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Arabic-Islamic Cities: Building and Planning Principles May 31, 2010
By AG Van Dijk
"DSP-groep BV"
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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Reviews of the earlier hardcover edition Oct 28, 2008
By Besim S. Hakim
"author"
This is a substantial, innovative work. -- Paul Oliver, Journal of Architectural and Planning Research, Spring 1989
This volume is an essential reference for all who are interested in the history and future of urban design. -- Miles Danby, Third World Planning Review, November 1986
This book has the rare quality of being relevant to scholars as well as practicing urban planners. -- Jim Antoniou, The Architect, October 1986
Professor Hakim states in the introduction that his two purposes are 1) to identify and record the building and planning principles which shaped the traditional Arabic-Islamic city', and 2) to document the findings in a systematic and clear format'. These two goals he has achieved methodically and concisely, if not brilliantly. -- Brian Brace Taylor, MIMAR #22, Fall 1986
This book addresses an important but rarely studied question: how do the many individual decisions involved in city building (and, indeed, in the creation of all cultural landscapes) add up to a coherent whole? I have discussed this question in very conceptual and general terms. To my knowledge this is the first book to do so in a very explicit and detailed manner.
The emphasis is on process, although the product characteristics are illustrated. In studying process by asking this very general question of great interest and importance: "How do villages, cities and cultural landscapes come together?" this book provides an answer for one class of landscapes. In doing so, it shows two things. First, that rules and principles do operate, as indeed they must do for any cultural landscape which cannot be random, haphazard or chaotic. Second, that these rules cannot only be explicit but even written down. Essentially this book studies these rules, how they worked, how they were applied and by whom. It does so both at the macro- and micro-scales.
In general this study makes a significant contribution, of interest in itself but also important as a potential stimulus to similar studies of rule systems in other cultures. This is because it suggests the possibility also that such rule systems may be rather more explicit in other cases than had been thought, even when not written down. There may thus be attempts to uncover these, eventually leading to comparative studies which in turn may lead to generalizations. These are essential steps on the way to valid theory.
How well the book does what it sets out to do? In general, the answer is that it does so quite well: the argument is generally clear, the writing succinct, the illustrations and their excellent captions are clearly related to the text and clarify it. The material on dwellings, streets and open spaces, and other components of the city is extremely clear. Anyone who has ever been concerned with Islamic cities, tried to understand them and has read the existing literature will be greatly enlightened. Also, in contradistinction to many designers, not only are physical aspects considered (e.g. windows, doors, party walls, supports, trees, etc); behavior is also discussed (e.g. privacy, overlooking, etc.). Moreover, non-visual aspects are considered -- smoke, odors, sounds and noise, water use and drainage, land use (e.g. shops and industry) and so on. Also, enough details, with cases and examples, are cited so that one can follow the application of the principles. The way the relatively few elements are combined is well and convincingly demonstrated. The analysis of Tunis, from site selection, through a series of diminishing scales is very useful indeed in clarifying the morphology of the city.
...this is a significant book. -- Amos Rapoport, Journal of Architectural Education, Winter 1988.
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