Journal of University Studies for Inclusive Research

Vol.14, Issue 10 (2022), 8120- 8148

USRIJ Pvt. Ltd.

Activating the role of The Mythology of Local Civilization

and its Impact on the Contemporary Urban Design and
Architectural thought
Prof. Mohamed Wahba Ebrahim Khalil -Prof. Mohamed Atef Elhamy Kamel (*)
(*) Prof. at Umm Al-Quran University, College of Engineering and Islamic Architecture,
[email protected] –[email protected] - [email protected]
Abstract
Originality and deep-rootedness of nations is measured according to what they own of culture and
human heritage which are inherited by generations. Hence, this is among the reasons that lead
researchers to study the history, traditions, customs, beliefs as well as even myths more deeply which
is known as local mythology. Both architecture and urbanization in the Arab world have experienced
several developments. The period between the second half of the 7th century to the 19th century AD
was distinguished by the emergence of the architecture and urbanization character of this area. When
the Arab world was invaded, all that remained of civilization was destroyed. Then the architect started
to consider solving the subjective problems as they have to be solved externally. This is in addition to
the emergence of a local sect that admired all that is imported, so they started to uproot our cultural
roots in architecture and planning and work on implanting new roots that have no relation whatsoever
to this Arab society which in turn led to loss of the Arab and subsequently the Egyptian, architectural
identity. The research problem lies in the western architects would depend on the method of inspiring
their main idea from some culture's mythology which was mostly a non local culture for us. Despite
this local architects imitate them without a sufficient analytical depth. Consequently, the research aims
at the method of unifying the architectural dialogue to activate the mythology of the local cultures and
the nature of their influence on the contemporary architectural thought in order to build architectural
models of native character that would realize expression of original and contemporary to produce
architecture local in its heritage while contemporary in its building that expresses local mythology.
Keywords: Mythology, Religious Symbols, Borrowed Philosophies, Sacred Numbers, Deconstruction.

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 ‫الملخص‬

‫تقاس أصالة األمم وعراقتها بما تمتلك من حضارة وتراث إنساني تتوارثه األجيال‪ ،‬وهذا من أهم‬
‫األسباب التي تدعو الباحثين إلى التعمق في دراسة تاريخ الشعوب وعاداتهم وتقاليدهم ومعتقداتهم وحتى‬
‫اساطيرهم وأفكارهم بما يعرف بالميثولوجيا المحلية‪ ،‬ولقد مر كل من العمارة والعمران بالوطن العربي‬
‫بعدة تطورات ‪ ،‬فتميزت فترة ما بين النصف الثاني للقرن السابع إلى التاسع عشر الميالدي بظهور طابع‬
‫للعمارة والعمران لهذه المنطقة ‪ ،‬وعندما أصيب الوطن العربي باالستعمار فأنهار معه كل ما تبقى من‬
‫الحضارة وأخذ المعمارى ينظر إلي حل المشاكل الذاتية على أنها البد أن تحل من الخارج باإلضافة إلى‬
‫ظهور طائفة محلية أعجبها كل ما هو مستورد فأخذوا جميعا يقلعون جذورنا الحضارية في العمارة‬
‫والتخطيط والعمل على غرس جذور جديدة ال تمت بصلة إلى هذا المجتمع العربي مما أدى لفقدان الهوية‬
‫المعمارية العربية وبالتالي المصرية‪ ،‬وتكمن مشكلة البحث فى اشارة كل الدالئل القائمة على أن مستقبل‬
‫العمارة العربية المعاصرة سوف يرتبط بالفكر الغربي فترة طويلة من الزمن حيث يعتمد معماريو الغرب‬
‫على اسلوب استلهام فكرتهم الرئيسية فى العمل المعمارى من ميثولوجيا حضارة ما وهى فى الغالب‬
‫حضارة غير محلية بالنسبة لنا وبالرغم من ذلك يقلدهم المعماريون المحليون دون عمق تحليلى ‪ ،‬وبالتالى‬
‫يهدف البحث إلى كيفية توحيد الحوار المعماري لتفعيل ميثولوجيا الحضارات المحلية وكيفية تأثيرها على‬
‫الفكر المعمارى المعاصر لبناء نماذج معمارية ذات شخصية وطنية تحقق التعبير عن المحلية األصيلة‬
‫والمعاصرة لتنتج عمارة محلية فى تراثها معاصرة فى بنائها تعبر عن ميثولوجيا محلية‪.‬‬

