Rivers of Paradise: Centuries Old Islamic Drawing Revisited to Redefine Sacred Architecture

Abstract

Can water cleanse and redefine centuries old architecture to bring about a new perception of Islam? As the image of Islam varies from century to century, the religious principles of Islam remain true to the 1400-year-old religion it was at its conception. Over the years the architectural characteristics of Islam have remained true to the Arab identity it was born with, however in this ever-changing world where being bi-cultural is increasingly the norm for the majority, Islamic architecture needs to evolve too to fit within this diverse world. In this thesis, I explore the concept of rebirth of Islam within a Maori cultural context so that this sacred architecture becomes a local manifestation, since I believe the image of Islam is in need of ‘cleansing.’ The thesis aims to cleanse the image of Islam through a parallel cleansing of the Waipapa Stream, located to the east of the Auckland’s Domain, that is neglected and in a state of ruin. Understanding the way in which the stream is perceived in this context is explored through a Maori world view using personification. In her 2014 paper ‘Tears of Rangi,’ the anthropologist Anne Salmond explains that the people of Whanganui have an important saying, “Ko au te Awa, ko te Awa ko au,”1 which translates as “I am the River, the River is me.”2 This stems from the philosophy that the river is the source of ora (wellbeing), and it is a being that connects the sea, the land and the people. The river is not only personified as living entity, it is part of a larger, interconnected whole. In order to visualise the Waipapa Stream as a living entity, Waipapa marae, located at the University of Auckland, is analysed through the ancestral meanings of its carvings. These carvings are then reimagined as the “site.” An ancient Islamic architectural drawing methodology is applied to transfer information from the site to the architecture so that the design becomes a local manifestation. This methodology derives from the Topkapi scroll, which is an ancient relic and the oldest surviving Islamic architectural drawing. The interventions created deconstruct the marae and the masjid (mosque) and follow the Maori narrative of the forest god, Tane-nui-a-Rangi, as he travels the realms to retrieve the three baskets of knowledge as well tapu stones. The aim is to create spaces that encourage enlightenment through self-reflection, learning and experience. Although each intervention has a primary function, the stream leads the observer into the architecture for the purpose of better understanding themselves within an enclosed space, as well as simultaneously understanding the environment to better realise their place in the world.