The Gayer Anderson Museum is located within two historic houses in Cairo that were joined together. The houses were purchased in the 1930s by Major R.G. Gayer Anderson, who assembled a collection of antique furniture, carpets, and other objects that he displayed throughout the homes. After his death, the Egyptian government converted the houses into a museum to preserve Gayer Anderson's collection and the architectural heritage. The museum provides visitors a glimpse into historic Cairo homes through 17 rooms filled with artifacts representing ancient Egyptian, Coptic, Islamic, and other Middle Eastern cultures and traditions.
Le Corbusier was a pioneering Swiss-French architect who is considered one of the pioneers of modern architecture. Some of his most notable works include the Villa Savoye, which demonstrated his "Five Points of Architecture", and the city of Chandigarh, India, where he designed many government buildings including the Secretariat, High Court, and Assembly Hall. His buildings were characterized by features like pilotis, free facades, open floor plans, ribbon windows, and roof gardens.
The document discusses site planning, street furniture, landscape design, and elements of landscaping. It defines site planning as the organizational stage that involves land use zoning, access, circulation, and arranging compositional elements. Street furniture creates settings for resting and socializing, and should be located based on function and match surrounding surfaces. Landscape design combines nature and culture by arranging land features for aesthetic and practical reasons, using both hardscape and softscape elements. Key elements of landscaping discussed are color, scale, form, texture, balance, and unity.
This document contains a proposal for the adaptive reuse of the Kedah Historical Museum building. It includes sections on the building's historical and architectural background, a dilapidation survey identifying issues like concrete spalling and metal corrosion, an analysis of the building's architectural style and elements which draw from Malay vernacular design, measured drawings of the building, and a proposal for adapting the building for a new use while preserving its heritage features. A group of 6 students from the School of Architecture, Building & Design prepared the proposal as a class project under the guidance of their tutor.
Curtain walls are non-load bearing exterior walls that hang from the building structure. They allow for larger windows and more open floor plans compared to load bearing walls. Common materials for curtain walls are glass and aluminum due to their strength, light weight, and ability to limit heat transfer. Curtain walls are classified based on their method of construction, with common types being stick wall, unitized wall, and window wall systems. Proper design of curtain wall systems is important to handle loads, transfers stresses to the building structure, and prevents air and water infiltration.
The Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Italy is a vast Renaissance palace situated along the Arno River. It was originally commissioned in 1458 by banker Luca Pitti and expanded over the centuries, housing important art museums and the former royal apartments. The palace and its collections were donated to the Italian people in 1919 and are now some of Florence's largest art galleries. It features rusticated stonework and Roman aqueduct-inspired arcades that give the palace a powerful atmosphere.
Ieoh Ming Pei was a renowned Chinese-American architect born in 1917 in China. He studied architecture in the United States, receiving degrees from MIT and Harvard. Some of his most famous works include the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, the Louvre Pyramid in Paris, and the Miho Museum in Japan. For the Miho Museum, Pei was inspired by a classic Chinese tale and designed the building partially underground to minimize its impact, while still allowing light in and views of the surrounding nature.
Joseph De Chiara - Time-Saver Standards for Building Types - libgen.lc.pdfPavaniKaja
This document provides a list of handbooks and references for various engineering and construction topics. It includes over 50 titles covering subjects like mechanical engineering, materials, architecture, noise control, electrical codes, pump design, concrete, and more. Many of the references are identified by author/editor and include brief descriptions. The list aims to provide relevant technical resources for engineers, architects and others in the construction industry.
Le Corbusier was a pioneering Swiss-French architect who is considered one of the pioneers of modern architecture. Some of his most notable works include the Villa Savoye, which demonstrated his "Five Points of Architecture", and the city of Chandigarh, India, where he designed many government buildings including the Secretariat, High Court, and Assembly Hall. His buildings were characterized by features like pilotis, free facades, open floor plans, ribbon windows, and roof gardens.
The document discusses site planning, street furniture, landscape design, and elements of landscaping. It defines site planning as the organizational stage that involves land use zoning, access, circulation, and arranging compositional elements. Street furniture creates settings for resting and socializing, and should be located based on function and match surrounding surfaces. Landscape design combines nature and culture by arranging land features for aesthetic and practical reasons, using both hardscape and softscape elements. Key elements of landscaping discussed are color, scale, form, texture, balance, and unity.
This document contains a proposal for the adaptive reuse of the Kedah Historical Museum building. It includes sections on the building's historical and architectural background, a dilapidation survey identifying issues like concrete spalling and metal corrosion, an analysis of the building's architectural style and elements which draw from Malay vernacular design, measured drawings of the building, and a proposal for adapting the building for a new use while preserving its heritage features. A group of 6 students from the School of Architecture, Building & Design prepared the proposal as a class project under the guidance of their tutor.
Curtain walls are non-load bearing exterior walls that hang from the building structure. They allow for larger windows and more open floor plans compared to load bearing walls. Common materials for curtain walls are glass and aluminum due to their strength, light weight, and ability to limit heat transfer. Curtain walls are classified based on their method of construction, with common types being stick wall, unitized wall, and window wall systems. Proper design of curtain wall systems is important to handle loads, transfers stresses to the building structure, and prevents air and water infiltration.
The Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Italy is a vast Renaissance palace situated along the Arno River. It was originally commissioned in 1458 by banker Luca Pitti and expanded over the centuries, housing important art museums and the former royal apartments. The palace and its collections were donated to the Italian people in 1919 and are now some of Florence's largest art galleries. It features rusticated stonework and Roman aqueduct-inspired arcades that give the palace a powerful atmosphere.
Ieoh Ming Pei was a renowned Chinese-American architect born in 1917 in China. He studied architecture in the United States, receiving degrees from MIT and Harvard. Some of his most famous works include the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, the Louvre Pyramid in Paris, and the Miho Museum in Japan. For the Miho Museum, Pei was inspired by a classic Chinese tale and designed the building partially underground to minimize its impact, while still allowing light in and views of the surrounding nature.
Joseph De Chiara - Time-Saver Standards for Building Types - libgen.lc.pdfPavaniKaja
This document provides a list of handbooks and references for various engineering and construction topics. It includes over 50 titles covering subjects like mechanical engineering, materials, architecture, noise control, electrical codes, pump design, concrete, and more. Many of the references are identified by author/editor and include brief descriptions. The list aims to provide relevant technical resources for engineers, architects and others in the construction industry.
