• WHAT IS SO SPECIFIC ABOUT MOROCCAN ARCHITECTURE?
• Morocco is a country shaded with a variety of colors yet cloaked with the blanket of mystery.
• Today Morocco proudly upholds its past glories, its traditions and the culture of Morocco, which is reflected in the ancient monuments and structural designs of Morocco.
The architecture of Morocco consists of more or less:
• the Islamic style of construction.
• However the designs show signs of being profoundly influenced by Spanish styles of the mid centuries.
• The Berber as well as the African style are also recurrent.
• ASPECTS OF MOROCCAN ARCHITECTURE
• Some of the typical features of Morocco Architecture are:
- Huge U- shaped arches and lovely domes
- Large courtyards, adorned with charming gardens.
- Use of geometrical patterns.
- Use of bright color schemes
- Use of ornamental Islamic calligraphy and fewer pictures.
- ornamentation of the exterior of the buildings.
• WHERE THIS SPECIFIC ARCHITECTURE IS MOST APPARENT
• These features are used in
• -Doors and gates
• -ceilings
• -Mosaic/zellige
• -Domes
• -Fountains
• ARCHITECTURAL BUILDINGS
• Mosques
• Riads
• Houses
• Musauleaums
• WHEN DOORS EXPRESS IDEAS:
• MOROCCAN ARCHITECTURE
• BY/ RABIA EL ANTAKI
• MOROCCAN ARCHITECTURE
• WHAT IS SO SPECIFIC ABOUT MOROCCAN ARCHITECTURE?
• Morocco is a country shaded with a variety of colors yet cloaked with the blanket of mystery.
• Today Morocco proudly upholds its past glories, its traditions and the culture of Morocco, which is reflected in the ancient monuments and structural designs of Morocco.
The architecture of Morocco consists of more or less:
• the Islamic style of construction.
• However the designs show signs of being profoundly influenced by Spanish styles of the mid centuries.
• The Berber as well as the African style are also recurrent.
• ASPECTS OF MOROCCAN ARCHITECTURE
• Some of the typical features of Morocco Architecture are:
- Huge U- shaped arches and lovely domes
- Large courtyards, adorned with charming gardens.
- Use of geometrical patterns.
- Use of bright color schemes
- Use of ornamental Islamic calligraphy and fewer pictures.
- ornamentation of the exterior of the buildings.
• WHERE THIS SPECIFIC ARCHITECTURE IS MOST APPARENT
• These features are used in
• -Doors and gates
• -ceilings
• -Mosaic/zellige
• -Domes
• -Fountains
• ARCHITECTURAL BUILDINGS
• Mosques
• Riads
• Houses
• Musauleaums
• WHEN DOORS EXPRESS IDEAS
• THE ARCH FORM IS PREDOMINANT
• This shape finds its origin in the importance of the circle in Islam.
• The continuity of life even after death is most probably depicted also in art forms
• THE DOORS ARE MADE MOSTLY OUT OF CARVED WOOD: in the past there were most of the times two doors, one small in one bigger.
• MOROCCAN ARCHITECTURE
• BY/ RABIA EL ANTAKI
• MOROCCAN ARCHITECTURE
• WHAT IS SO SPECIFIC ABOUT MOROCCAN ARCHITECTURE?
• Morocco is a country shaded with a variety of colors yet cloaked with the blanket of mystery.
• Today Morocco proudly upholds its past glories, its traditions and the culture of Morocco, which is reflected in the ancient monuments and structural designs of Morocco.
The architecture of Morocco consists of more or less:
• the Islamic style of construction.
• However the designs show signs of being profoundly influenced by Spanish styles of the mid centuries.
• The Berber as well as the African style are also recurrent.
• ASPECTS OF MOROCCAN ARCHITECTURE
• Some of the typical features of Morocco Architecture are:
- Huge U- shaped arches and lovely domes
- Large courtyards, adorned with charming gardens.
- Use of geometrical patterns.
- Use of bright color schemes
- Use of ornamental Islamic calligraphy and fewer pictures.
