinese architecture are based on the strict placement of buildings in a
property/complex.
- Buildings with doors facing the front of the property are considered more
important than those facing the sides.
- Buildings facing away from the front of the property are the least important.
- Buildings in the rear and more private parts of a property are held in higher
esteem and reserved for elder members of the family, while buildings near the
front are typically for servants and hired help.
5. Geomancy
- The use of certain colors, numbers and the cardinal directions in traditional
Chinese architecture reflected belief in a type of immanence, in which the
nature of a thing could be wholly contained in its own form, without reference
to an evanescent belief.
Structure
Chinese architecture is characterized by:
- The use of even numbers of columns in a building structure to produce odd
numbers of bays (間). With the inclusion of a main door to a building in the
center bay, symmetry is maintained.
- The common use of curtain walls or door panels to delineate rooms or
enclose a building, with the general de-emphasis of load-bearing walls in
most public buildings, palaces and halls.
- The use of large structural timbers for primary support of the roof of a
building.
- Gabled roofs, almost omnipresent in traditional Chinese architecture, while
flat roofs are uncommon.
- Dougong (brackets) and queti (ch’ueh-ti, cornices) used to support the roof.
o Dougong brackets reinforce and connect beams and columns, and
provide the principle support for the roof by transferring its weight onto
the columns.
o Queti, which became popular during the Ming (1368 – 1644) and the
Qing (1644 – 1911) dynasties, reinforce the columns and shorten the
span between two beams.
Three main types of roofs are found:
1. Straight inclined: Roofs with a single incline. These are the most
economical type of roofing and are most prevalent in more common
constructions.
2. Multi-inclined: Roofs with two or more sections of incline. These roofs are
used in more expensive constructions, from the dwellings of wealthy
commoners to palaces.
3. Sweeping: Roofs with a sweeping curvature that rises at the corners of the
roof. These types of roof construction are usually reserved for temples and
palaces.
Types of architecture
1. Commoner
- The houses of commoners, bureaucrats, merchants and farmers, tended to
follow a set pattern: the center of the building would be a shrine for the deities
and the ancestors, and would also be used during festivities and ritual
ceremonies.
- On both sides of it were bedrooms for the elders; the two wings of the building
(known as "guardian dragons" by the Chinese) held rooms for the junior
members of the family, as well as the living room, the dining room, and the
kitchen, although sometimes the living room could be very close to the center.
- Laws dictated the number of stories, the length of the building and the colors
used, according to the owner's class and status.
2. Imperial
- In ancient Chinese writings, the Chinese word for palace, gong, referred to a
simple house.
- During the Qin Dynasty (221- 207 B.C.E.), gong gradually came to mean the
group of buildings in which the emperor lived and worked.
- These palaces became increasingly larger and grander in scale, growing into
veritable cities, often referred to as gongcheng (palace city).
- The Forbidden City of Beijing, the imperial palace for both Ming and Qing
emperors (1368-1911), covers an area of 720,000 square meters and
embraces numerous halls, towers, pavilions and studies. It is the largest
ancient building complex in the world.
- Certain architectural features were reserved solely for buildings built for the
Emperor of China. One example is the use of yellow roof tiles; yellow was the
Imperial color, and yellow roof tiles still adorn most of the buildings within
the Forbidden City.
- The Chinese dragon, an emblem reserved for Imperial China, was used
heavily on Imperial architecture - on the roofs, on the beams and pillars, and
on the doors.
3. Pavilions
- The Chinese pavilion (ting, also meaning “kiosk”) is built of wood, stone
or bamboo in any of a variety of shapes including a square, triangle, hexagon,
octagon, a five-petal flower, and a fan.
- All pavilions are supported by columns and have no walls. Pavilions serve
many purposes.
- In parks or in scenic places, they are built on slopes which command a broad
view, or next to water to add a scenic accent.
4. Terraces (Tai)
- The tai, an ancient architectural structure, was a high elevated terrace with a
flat top, built of earth and stone and surfaced with brick.
- Tais served as platforms on which palaces were erected.
- The Round City of Beihai Park in Beijing is a tai 5 meters (16 ft) high, with an
area of 4,500 square meters (48,438 square feet), and contains a main hall
with side corridors.
5. Storied Buildings (lou) and Towers
- “Lou” refers to any building of two or more stories with a horizontal main
ridge. Chonglou ("layered houses") are mentioned in historical records from
the Period of the Warring States (475-221 B.C.E.).
- The upper floor of smaller, two-storied private homes generally housed the
owner’s study or bedroom.
- Buildings with several stories built in parks and scenic places provided
vantage points from which to enjoy the view.
- Ancient cities had bell and drum towers (zhonglou and gulou), usually palatial
buildings with four-sloped, double-caved, glazed roofs, all-around verandas
and eaves supported by colored and carved dougong brackets.