Mies van der Rohe was a pioneering German-American architect who is regarded as one of the influential architects of the 20th century. Some of his most notable works include the Barcelona Pavilion built in 1929, the Villa Tugendhat built between 1928-1930, and the Farnsworth House built in 1951. He is known for embracing modernism and introducing new building materials and techniques in his minimalist designs characterized by open floor plans, flat roofs, and steel and glass curtain walls. In the United States, he designed influential apartment buildings like 860-880 Lake Shore Drive in Chicago and the Seagram Building in New York City, known for their structural clarity achieved through exposed steel frames. Mies strove
The document discusses curtain wall systems. It begins with an introduction defining a curtain wall system as a non-structural outer covering that keeps weather and occupants in/out. The history notes that curtain walls emerged as exterior walls became non-load bearing. It describes the components of curtain walls including mullions, transoms, glass, and other materials. Functions are listed as protecting interiors from the environment while providing lighting and occupant comfort. The document also covers installation systems, loads, maintenance, and provides case studies of curtain wall implementations.
The document discusses three building construction materials: aluminum composite panels (ACP), curtain walls, and structural glazing. ACP sheets are thin aluminum sheets bonded to a non-aluminum core used for cladding, ceilings, and partitions. Curtain walls are non-structural exterior walls that keep weather out while allowing natural light in. They must be designed to handle loads and prevent air/water penetration. Structural glazing bonds glass directly to a building's structure using high-strength, high-performance silicone sealants to transfer wind loads from the glass.
Prefabrication & Pre-CASTING, Advanced Structural Concretes Materials for Pre...Deepak Verma
This document discusses modular and prefabricated construction components used in precast concrete buildings. It describes the key components that can be prefabricated off-site such as walls, floors, beams, columns, stairs, and their connections. These include different types of precast walls, slabs, beams shaped as I-beams, L-beams or rectangular, and dimensions for efficient construction. Connection details are provided for beam-column, wall-foundation, and other joints.
Louis Isadore Kahn was a 20th century American architect, educator, and philosopher. Some key aspects of his work include redefining architecture through structure, form, space and light. He is known for his use of geometric shapes, solid materials like brick and concrete, and intentional use of natural light. Two important projects he designed were the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, characterized by its diagonal layout and use of local brick, and the Salk Institute characterized by its two symmetrical buildings separated by a courtyard and stream.
Classical Chinese gardens have a long history dating back over 3,000 years. They are known for their balance, harmony, and ability to capture the essence of nature in a three-dimensional landscape. Key elements include rocks, water, plants, and structures like pavilions and bridges. Chinese gardens can be categorized as either imperial gardens constructed by rulers or private gardens, and they differ in style between northern and southern regions of China. Famous examples include the Summer Palace and Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou.
Frank lloyd wright and louis comfort tiffany.reflets
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect who designed over 1,000 projects, including more than 500 completed works. He was known for his innovative use of stained glass windows, designing over 4,000 stained glass windows and doors for more than 150 of his buildings in unique styles using transparent and iridescent glass with gold leaf. Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist and designer best known for his work in stained glass windows, lamps, glass mosaics and other decorative arts. He incorporated color, texture and tonal variations into his glasswork, which was used in both wealthy homes and public buildings.
Constructivism emerged in Russia in 1913 and promoted the use of machine-made parts in architecture. Constructivist art was characterized by abstraction, geometry, and experimentation rather than emotion. Constructivist architecture flourished in the Soviet Union in the 1920s-1930s, combining advanced technology with communist ideals. The iconic Melnikov House in Moscow features two interlocking cylindrical volumes with numerous hexagonal windows and an efficient yet creative design that incorporated light, space, and minimal materials.
Romi Khosla is an architect and urban planner educated in the UK who has designed numerous buildings in India over three decades. Some of his notable projects include the School for Spastic Children, designed in the 1980s-1990s, which pioneered accessible design for disabled children in India. He also designed the Dental College at Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi, conceived as a series of interconnected nodes to serve students, staff, and patients. Khosla's other works at Jamia Millia include the Castro Cafe, designed as a blurring of indoor and outdoor spaces to negotiate Delhi's climate, and the M.F. Hussain Art Gallery, which features controlled lighting and outdoor
Creating energy-efficient buildings can be a large task, but following these tips and tricks about daylighting can make the job easier. Learn about everything from window placement to skylights and how they can help you achieve a more efficient building.
The document discusses space frames, which are lightweight truss-like structures constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames span large areas with few interior supports by transmitting loads through tension and compression along struts. They were developed in the early 1900s and came into wider use in the 1950s. Space frames are used for roofs, floors, and other structures requiring large clear spans. They offer advantages of light weight, prefabrication allowing low-cost construction, and versatility of shapes. Double-layer grids provide increased stiffness over single-layer designs.
This document provides information about a site located in Kodikal, Mangalore, Karnataka, India for potential development. It describes the site's surroundings such as a river area, gas station, grassland, residential and commercial areas. It notes the site's strengths like flat topography and green space, and weaknesses like dirty water and lack of public transportation. Opportunities include nearby water sources and highway access. The main threat is potential flooding from the Gurupura River. It also provides context about Mangalore's population, economy, and religious/ethnic groups.
Development of colonial architecture in indiaPawan Singh
The document provides details on the development of colonial architecture in India during the British Colonial Era from 1615 to 1947 and the Portuguese rule from 1498 to 1961. It describes some of the prominent architectural structures built during these periods like the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai, Gateway of India in Mumbai, St Andrews Kirk in Chennai, Se Cathedral in Old Goa, and the Husainabad Clock Tower in Lucknow. It highlights the fusion of European architectural styles like Gothic, Renaissance with traditional Indian elements in the design of these buildings.
Holkham Hall has a neoclassical interior designed by William Kent in the Palladian style. The interior features grand state rooms such as the Saloon lined with red velvet. Rooms are symmetrically designed with real and false doors to achieve balance. The Marble Hall has alabaster columns and a coffered ceiling inspired by Inigo Jones' design for the Pantheon. The exterior has a severe Palladian design with an austere brick facade and only terminating Venetian windows for ornamentation.
Frei Otto was a German architect and structural engineer known for his pioneering work with lightweight tensile structures. His interest was sparked by designing glider planes and observing how thin membranes over lightweight frames responded to forces. Notable projects include the roof of the Olympic Stadium in Munich (1972), which featured a suspended, cloud-like structure appearing to float over the site. Otto was inspired by natural phenomena like bird skulls, spider webs, bamboo, and soap bubbles to design economical and flexible structures.
Steel portal frames are a common form of construction for single-story industrial buildings. They consist of parallel steel frames forming the major structure, with steel columns connected by steel beams or rafters spanning between them. This allows for large clear spans of up to 40 meters. The frames are spaced 5-10 meters apart and support the roof structure and unobstructed floor space within. Concrete or masonry walls can be attached to the frames.
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American landscape architect in the 19th century who is considered the founder of landscape architecture in the United States. He co-designed many urban parks, including New York City's Central Park and Boston's Emerald Necklace. Olmsted believed that integrating natural landscapes into cities would improve urban living conditions and bring aesthetic beauty. He designed parks to provide open spaces for public use and contemplation of nature, regardless of class.