- ornamentation of the exterior of the buildings.
• WHERE THIS SPECIFIC ARCHITECTURE IS MOST APPARENT
• These features are used in
• -Doors and gates
• -ceilings
• -Mosaic/zellige
• -Domes
• -Fountains
• ARCHITECTURAL BUILDINGS
• Mosques
• Riads
• Houses
• Musauleaums
• WHEN DOORS EXPRESS IDEAS
• THE ARCH FORM IS PREDOMINANT
• This shape finds its origin in the importance of the circle in Islam.
• The continuity of life even after death is most probably depicted also in art forms
• THE DOORS ARE MADE MOSTLY OUT OF CARVED WOOD
• The carving is an industrious work that is transmitted from generation to generation
• It takes months and years to perform such designs
• THE MOTIFS AND THE COLORS ARE GEOMETRICALLY IDENTICAL
• DOUBLE DOORS
• The historical significance of the double doors lies in the fact that when guests pay a visit to a family they bind to go in the house as a sign of respect.
• THE GEOMETRIC FORMS ATTEST OF GREAT PATIENCE AND TALENT OF CRAFTSMEN
• THE DOOR KNOCKERS ARE ALSO A PREDOMINANT FEATURE OF OLD DOORS
• A DOOR KNOCKER UNDER THE FORM OF THE HAND OF FATIMA
• Of course to ward off the evil eye
• IMPERIAL CITIES HAVE GATES THAT USED TO CLOSE AT SUNSET AND OPEN AT SUNRISE
• WINDOWS IN THE PAST
• Some windows were covered with “mucharabi”, to allow women to have a look at the street without being seen.
• “Mucharabi” today is used only as an architectural design
• A LOT OF WINDOWS ARE SHAPED LIKE DOORS
• MOROCCAN CEILINGS
• Are very high
• Very colorful
• And ask for a lot of work
• THE HIGHTS
• THE DESIGNS ARE MINUTELY GEOMETRIC AND COLORFUL
• THE PAINTINGS, CARVINGS AND WRITINGS ON THE CEILINGS CAN TAKE YEARS
• THE DESIGNS ON THE CEILINGS CAN ALSO BE DONE ON PLASTER
• THE ZELLIGE/MOZAIC
• Patrons of the art used Zellige historically to decorate their homes as a statement of luxury and the sophistication of the inhabitants.
• Zellige is typically comprised of a series of patterns utilizing colorful geometric shapes.
• This framework of expression arose from the need of Islamic artists to create spatial decorations that avoided depictions of living things, consistent with the teachings of Islamic law.
• INFLUENCES ON THE ART OF ZELLIGE
• It is believed that the art of Zellige flourished at the Hispano-Moresque period (Azulejo).
• It then appeared in Morocco in the 10th century using nuances of white and brown colors.
• ZELLIGE CRAFTSMANSHIP
• Zellige making is considered an art in itself. The art is transmitted from generation to generation by maâlems (master craftsmen). A long training starts at childhood in order to master exceptional skills.
• Assiduous attention to detail is very important in the process of creating Zellige works. The small shaped (cut according to a precise radius gauge), painted and enamel covered squares are then assembled together in a geometrical structure as in puzzle to form the final single piece.
• The process has not varied for one millennium though conception and design has started using new technologies such as data processing
• ZELLIGE IS USED ON THE FLOORS, WALLS, FOUNTAINS AND PILLARS
• A TOUCH OF BEAUTY: CALLIGRAPHY
• As Muslims could not use human or animal painting, they use calligraphy as an art to adorn ceilings and walls of buildings
• MOROCCAN BERBER ARCHITECTURE
THE KASBAH
• It was the place for the local leader to live and as a defense when the city was under attack. A kasbah has high walls which usually have no windows. Sometimes, they were built on the top of hill to make them easier to defend. Some of them were also placed near the entrance of harbors.
• MOROCCAN BERBER ARCHITECTURE
THE KASBAH
• Sometimes, they were built on the top of hill to make them easier to defend. Some of them were also placed near the entrance of harbors.