In my last blog entry I spoke about the 12th century Syrian bowl with peacock motif. I went into detail about the symbolism behind a peacock across many religions and cultures. In this blog entry I will explain how a cultural belief, in other words, symbolism, affects architecture through the form of The Detail.
A couple of classes ago we learnt how important the symbol of the bull is for Tibetan Architecture. In Tibet, the bull's horns around windows is a symbol of a protector deity. The bull horns has such a profound meaning for the local Tibetan culture and it has become part of the architecture by means of detailing, in this case, a pictorial symbol.
On a macro scale, it is traditional Feng Shui belief that buildings should not have direct alignment of the front door with the back door. The reason for this is because all good Feng Shui energy coming through the main door will easily, and quickly, escape through the back door without having a chance to slow down, circulate within the space, and nourish one's home. The detailing for this case is in the placement of the doors and the circulation within the building. Contrarily, in Nigeria it is not acceptable to design streets finishing in a cul-de-sac. Black Magic or Voodoo is a prominent cultural belief in Nigeria, and so, streets must be designed with an entry and an exit, so if bad energy should enter it should have a clear and direct path to exit. Another example of Black Magic cultural belief is in Haiti. I was watching a documentary on the reconstruction of Haiti post-earthquake and found it especially interesting to watch the local Haitians reaction to North American architects attempts at new housing strategies, especially the integration of cross-ventilation. An opening between the walls and roof was created in many of the 'new' proposed building designs, but what the designers did not consider is the Haitians strong belief in Black Magic. In Haiti, it is imperative that the house is able to be completely enclosed so that the bad energy does not enter during the night.
In the above details we can note that the detailing takes place in the form of street design, and for the latter, in the form of the connection between roof and wall.
Symbolism in architecture often hails from a specific cultural belief; through detailing it can become a part of the built environment and ultimately form a seamless connection between building and cultural roots.
-Aliza Sovani
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