This document summarizes a graduate thesis proposal for a design project focused on courtyard architecture. The proposal involves designing the headquarters for a bookstore and music franchise in Pune, India centered around three internal courtyards. The design aims to incorporate courtyard principles like natural light, ventilation, and indoor green spaces to create a sustainable and pleasant work environment. Schematic plans and sections depict the building organized around the courtyards with different types of spaces and activities arranged around each one.
This document discusses the geometry and urban planning of ancient civilizations including the Indus Valley civilization, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. It provides details on:
- The Indus Valley civilization's major city of Mohenjo-Daro having a planned grid layout with public buildings and facilities that could house 35,000 residents.
- Egyptian homes were made of sun-dried mudbricks and nobles lived in large villas along the Nile. Egyptian temples like Hatshepsut's were perfectly symmetrical and layered with colonnades and terraces.
- Burial practices included mastabas, pyramids at Giza aligned along the largest, shaft tombs cut into rock
1) Muhammad Ali built a palace in Shubra as an official residence away from Cairo for relaxation. He hired French architect Pascal Coste to design and expand the palace complex.
2) The palace originally consisted of 13 buildings used by Muhammad Ali and his family as guest houses. Over time, many buildings were destroyed or altered for other uses.
3) Today, only three sections remain from the original palace - the gabalaya residence, the fasqiya reception complex, and the saqiya well-tower, which supplied water to the gardens.
Mies van der Rohe was a pioneering German-American architect who is regarded as one of the influential architects of the 20th century. Some of his most notable works include the Barcelona Pavilion built in 1929, the Villa Tugendhat built between 1928-1930, and the Farnsworth House built in 1951. He is known for embracing modernism and introducing new building materials and techniques in his minimalist designs characterized by open floor plans, flat roofs, and steel and glass curtain walls. In the United States, he designed influential apartment buildings like 860-880 Lake Shore Drive in Chicago and the Seagram Building in New York City, known for their structural clarity achieved through exposed steel frames. Mies strove
The document discusses curtain wall systems. It begins with an introduction defining a curtain wall system as a non-structural outer covering that keeps weather and occupants in/out. The history notes that curtain walls emerged as exterior walls became non-load bearing. It describes the components of curtain walls including mullions, transoms, glass, and other materials. Functions are listed as protecting interiors from the environment while providing lighting and occupant comfort. The document also covers installation systems, loads, maintenance, and provides case studies of curtain wall implementations.
The document discusses three building construction materials: aluminum composite panels (ACP), curtain walls, and structural glazing. ACP sheets are thin aluminum sheets bonded to a non-aluminum core used for cladding, ceilings, and partitions. Curtain walls are non-structural exterior walls that keep weather out while allowing natural light in. They must be designed to handle loads and prevent air/water penetration. Structural glazing bonds glass directly to a building's structure using high-strength, high-performance silicone sealants to transfer wind loads from the glass.
Prefabrication & Pre-CASTING, Advanced Structural Concretes Materials for Pre...Deepak Verma
This document discusses modular and prefabricated construction components used in precast concrete buildings. It describes the key components that can be prefabricated off-site such as walls, floors, beams, columns, stairs, and their connections. These include different types of precast walls, slabs, beams shaped as I-beams, L-beams or rectangular, and dimensions for efficient construction. Connection details are provided for beam-column, wall-foundation, and other joints.
Louis Isadore Kahn was a 20th century American architect, educator, and philosopher. Some key aspects of his work include redefining architecture through structure, form, space and light. He is known for his use of geometric shapes, solid materials like brick and concrete, and intentional use of natural light. Two important projects he designed were the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, characterized by its diagonal layout and use of local brick, and the Salk Institute characterized by its two symmetrical buildings separated by a courtyard and stream.
Classical Chinese gardens have a long history dating back over 3,000 years. They are known for their balance, harmony, and ability to capture the essence of nature in a three-dimensional landscape. Key elements include rocks, water, plants, and structures like pavilions and bridges. Chinese gardens can be categorized as either imperial gardens constructed by rulers or private gardens, and they differ in style between northern and southern regions of China. Famous examples include the Summer Palace and Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou.
Frank lloyd wright and louis comfort tiffany.reflets
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect who designed over 1,000 projects, including more than 500 completed works. He was known for his innovative use of stained glass windows, designing over 4,000 stained glass windows and doors for more than 150 of his buildings in unique styles using transparent and iridescent glass with gold leaf. Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist and designer best known for his work in stained glass windows, lamps, glass mosaics and other decorative arts. He incorporated color, texture and tonal variations into his glasswork, which was used in both wealthy homes and public buildings.
Constructivism emerged in Russia in 1913 and promoted the use of machine-made parts in architecture. Constructivist art was characterized by abstraction, geometry, and experimentation rather than emotion. Constructivist architecture flourished in the Soviet Union in the 1920s-1930s, combining advanced technology with communist ideals. The iconic Melnikov House in Moscow features two interlocking cylindrical volumes with numerous hexagonal windows and an efficient yet creative design that incorporated light, space, and minimal materials.
Romi Khosla is an architect and urban planner educated in the UK who has designed numerous buildings in India over three decades. Some of his notable projects include the School for Spastic Children, designed in the 1980s-1990s, which pioneered accessible design for disabled children in India. He also designed the Dental College at Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi, conceived as a series of interconnected nodes to serve students, staff, and patients. Khosla's other works at Jamia Millia include the Castro Cafe, designed as a blurring of indoor and outdoor spaces to negotiate Delhi's climate, and the M.F. Hussain Art Gallery, which features controlled lighting and outdoor
Creating energy-efficient buildings can be a large task, but following these tips and tricks about daylighting can make the job easier. Learn about everything from window placement to skylights and how they can help you achieve a more efficient building.
The document discusses space frames, which are lightweight truss-like structures constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames span large areas with few interior supports by transmitting loads through tension and compression along struts. They were developed in the early 1900s and came into wider use in the 1950s. Space frames are used for roofs, floors, and other structures requiring large clear spans. They offer advantages of light weight, prefabrication allowing low-cost construction, and versatility of shapes. Double-layer grids provide increased stiffness over single-layer designs.
This document provides information about a site located in Kodikal, Mangalore, Karnataka, India for potential development. It describes the site's surroundings such as a river area, gas station, grassland, residential and commercial areas. It notes the site's strengths like flat topography and green space, and weaknesses like dirty water and lack of public transportation. Opportunities include nearby water sources and highway access. The main threat is potential flooding from the Gurupura River. It also provides context about Mangalore's population, economy, and religious/ethnic groups.