6. Religious architecture
- Buddhist architecture characteristically followed the imperial style.
- A large Buddhist monastery normally had a front hall, housing the statue of
a Bodhisattva, followed by a great hall, housing the statues of the Buddhas.
- Some of the greatest examples of Buddhist architecture are the eighteenth
century Puning Temple and Putuo Zongcheng Temple.
- Temple roofs, made of glazed ceramic tiles, were curved upward at the eaves
to ward off evil spirits, which were believed to travel in straight lines.
- The most distinctive Buddhist structures in China are the stupa (t'a) in the
form of upturned bowls, or pagodas (storied towers) used to house sacred
objects and relics of the Gautama Buddha.
7. Chinese gardens
- During the Song dynasty (960 – 1279), wealthy Chinese began designing
gardens around their residences.
- Gardens incorporated the elements of “mountain” and “water,” using rocks
and ponds to emulate the natural world. Inner and outer walls with moon-
shaped doorways and small windows in the shapes of vases; pavilions;
covered walkways and bridges added interest and provided resting places
from which to admire views of the garden.
- Chinese gardening reached its height in Suzhou during
the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Japanese Architecture
Japanese architecture has developed with influences from China and the Korean
Peninsula. Since the modern era, western culture has also had an influence, but at the
same time, a unique Japanese style of architecture has developed that is integrated
with the natural environment and culture of Japan.
History of Japanese Architecture
Japanese Architecture of Ancient Times: During the Asuka and Nara periods, Japan
adopted architectural techniques from China and the Korean Peninsula. The
construction of temples also began after the official introduction of Buddhism to Japan in
538.
Japanese Architecture of the Medieval Period: As trading with China increased in the
Kamakura period, Chinese architectural styles were re-introduced into Japan. The style
brought to Japan first was one which was utilized in the restoration of Todai-ji Temple
(Daibutsu-yo or Tenjiku-yo).
Japanese Architecture of Early Modern Times: During this period, castle architecture
was developed; castle towers were built as a symbolic representation of power and
splendid paintings were drawn on partitions to represent the era of unification of the
country. Tea ceremonies, which started in the Muromachi period, were developed to
perfection by SEN no Rikyu and a new architectural style for chashitsu (tea room) was
born.
Japanese Architecture of Modern Times: Residences, trading houses and churches for
foreign residents were built in the foreign settlements which were established in the final
days of the Tokugawa shogunate. Inspired by these new structures in the foreign
settlements, Japanese builders began to construct Western-style houses and buildings
(Gi-yofu Kenchiku).
Contemporary Japanese Architecture: Having taken a severe blow during the Second
World War, the Japanese architectural movement found opportunities for development
during the postwar restoration and periods of high economic growth. The use of
ferroconcrete became common and public facilities everywhere were being built in the
modern architectural style.
Elements of Japanese Traditional Architecture
1. Wood
- Japanese traditional architecture is dominated by wood. Due to the humidity,
the risk of earthquakes, and the possibility of typhoons, wood became
preferred over stone or other materials, as it led to proper ventilation to
combat the climate and was durable in the face of natural disaster.
- They valued the wood, showing respect by not covering it's natural beauty to
the eye.
- Further, many structures, especially temples and shrines, refrain from using
nails.
- Instead, they shape the frames of the building to fit like puzzle pieces,
interlocking them together sturdily this way known as tokyō (斗栱).
- Japanese architecture values sustainability and deep connections to nature.
2. Roofs
- The curvy, elongated roofs of Japanese traditional architecture are a focal
point in most buildings.
- Japanese architecture is made up of four types of roofs: kirizuma (gabled
roof), yosemune (hipped roof), irimoya (hip-and-gable roof), and hogyo
(square pyramidal roof).
- The eaves of roofs are designed so widely in order to protect windows from
rain, as summers in Japan bring much of it.
- Intricate and symbolic kawara ( 瓦 屋 根 , traditional roof tiles of Japan)
commonly adorn eaves, also protecting from rain.
3. Shoji and Fusuma
- Shōji (moveable screens) and fusuma ( 襖 , sliding doors) were always
included in old Japanese houses. Shōji consist of wooden frames with
translucent paper, allowing light to shine through, while fusuma paper is
opaque, therefore not allowing light to shine through.
- Despite their similarity, they differ in roles. Both shōji and fusuma are utilized
as interior doors and partition, used to divide and re-divide rooms.
- Though solely shōji are used as windows, exterior walls and exterior doors,
as they allow light and shadows to flicker into homes, adding a cozy feel.
4. Tatami
- Tatami ( 畳 , mat used as flooring in traditional Japanese-style rooms) are a
common staple of Japanese homes to this day.
- Traditionally made of rice straw and soft rush with cloth edges, the standard
size of tatami is a 2:1 ratio.