‫الكلمات المفتاحية ‪ :‬المثيولوجيا‪ ،‬الرموز الدينية ‪ ،‬الفلسفات االستعارية ‪ ،‬االرقام المقدسة ‪ ،‬التفكيكية‬

‫‪8121‬‬
1. Introduction:
A myth is a stone corner of human civilization that represents a sacred literary heritage and
interprets things in a narrative form through a building whose events revolves around the
phenomena of the universe and explaining the secrets of creation. In addition, its subjects
include the relation that connects the gods of the ancient world and their influence on human
abilities (Cotterell,2004). The word "mythology" is derived form the Latin word "myth" i.e.
legend or the Greek word "mythos" i.e. tale. (Yousef,2009)
A myth is the most important element of the ancient religion in which nations of the early
civilizations believed during the Mythopoeic Age or the age of generating myths. (Yousef,2009)
The planner or the architect is as close as possible to the spirit of the artist. He possesses in his
genes the features and characteristics of the city and environment in which he was born and
brought up. Furthermore, he is armed with the culture, art and scientific and architectural
historical knowledge which are supposed to endow him with the ability to understand the
spirit and identity of his city and communicate with it, and this motivates him to belong and
be loyal to this identity and be inspired by its human, social, environmental and spatial history
in all that is produced.

2. Study problem:
The research problem lies in the incompatibility of the current architectural scientific
curricula with what is dictated by the needs of the present and future age with the extinction
of local cultures due to the cultural globalization we find an attack of the immigrant western
cultural changes at the students, architects and professors even the recipients of nations
individuals… etc. This led us to consider that all that is foreign as the optimal and caused
alienation or disregard of all that is local. It made us break from our past and cultural identity.
This is in addition to the continual separation of actual practice and not linking it to the
academic and theoretical study. Thus, this suggests that the future of the Arab contemporary
architecture will be associated with the western culture for a long period of the time as the
western architects depend on the technique of the attaining their principal idea in the
architectural work from the mythology of some civilization or an abstraction of an

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architectural expression that characterized a certain culture which is at most is not a local
culture for us. Despite this, local architects imitate them without a sufficient analytical depth
even though there have appeared at present serious calls to deepen these values. However, the
echo of these calls is still within the limitation of specialists and has not moved yet to the
popular level in order to affect the general opinion.
3. Importance of the study:
Within the framework of this research, we raise the principal hypothesis which is related to
the importance of architecture schools' focusing on teaching students the ability to think at the
level of concepts and views especially in our contemporary world which is extremely
complex and synthesized. Subsequently, if the role of the university is to teach students how
to think, this thinking is expected to be a distinctive experimental reforming creative one.
Nevertheless, it is noticed that the architectural education system in Egypt clearly observes
non application of this hypothesis and consequently the weakness of architectural production.
This is due to the weakness of the creativity of the architect and the style of its preparation of
practicing this profession, and this is the phenomenon which can be easily recorded in the
urban and Arab, in general, and in the Egyptian, in particular, reality.
4. the objective of the research:
This research aims at knowing the reasons of the failure of our architecture especially
contemporary Egyptian architecture to achieve an expression of the cultural identity and
history, the method of activating the mythology of local civilizations and the method of their
effect on the contemporary architectural thinking in order to build architectural models of
national character that can achieve an expression of the original and contemporary locality
and the equilibrium of this with the social and human needs.

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5. Questions of the study:
 What is mythology and what are its branches? And what is the relation between
mythology and architecture?
 How can the Arab and Egyptian cultural identity be maintained through looking at local
mythology?
 What is the effect of the mythological event on the architectural work? What are the
modern cultural trends which were affected by this?
 Are there any attempts in order to activate local cultural mythology?
 What is the contemporary updating strategy to activate clinging to local identity?