Development of colonial architecture in indiaPawan Singh
The document provides details on the development of colonial architecture in India during the British Colonial Era from 1615 to 1947 and the Portuguese rule from 1498 to 1961. It describes some of the prominent architectural structures built during these periods like the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai, Gateway of India in Mumbai, St Andrews Kirk in Chennai, Se Cathedral in Old Goa, and the Husainabad Clock Tower in Lucknow. It highlights the fusion of European architectural styles like Gothic, Renaissance with traditional Indian elements in the design of these buildings.
Holkham Hall has a neoclassical interior designed by William Kent in the Palladian style. The interior features grand state rooms such as the Saloon lined with red velvet. Rooms are symmetrically designed with real and false doors to achieve balance. The Marble Hall has alabaster columns and a coffered ceiling inspired by Inigo Jones' design for the Pantheon. The exterior has a severe Palladian design with an austere brick facade and only terminating Venetian windows for ornamentation.
Frei Otto was a German architect and structural engineer known for his pioneering work with lightweight tensile structures. His interest was sparked by designing glider planes and observing how thin membranes over lightweight frames responded to forces. Notable projects include the roof of the Olympic Stadium in Munich (1972), which featured a suspended, cloud-like structure appearing to float over the site. Otto was inspired by natural phenomena like bird skulls, spider webs, bamboo, and soap bubbles to design economical and flexible structures.
Steel portal frames are a common form of construction for single-story industrial buildings. They consist of parallel steel frames forming the major structure, with steel columns connected by steel beams or rafters spanning between them. This allows for large clear spans of up to 40 meters. The frames are spaced 5-10 meters apart and support the roof structure and unobstructed floor space within. Concrete or masonry walls can be attached to the frames.
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American landscape architect in the 19th century who is considered the founder of landscape architecture in the United States. He co-designed many urban parks, including New York City's Central Park and Boston's Emerald Necklace. Olmsted believed that integrating natural landscapes into cities would improve urban living conditions and bring aesthetic beauty. He designed parks to provide open spaces for public use and contemplation of nature, regardless of class.
This document summarizes a graduate thesis proposal for a design project focused on courtyard architecture. The proposal involves designing the headquarters for a bookstore and music franchise in Pune, India centered around three internal courtyards. The design aims to incorporate courtyard principles like natural light, ventilation, and indoor green spaces to create a sustainable and pleasant work environment. Schematic plans and sections depict the building organized around the courtyards with different types of spaces and activities arranged around each one.
This document discusses the geometry and urban planning of ancient civilizations including the Indus Valley civilization, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. It provides details on:
- The Indus Valley civilization's major city of Mohenjo-Daro having a planned grid layout with public buildings and facilities that could house 35,000 residents.
- Egyptian homes were made of sun-dried mudbricks and nobles lived in large villas along the Nile. Egyptian temples like Hatshepsut's were perfectly symmetrical and layered with colonnades and terraces.
- Burial practices included mastabas, pyramids at Giza aligned along the largest, shaft tombs cut into rock
1) Muhammad Ali built a palace in Shubra as an official residence away from Cairo for relaxation. He hired French architect Pascal Coste to design and expand the palace complex.
2) The palace originally consisted of 13 buildings used by Muhammad Ali and his family as guest houses. Over time, many buildings were destroyed or altered for other uses.
3) Today, only three sections remain from the original palace - the gabalaya residence, the fasqiya reception complex, and the saqiya well-tower, which supplied water to the gardens.
Julia morgan-Her Life, Hearst Castle and Chapel of the ChimesViv S
The Presentation contains the early life of of Julia Morgan and the major projects she had during her lifetime.
it includes two major case studies:
1: Chapel of the Chimes
2: The Hearst Castle
Both have been described well in the presentation.
- Ancient Greeks built temples out of marble with stone foundations for beauty and strength. The temples housed large statues of gods and Greeks lived in simple stone or clay houses. Greek coliseums had dirt floors and were used for entertainment like the Olympics.
- Ancient Egyptians built homes of mud bricks and clay since wood was rare. The wealthy had homes with central courtyards while pyramids housed pharaohs' tombs. Egyptians are the only ancient civilization whose iconic buildings, the pyramids, still stand nearly intact today.
- Early Mesopotamians constructed brick homes side-by-side in towns, and the wealthy had larger homes than commoners. Japanese built wooden temples and homes
- Ancient Greeks built beautiful temples out of marble with large statues of gods. Ordinary Greeks lived in simple stone houses while rich Greeks had central courtyards. Greek coliseums had dirt floors for cheap cleaning.
- Ancient Egyptians built pyramids and sphinxes. Ordinary houses were mud brick while rich Egyptians had central courtyards. Pyramids entombed pharaohs using limestone, granite, and sand.
- Mesopotamians built two-story brick houses close together like modern townhouses due to scarce wood and stone. Rich Mesopotamians had larger homes.
- Japanese built temples with wood roofs and used rocks in gardens. Homes mim
Kizhi Pogost is an open-air museum located on Kizhi Island in Russia, known for its wooden churches. The complex includes the 22-domed Church of the Transfiguration from 1714, the Intercession Church with 9 domes from 1694, and a 30m bell tower from the 19th century. The architecture is representative of traditional northern Russian wooden structures, using wood, clay, and copper domes. The ensemble was protected as a historical reserve in 1945 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its preservation of ancient Russian wooden architecture.
The document provides a history of Sunderland, England from Roman times to the present. It details how Sunderland started as a fishing village and grew into a major port city due to its shipbuilding industry. Important historical sites mentioned include St. Peter's Church from the Anglo-Saxon monastery period, the Winter Gardens museum which has exhibits on Sunderland's glassmaking and pottery industries, and the Penshaw Monument memorial built in the 1840s. Tragedies like the 1883 Victoria Hall disaster that killed over 180 children are also discussed.
Westminster Abbey is a large Gothic church in London that has historically served as the site of British coronations and royal burials. Some key features include the nave where notable figures are buried, Poet's Corner memorializing writers, the rose window and vaulted ceilings decorated with ribbing, and flying buttresses on the exterior. The abbey was originally a Benedictine church until Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, and now functions as a site for coronations, royal weddings, burials and memorials.
Ancient Egyptian Houses, and influence on Hassan FathyHanady14
Egyptian houses were typically constructed from mud bricks with flat roofs that could be used as living spaces. Their design was influenced by the hot, humid Egyptian climate. Poorer homes had only a few basic rooms and used materials like woven mats and mud bricks, while wealthier homes could have many rooms constructed from stone with gardens and ponds. Columns in Egyptian architecture evolved over time and took different forms such as lotus-shaped or palm-shaped depending on the period and location in a temple. Architect Hassan Fathy advocated for traditional Egyptian styles and materials like mud bricks, wind catchers, and courtyards in his projects.