- Floors in Japanese traditional homes were often covered completely in
tatami, though now it is more common to find at least one tatami room in a
home.
5. Engawa
- Engawa (縁側, Japanese veranda, literally means ‘edge side’) are non-tatami-
matted flooring that resemble porches.
- Usually made of wood or bamboo, their role is bringing together the inside of
the house with the outside.
- As engawa are apart of a home, shoes are not worn on it. Instead, shoes may
be placed on the traditional stone step beside it.
6. Genkan
- Genkan ( 玄 関 , traditional Japanese entryway areas) are usually located
inside a home, immediately in front of the door.
- Genkan serve as the area where shoes are placed before walking inside the
main part of the house.
- They are sunken lower than the floor in the rest of a building, in order to keep
dirt out, much like a mud room.
7. Relationship with nature
- In Japanese culture, all life has meaning and value, which is illustrated in their
respect for nature.
- They strive to work in harmony with their natural surroundings, as opposed to
tame it.
- Homes and buildings are seen as one with nature, all a part of the
environment.
Representative Japanese Architecture Styles
1. Shinden-zuruki
- Shinden-zukuri is a style of architecture used in aristocratic mansions in the
Heian period.
- The main building called shinden (seiden) is built facing a south garden with
two subsidiary buildings called tainoya to the east and west of the shinden,
and two corridors called wataridono connect the shinden and the two tainoya,
from which the wataridono corridors extend south and end in tsuridono, or
fishing pavilions.
2. Buke-zukuri
- The Buke-zukuri style was for samurai residences in the Kamakura period.
With importance placed on practicability, the simple style was considered to
be fitting as residences for samurai as opposed to aristocratic culture.
- According to the descriptions of the residence of the Kamakura shogun in
Azuma Kagami (The Mirror of the East), the residence consisted of a shrine,
Kogosho (the residence of the shogun's heir), Tsune no gosho (a room for the
Shogun), Nitogosho (the main place consisting of two halls), a tsuridono
(fishing pavilion) and Samurai-dokoro,
3. Shoin-zukuri
- Shoin-zukuri is one of the Japanese residential architectural styles which
were established after the middle of the Muromachi Period.
- Shoin-zukuri has had a strong influence on Japanese residential houses
since then.
- A shoin (a study built in the shoin style) is furnished with zashikikazari (a set
of decorative features), such as tokonoma (alcoves for the display of art
objects) (or oshi-ita), chigai-dana (shelves built into the wall), and tsukeshoin
(a built-in table).
4. Sukiya-zukuri
- Sukiya-zukuri is one of the Japanese architectural styles, and is characterized
as a design of residential house in a sukiya (teahouse) style.
5. Gassho-zukuri
- Gassho-zukuri is a Japanese architectural style with a distinct steep roof.
- The main feature is a steep, thatched kirizuma yane (gable roof). It is said
that the term of Gassho-zukuri came from the fact that the shape of the roof
resembles that of praying hands.
- Gassho-zukuri is advantageous because a steep roof is necessary to prevent
rain from seeping into the house with a thatched roof.
- In addition, it is also well-suited for supporting the weight of snow that
accumulates in heavy snowfall areas.
6. Kara-zukuri
- The Kara-zukuri style concerns castle buildings in Japan, the external view of
tenshu (the main keep or tower of a castle) in particular.
- This is a style of uchimawarien (for whose structure, refer to the description of
the structure item below). The Chinese character 唐 (kara, indicating China) is
used because it gives a new or unusual external view.
7. Japanese Castles
- Japanese castle ( 城 shiro) is a fortress and samurai lord’s resident
constructed with wood and stone.
- Japanese castle was uniquely developed by Samurai and it has reached the
only one design in the world.
8. Japanese Shrine Architecture
- Among the earliest shrine architecture styles are the Shinmei style as
represented by the Ise Shrines whose halls resemble ancient storehouses,
and the Taisha style as represented by the Izumo Shrine whose buildings
resemble ancient residences.
- Furthermore, there is the Sumiyoshi style as represented by the Sumiyoshi
Shrine in Osaka which is also considered to be close to a natively Japanese
shrine architecture style.
9. Japanese Temple Architecture
- Temples came along with the import of Buddhism from China around the 6th
century. At first, temples resembled those in China closely in features, such
as having wide courtyards and symmetrical layouts.
- As time passed, temples were increasingly designed to suit local tastes.
Newly introduced sects from the mainland contributed to new temple
architecture styles.
- Temples began to exhibit less symmetrical features, and many started to
incorporate gardens in their compounds.
- Temples were also founded in more remote places and in the mountains,
which had more varied layouts owing to complex topographies.
References:
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/
architecture-asia
https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-architecture/
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Chinese_architecture
https://www.toki.tokyo/blogt/2020/4/8/eight-elements-of-japanese-architecture
https://doyouknowjapan.com/architecture/