Michael Graves is an American architect known for his postmodern style. He designed his personal residence, the Warehouse, in Princeton, NJ by renovating a ruined warehouse into a modest yet sculptural home displaying his collections. Graves also designed the expansion of the Denver Central Library, adding a large atrium connecting the new and old wings. His proposed Maritime Experiential Museum in Singapore would be shaped like a ship with exhibits focusing on maritime trade routes and a small adjacent marina.
The United States Capitol is located in Washington, D.C. and serves as the meeting place for the U.S. Congress. The original building was completed in 1800 and has since undergone expansions, most notably the addition of a massive dome. Today, the Capitol covers over 1.5 million square feet and is crowned by a iconic white dome that has become a widely recognized symbol of the American government.
Julia morgan-Her Life, Hearst Castle and Chapel of the ChimesVivek Sinku
The Presentation contains the early life of of Julia Morgan and the major projects she had during her lifetime.
it includes two major case studies:
1: Chapel of the Chimes
2: The Hearst Castle
Both have been described well in the presentation.
Downtown Kenosha is a thriving city center that honors traditions and fosters economic growth. It is home to historic buildings like the Gilbert M. Simmons Memorial Library, the Orpheum Theater, and the Rhode Center for the Arts. Downtown Kenosha, Inc is a non-profit organization that works to revitalize the downtown area through partnerships with local businesses and government.
This document provides a history of Sunderland, England from Roman times to the present. It discusses how Sunderland started as a fishing village and grew into a major port town due to its coal and shipbuilding industries. Specific sites mentioned include St. Peter's Church from the Anglo-Saxon monastery period, the Victoria Hall disaster of 1883 that killed 183 children, the Penshaw Monument memorial, the Winter Gardens museum, Sunderland Theatre, and Hylton Castle. The document aims to familiarize the reader with Sunderland's history and landmarks to provide context for a photography project.
This document lists and briefly describes 10 unique churches from around the world. Some key details include:
1) The Harajuku church in Tokyo has a ceiling designed to reverberate sound for 2 seconds to provide a unique listening experience.
2) St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow has iconic colorful onion domes and was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible.
3) Hallgrmskirkja in Reykjavik, Iceland is the fourth tallest structure in Iceland and took 38 years to build.
4) The underground Temppeliaukio Rock Church in Helsinki has a copper wire ceiling and was blasted out of solid rock.
The document provides details from a presentation on the Indus Valley Civilization given by four students. It summarizes key facts about the mature phase of the civilization from 2600-1900 BCE, including its location along the Ghaggar-Hakra river and major sites like Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. It describes architectural features like the Great Bath, pillared halls, and wells, and artifacts found including a dancing girl figurine, toy cart, and seals. Photos illustrate reconstructed and preserved buildings, structures, and objects from this ancient civilization.
The Victoria Memorial is a large marble building in Kolkata built between 1906 and 1921 to commemorate Queen Victoria. It has an Indo-Saracenic architectural style that blends British and Mughal elements. The memorial has 25 galleries displaying artifacts and is one of the most popular tourist sites in Kolkata, receiving around 3.5 million visitors annually. Its 57-acre gardens surrounding the building are also a major attraction.
The Indus Valley Civilization was one of the earliest urban cultures in South Asia, flourishing around 3300-1300 BCE along the Indus River valley. Two major sites are Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, which had sophisticated sewage and water systems including covered drains and wells. The cities followed a grid pattern and many homes had bathing areas. The civilization declined around 1300 BCE for unknown reasons but left lasting impacts on the region.
This document discusses various artistic traditions related to mortality and immortality across different cultures and time periods. It begins by examining ancient tombs, mounds, and structures oriented towards celestial bodies like Stonehenge. Egyptian pyramids and tombs decorated with paintings are discussed. Etruscan tombs simulated domestic interiors. Massive tombs were constructed for China's First Emperor and the Moche civilization. Viking ship burials and Christian catacombs are also summarized. The document concludes by looking at modern commemorative practices like cemeteries, memorials, and the AIDS memorial quilt.
➒➌➎➏➑➐➋➑➐➐ Satta Matka Dpboss Matka Guessing Indian Matka
KALYAN MATKA | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA TIPS | SATTA MATKA | MATKA.COM | MATKA PANA JODI TODAY | BATTA SATKA | MATKA PATTI JODI NUMBER | MATKA RESULTS | MATKA CHART | MATKA JODI | SATTA COM | FULL RATE GAME | MATKA GAME | MATKA WAPKA | ALL MATKA RESULT LIVE ONLINE | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA RESULT | DPBOSS MATKA 143 | MAIN MATKA
➒➌➎➏➑➐➋➑➐➐ Satta Matka Dpboss Matka Guessing Indian Matka
KALYAN MATKA | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA TIPS | SATTA MATKA | MATKA.COM | MATKA PANA JODI TODAY | BATTA SATKA | MATKA PATTI JODI NUMBER | MATKA RESULTS | MATKA CHART | MATKA JODI | SATTA COM | FULL RATE GAME | MATKA GAME | MATKA WAPKA | ALL MATKA RESULT LIVE ONLINE | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA RESULT | DPBOSS MATKA 143 | MAIN MATKA
SATTA MATKA SATTA FAST RESULT KALYAN TOP MATKA RESULT KALYAN SATTA MATKA FAST RESULT MILAN RATAN RAJDHANI MAIN BAZAR MATKA FAST TIPS RESULT MATKA CHART JODI CHART PANEL CHART FREE FIX GAME SATTAMATKA ! MATKA MOBI SATTA 143 spboss.in TOP NO1 RESULT FULL RATE MATKA ONLINE GAME PLAY BY APP SPBOSS
➒➌➎➏➑➐➋➑➐➐ Satta Matka Dpboss Matka Guessing Indian Matka
KALYAN MATKA | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA TIPS | SATTA MATKA | MATKA.COM | MATKA PANA JODI TODAY | BATTA SATKA | MATKA PATTI JODI NUMBER | MATKA RESULTS | MATKA CHART | MATKA JODI | SATTA COM | FULL RATE GAME | MATKA GAME | MATKA WAPKA | ALL MATKA RESULT LIVE ONLINE | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA RESULT | DPBOSS MATKA 143 | MAIN MATKA
Tanjore Painting: Rich Heritage and Intricate Craftsmanship | Cottage9Cottage9 Enterprises
Explore the exquisite art of Tanjore Painting, known for its vibrant colors, gold foil work, and traditional themes. Discover its cultural significance today!
➒➌➎➏➑➐➋➑➐➐ Satta Matka Dpboss Matka Guessing Indian Matka KALYAN MATKA | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA TIPS | SATTA MATKA | MATKA.COM | MATKA PANA JODI TODAY | BATTA SATKA | MATKA PATTI JODI NUMBER | MATKA RESULTS | MATKA CHART | MATKA JODI | SATTA COM | FULL RATE GAME | MATKA GAME | MATKA WAPKA | ALL MATKA RESULT LIVE ONLINE | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA RESULT | DPBOSS MATKA 143 | MAIN MATKA
➒➌➎➏➑➐➋➑➐➐ Satta Matka Dpboss Matka Guessing Indian Matka Satta Matta Matka KALYAN MATKA | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA TIPS | SATTA MATKA | MATKA.COM | MATKA PANA JODI TODAY | BATTA SATKA | MATKA PATTI JODI NUMBER | MATKA RESULTS | MATKA CHART | MATKA JODI | SATTA COM | FULL RATE GAME | MATKA GAME | MATKA WAPKA | ALL MATKA RESULT LIVE ONLINE | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA RESULT | DPBOSS MATKA 143 | MAIN MATKA
➒➌➎➏➑➐➋➑➐➐ Satta Matka Dpboss Matka Guessing Indian Matka KALYAN MATKA | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA TIPS | SATTA MATKA | MATKA.COM | MATKA PANA JODI TODAY | BATTA SATKA | MATKA PATTI JODI NUMBER | MATKA RESULTS | MATKA CHART | MATKA JODI | SATTA COM | FULL RATE GAME | MATKA GAME | MATKA WAPKA | ALL MATKA RESULT LIVE ONLINE | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA RESULT | DPBOSS MATKA 143 | MAIN MATKA
➒➌➎➏➑➐➋➑➐➐KALYAN MATKA | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA TIPS | SATTA MATKA | MATKA.COM | MATKA PANA JODI TODAY | BATTA SATKA | MATKA PATTI JODI NUMBER | MATKA RESULTS | MATKA CHART | MATKA JODI | SATTA COM | FULL RATE GAME | MATKA GAME | MATKA WAPKA | ALL MATKA RESULT LIVE ONLINE | MATKA RESULT | KALYAN MATKA RESULT | DPBOSS MATKA 143 | MAIN MATKA
2. Bayt al-kritliyya is one of the most beautiful and interesting specimens of
the 17th century Arab domestic architecture left in Cairo and provides an
ideal setting for the furniture, carpets and objects that date back to the
ancient Egyptian period, Coptic and Islamic era. It is located to the South
East corner of the Mosque of Ibn Tulun off of 'Abd al-Magid al-Labban
(Al-Salbiyya) Street in Sayyida Zeinab, Cairo.
Who is Gayer Anderson?
Major R.G. Gayer Anderson Pasha, after
passing through Guy's Hospital, London,
joined the Army Medical Corps in 1904
and was seconded for service to the
British Army in Egypt in 1907. He was
promoted to the rank of Major in 1914,
and in the same year he was made
Assistant Adjutant General for recruiting,
Egyptian Army. He retired from the
British Army in 1920 when he became
for a short period Oriental Secretary to the British Residency, Cairo. He
finally retired on pension in1924 but continued to reside in Cairo where
he interested himself in Egyptology and oriental studies in general,
forming a valuable collection of domestic furniture, faience,
2
3. Carpets and other objects representative of the arts and crafts of the Near
East.
In 1935, he was authorized by the Egyptian Government to reside in one
of the old Arab houses under the care of the Arab Monuments
Committee, named Bayt al-Kritliyya, situated at the entrance of the
famous 9th
century Mosque of Ibn Tulun, where he assembled his various
collections and arranged them in a perfect setting for their satisfactory
display. Subsequently, he bequeathed the contents of Bayt al- Kritliyya to
the Egyptian Government and when, owing to ill health, he was forced to
leave Egypt in the spring of 1942, the Egyptian Ministry of Public
Instruction converted the house, and its contents which had always been
fully accessible to the public as long as Major Anderson resided in Cairo,
into the Gayer-Anderson Pasha Museum. H.M.king Farouk graciously
bestowed on Anderson Bey the grade of Pasha in recognition of his
generous bequest to the Egyptian Nation. Gayer Anderson Pasha died in
England in 1945.
The History of the House:
The museum consists of two houses built using the outer wall of the
Mosque of Ibn Tulun as support. The larger house, located to the east (the
outermost side in relation to the mosque) was built in 1632 (1041 AH) by
Hajj Mohammad Ibn al-Hajj Salem Ibn Galman al-Gazzar. It later
came into the possession of a wealthy Muslim woman from Crete, and
the home became popularly known as Beit al-Kritliyya, or "House of the
Cretan Woman." The second house, to the west (the innermost side in
relation to the mosque) was built in 1540 (947 AH) by Abdel-Qader al-
Haddad. It later became known as "Beit Amna bint Salim," after its last
3
4. owner. The two houses were joined by a bridge at the third floor level at
an unknown point, and are both collectively known as Beit al-Kritliyya.
The construction of private homes against the outer wall of a
mosque was common practice, with access to both the homes and mosque
via narrow streets. It was reported that in the early 20th century, the
mosque of Ibn Tulun could not be seen from the outside due to the
houses. In 1928 the Egyptian government began to clear the homes, many
of which were in very poor condition, away from the mosque as part of a
plan to make important Islamic monuments more accessible. The
Committee for the Conservation of Arab Monuments objected to the
demolition of Beit al-Kritliyya, however, on the grounds that the home
was extraordinarily well preserved. The home was kept intact, and repairs
were made to the side walls to strengthen them after the neighboring
houses were torn down.
4
5. Legends of the house
A number of legends are associated with the Beit al-Kritliyya, which
were collected by Gayer-Anderson and published as Legends of the
House of the Cretan Woman.
Among the legends are:
• The house is built on the remnants of an ancient mountain called
Gebel Yashkur, the "Hill of Thanksgiving." It is believed that this is
where Noah's Ark came to rest after the flood described in both the
Bible and Qur'an, and that the last of the floodwater was drained
through the well in the courtyard of the house;
• The house is protected by a Shaykh, Haroun al-Husseini, who is
buried under one of the corners of the house. He is said to have
blinded three men who attempted to rob the house, who stumbled
around the house for three days and nights until they were finally
caught;
• The well, which is called Bir al-Watawit, "The Well of the Bats" in
the house is said to possess miraculous qualities - for example, a
lover gazing into the water would see the face of his or her
sweetheart instead of his/her own reflection.
# The James Bond film 'The Spy who loved me" was partially shot in the museum,
in the ceremonial reception hall and the rooftop terrace.
5
6. Bayt al-kritliyya
The house is entered
through the 'Gate of Honour'. The
first part of the house consists of
huge brown containers of water used
as a Sabil in the past for people who
pass by to drink water on hot days.
A Sabil is part of the Islamic Cairo
culture, though it usually refers to a
fountain. Afterwards, there is a
small corridor that takes one to the
open air hall in the ground floor of
the house. This corridor is filled
with blue plates that Anderson
purchased from Persia. They were used to decorate the walls.
6
7. 1-The Courtyard:
Passing through a bent entrance which protects the interior of the house,
we will be in an open courtyard, in the centre of which is a marble
fountain and pavement presented by the Pasha's brother, Colonel T.G.
Gayer Anderson. To the right, in a deep vaulted recess, is the well of the
Bats and in a similar recess is a doorway that leads to the street.
Adjoining these is a servant's room, beyond which is a door in the corner
that leads via a staircase to the Harem, or Ladies Quarter. The Well and
the storeroom were of great importance in the days when the house was
built because the people of the house would be sure of finding food and
water at hand if fighting were taking place in the streets. Large pottery
jars stand around the courtyard and a collection of steelyards and weights
is hung against one of its wall.
7
8. The open air hall is rather amazing as one can
see most of the balconies of the house above and
the old walls with the Islamic decorations on
them.
The most interesting item of this hall is a big
wooden box that is connected with a strong rope.
It was used to transfer food and water from stores of the
house, much like an old dumbwaiter.
A corridor on the south side of the courtyard has pictures of
the house and the Ibn Tulun Mosque in the past and they
depicted how it changed over the years. There are also some
floor plans and maps of the house and the mosque. To the right hand side
there are some items that Gayer Anderson collected through time. One of
them is a charming piece of colorful tile that was used on the grounds of
the house. These tiles weren’t made in
Egypt but imported
8
10. 2-The Sabil:
A few steps from this corridor lead up to the sabil, or public drinking
fountain. Sabils are charitable foundations for the free distribution of
drinking water, and this example is unique in that it is attached to a house
rather than to a religious building. It is a square room with two barred
windows, which originally had water basins inside them and some brass
cups are fastened to chains to the bars of the windows for the use of
passers-by. The water was originally brought from the Nile by hand and
stored in the vast cistern that lies beneath this room, which is visible from
a hidden opening in the centre of the
floor. The wooden ceiling of the sabil is
beautifully decorated with plates of
gold. It dates to the early 17th
century
A.D.
10
11. The current display in the sabil relates to the Legends of the House,
which are represented on a series of tinned copper plates commissioned
by Gayer Anderson and executed by a local artisan.
One of the most interesting things in this room, is the display of a model
of a boat which represents the shape of the Mediterranean boat. The
significance of it is the
representation of the same
old tradition of the
ancient Egyptian of
11
12. having the funeral boats that used by the dead person to guarantee his
rebirth in the afterlife.
The First Floor:
3-The Maq'ad (Loggia)
After ascending a few steps on the west side of the courtyard, the visitor
will find a staircase which leads to the maq'qd. Its two sides and front
walls are paneled with mosaic marble and faience tiles. Entering the
maq'ad, the visitor finds himself in a narrow sunken area which was the
place where servants and guests left their shoes before stepping onto the
raised floor. In the back wall are two shallow recesses, one of which is
fitted with a long dikka or seat. In the middle there are beautiful brass
tables with Qur'an and Islamic decorations. There are also some small,
ornate wooden chairs. The front is completely open in order to receive the
refreshing evening breeze. The two other sides have wall cupboards for
glass objects, cups, and bottles. The whole room is furnished with carpets
and comfortable seats.
12
13. 4-The winter Qa'a( Reception Room)
This room is the principal hall of this house. Its magnificent appearance
is due partly to the height of its decorated ceiling, partly to its harmonious
proportions, partly to its handsome furniture. Along three of its sides are
ranged long low seats. One of them is wider and deeper than the others,
being the more honourable place. There are some alabaster tables with
Qur'an verses written on the circular edges, stands in the sunken area and
close to it is a tray of the same material, which served as a stand for cups
and sweets. There are also colorful boxes that were used to keep
valuables. The most remarkable pieces in this hall are the large smoking
pipes. Each of them is at least
half a meter long.
13
14. Almost all the other contents of the room are however of metal, including
some old copper trays.
5-The khazna (Treasury)
Beyond the Qa'a is a small room called the khazna or Treasury. Now it
contains a small collection of Oriental pictures, some Persian, some
Chinese and some Indian, illustrating religious personages, old stories or
scenes from nature. This room opens onto the top of a staircase exactly
opposite the door of the harem.
14
15. 6-The Harem (Ladies Quarter)
The Harem is a spacious and well-lit room. On the two sides that
overlook the street, mashrabiyya or turned wood windows are used. They
break the glare of the sun and the same time enable those inside to see
what is going on outside without being themselves seen by the passers-
by. Among the objects which now embellish this room are two large
Indian wedding chairs of inlaid wood, and some particularly beautiful
15
16. Persian wall cupboards with human figures in different attitudes and
signs of the zodiac, which Gayer Anderson obtained from Tehran. There
is a secret chamber in one corner of the room with trapdoor, which
according to legend is where gold of the house was kept.
Second Floor
7&8 The study and the Kuttab
On the way up to the next floor, we will find two rooms; the study
and the Kuttab. The former was Gayer Anderson's personal study and is
approached through a screen with examples of Islamic stained glass. In
the entrance of the room, there are white masks that Anderson made of
16
17. him and his family. They are very well made and show some good detail.
There were also fascinating, colorful pieces of glass that were used to
decorate the room. Inside the room there is the chair and the Corona
typewriter that belonged to Gayer Anderson that he used for much of his
writing. All around the walls of the room there are many photographs of
Gayer Anderson alone and with his family. There is also a photograph of
his wife.
17
18. The kuttab was originally a room for teaching children the Qura'n and it
is now furnished with a collection of objects related to the theme of
Sufism and
Islamic
Calligraphy.
9-The Roof terrace:
At the top of the staircase, to the right, is the roof terrace which contains a
variety of Ottoman marble basins and sink backs and some large black
pottery jars which were used in the spice trade with the Far East.
Comfortable wooden or stone seats harmonize with the Mashrabiyya
screens, which Gayer Anderson Pasha rescued from demolished houses
and reinstalled in this location. From this roof, one has a fine view of the
walls of Ibn Tulun Mosque with its many windows. Even the Citadel is
visible from the roof of the Gayer Anderson museum. There are a number
18
19. of displays on the walls, such as a sun clock made of tile. It
was used to tell the times for prayers.
19
20. 10- The Persian Room
At the top of the same staircase is a bedroom called the Persian Room.
There is a big red bed with wooden posts all about it and a canopy,
designed by Gayer Anderson in a Persian style. Next to Anderson's bed is
the bed of his favorite servant who would wait on him during the night.
20
21. Some pictures of Persian warriors or princes are
displayed around the room. One of the most attractive
objects in this room is a Turkish carpet decorated with
a railway train surrounded by floral designs.
21
22. 11- The Byzantine Room:
The small square room called the Byzantine Room is really a bridge
connecting the Bayt al-Kritliyya with the house of Amna bint Salim.
Almost all of its contents are Byzantine or Coptic. It contains some old
crosses and icons. A picture of St. Demetrious is hung on here, together
with other Christian paintings of Egyptian origin.
12) The Picture Gallery:
Two steps from the
Byzantine Room bring the visitor
to the Picture Gallery where
there is a display of oil pictures,
22
23. drawings and water colours, mostly by contemporary artists who
presented them to Anderson.
23
24. There is a charming watercolor picture, depicting a white vase filled with
daffodils against a blue background. The collection also includes two
works by the well known 19th
century English artist, Edward Lear.
24
25. 13) The Mohammed Ali Room:
A narrow corridor on the right of the Picture Gallery leads to this room,
which Gayer Anderson brought from the now, demolished Yeghan Palace
in Suq al-Silah, which runs from the madrasa of Sultan Hasan to the Darb
al-Ahmar. A portrait of Muhammad Ali Pasha is hung between two
cupboards with glass doors containing
some blue and green enameled and gilt
Bohemian glass objects.
Also, there is a salon which supposed to be a royal one, as it contains two
big armchairs with the royal crown over it. It is said to have been the
throne of one of the Egyptian Ruler, may be Said Pasha.
25
26. 14) The Queen Anne Room:
Next to this room is the Queen Anne Room, so called from the style of its
furniture.
26
27. This room, like all the others, is full of various items and has the
Mashrabeya windows. There are two significant objects in the room. The
first is a portrait of Gayer Anderson's favorite servant. He is a small boy
apparently of Nubian decent from Southern Egypt. The second item is
a small, black statue of an angel on a door, used as a door knocker.
Like the picture Gallery and the Mohammed Ali Room, this room
possesses a fine Venetian chandelier.
27
28. 15 & 16 The Library and the Chinese Room:
This room ends the corridor. It contains most of the books bequeathed to
the house by Gayer Anderson. Here, there is a fascinating drawing of
Gayer Anderson as a Sphinx statue, and a fine portrait of him wearing a
blue suit. And as in most of the rooms of the house, there is the sofa at the
end of the room with the Mashrabeya window behind it.
28
29. Opposite the Queen Anne is a small room
containing Chinese furniture
and pictures.
29
30. 17) The Museum Room:
A door to the left of the picture Gallery leads to the museum Room.
While the whole house is a big museum, there is a museum within this
museum. It contains a wonderful statue of Nefertiti. It is placed in front of
a Mashrabeya screen and when the sun light comes through its wooden
holes, it truly looks magical, as if she might speak at any moment. In the
middle of the room there is a
statue of the cat goddess Bastet,
the original of which Anderson
bequeathed to the British
Museum and to the right of the
door; there is a black mummy
cover that seems a bit scary.
There is also a huge bird egg
inscribed with Qura'an verses.
30
31. The most interesting items of this museum inside the Gayer Anderson
Museum are the plates of "Taset El Khada", which is a famous Egyptian
legend. Such plates are usually made of brass or silver and have magical
words and certain verses of the Qura'an written inside them. Someone
who is ill would fill the plate with milk and water and leave it on the
balcony overnight. It was believed that a part of the sky would come and
mix with the milk and water. In the morning the sick person would drink
this from the plate and be cured.
31
32. 18) The Damascus Room:
After leaving the Picture Gallery, a small staircase on the left leads up to
the Damascus Room. The Walls and ceiling of this room are completely
covered with richly-decorated wooden panels brought by Gayer Anderson
from a 17th
century house in Damascus. The
verses of a poem in praise of the Prophet
decorate the frieze and give its date
1692A.D.
The bed is wooden with Islamic decorations
all around it. Although this room is the
smallest in the house, it is the most fabulous
room.
32
33. Second Floor
19& 20 The Guest Room and the Listening Gallery:
The visitor must now descend a long staircase, which leads to the door of
the haremlek of the house of Amna Bent Salim, again with its many
boxes and Mashrabeya windows. This room has a wooden cupboard
where jewelry was kept. It seemed normal at first, but when you move the
whole cupboard, there is a secret doorway! The door leads to a very
narrow corridor with Mashrafeya windows to the right and some wooden
chairs to the left. It was used by women to watch what was going on in
the celebration hall without being seen by anyone.
This room is connected to another room with a long corridor. The other
room was used as a makeup and dressing room for women. It has a large
cupboard to the left where they kept their cosmetics and to the right there
is another narrow corridor where women used to overlook the celebration
hall through Mashrafeya screens. These windows look out directly
towards the fountain of the celebration room and the chair where Gayer
33
34. Anderson sat. There is also another small window where women used to t
look at the Mosque of Ibn Toulon. The strangest item in this room is a
musical instrument (guitar) in the shape of a small crocodile.
34
36. First Floor
21) The Celebration Hall:
Descending to the First Floor we visit the big celebration hall. It is
divided into two halves. The first half is where Gayer Anderson would
36
37. hold audiences with visitors as he
sat on a chair in the middle of the
section. On his right hand, there is
the huge shelf where Anderson kept
the swords he collected from all
over Egypt. This hall was also used
for marriage parties. Therefore,
there is a chair for the bride to the right and a chair for the groom to the
left. In the middle of the room is a nice fountain that still looked
functional. The other half of the room consists of a small theater, where
the performances of dancers and singers once took place. The ceiling of
the celebration hall is very high because the hall is surrounded with
Mashrabeya screens for women to watch from the chambers above the
hall. The celebration hall is lit by various sources. The most attractive
among them is a huge Fanoos, a Ramadan lamp that is pinned to the high
ceiling. This hall is the best place to learn about the old Egyptian culture
because many events used to take place there.
37
38. Ground Floor
22 & 23 The Bridal & Birthing Rooms:
Returning to the staircase and descending to the ground floor, the visitor
arrives in a courtyard which has a 19th
century marble fountain and basin
at its centre. Two small vaulted spaces, formerly storerooms, are located
on the east of this courtyard.
38
39. These are respectively the Bridal Room, with a display of objects relating
to the life of the women of the house and the Birthing Room which has
many chairs, some with Qur'an verses written on them, with openings in
their seats. Women used to sit on these chairs to give birth to their babies.
To the left there are some displays of bracelets that children once wore to
protect them.
39
40. The other side of the courtyard has a collection of marble jar-stands for
drinking- water, which are unique to Egypt. Their design includes a basin
which prevents dripping water from collecting in front of the jars.
On leaving the house, the visitor passes a wall- mounted group of marble
funerary inscriptions (Both Coptic and Islamic) which include good
examples of 9th
century work with Kufic lettering.
40