6. Method of study and data collection methods:

The research method depended on the theoretical analysis of the reasons of the research
problem which are limited to the deficiency of the local architectural thinking to transfer
the ideas of foreign architects without giving any interest to their reaching the recipient due
to the unawareness of local mythology. As for the applied aspect, it was conducted through
comparative studies among the modern international cultural approaches and the extent of
their being affected by the mythology of the ancient world cultures.
Then a study was performed on the building of Alexandria Library and an analysis of it
was made according to the branches of mythology. Finally, a local field inventory was
made of the attempts of foreign and domestic architects in the Egyptian projects in order to
bestow the spirit of locality on the projects whether the pharaoh, environmental, Islamic or
modern approaches as seen by each architect from his own perspective and the extent of his
knowledge of local components in order to reach what is called: "contemporary cultural
identity".

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7. Mythology:
It is the science that studies the myths and belief nations, and mythology is the content of
systems of belief which prevailed among the nations of the ancient world civilizations.
They are accounts of sacred historical events thought to have occurred at the beginning of
time. Types of mythology can be divided in terms of their being the most important
components of civilization which are subsequently reflected on the architectural art. These
branches or types can be specified as follows: (Eliade,2012)

7.1 Religious Belief:

The term is made of two parts: The first is the belief i.e. the ideas and principles in which
individuals believe through perception moving to the reasoning stage and ending with the
communication stage with what belief they adopt. The second is the religion. It is the faith
in which individuals believe. It includes the beliefs behavior, ideas of the existence of
sacred entities which have supernatural power. Religion is a group of rites and rituals
revolving around a creator. In order for this matrix to be complete, its three parts must be
fulfilled: the worshipped creator, worship place, worshippers. (Youssef,2009)

7.2 Cosmogony Vision:

The society of each civilization provides its own interpretation concerning the origin of
universe and the creation of the world i.e. cosmogony vision. These interpretations were
called theories of creation. All religions agree on their being a matrix of the creation of
the universe (the earth, life, man). This all happened through the interference of a
supernatural power by a direct creation act of inexistence, i.e., ex-nihilo. (Eliade,2012)

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7.3 Myth & Religious Narratology:
7.3.1 Myth:
We can refer to what was stated in the Holy Koran, ‫ير‬
ُ ‫اط‬ َ َ ‫نز َل َربُّ ُك ْم َقالُواْ أ‬
ِ ‫س‬ َ َ ‫َوإِذَا قِي َل لَ ُهم َّماذَا أ‬
‫األَ َّو ِلين‬
[And when it is said unto them: What hath your Lord revealed? they say: (Mere) fables
of the men of old.] (Verse No. 24 of Surat Al-Nahl)
In other words, the lies made up by ancestors referring to stories and accounts with no
origin or reference. (Youssef,2009)

7.3.2 Religious Narratology:

These are the accounts and religious events which accompanied the emergence of
societies that witnessed the appearance of a religious belief adapted by a nation. The
recorded official resources of religious narrations are limited to two types: (Eliade,1987)

7.3.2.1 Holy Books:

They are the sacred books of heavenly religions sent by God to the messengers and
prophets through the revelation. These books are (Journals of Ibrahim [PBUH], the
psalms of David [PBUH], the Torah 'Old Testament' of Moses [PBUH], the Gospels of
Jesus [PBUH], Koran of Mohammed [PBUH]. (Eliade,1987)

7.3.2.2 Books of Theology:

They are the books of religious constitution or the books of jurisprudence which contain
the organizing principles, rules and laws of the belief and doctrines of a certain religion.

7.4 Metaphysical Attitudes:

It is the metaphysical science which was an expression used by analysts and
philosophers referring to all that is related to the unseen matters such as concepts of
beliefs, religion, myths and spiritualities in within a framework expressing what happens
outside the rational concept. Metaphysics is composed of two parts (meta)“αετµ” which
means in Greek (above/ over). (Harris, 2000)

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 As for the second part (physics) “φυσική”, it is the study of nature and the reason of its
existence and through this context the study of the mythology of civilizations reflects the
formation of the general design mode of the most important buildings of these
civilizations. This can be determined through several approaches: (Harris, 2000)

7.4.1 Ontology or in Greek "αίγоλ ":

It is an approach related to the study of all that is related to existence and origin of
things and searching for the origin of space and vacuum.

7.4.2 Telepathy:
It is an approach related to studying all that is related to association of minds and
capturing mental waves through air among people who possess special mental frequency
powers. (Cotterell,2002)

7.4.3 Spiritualism:
It is an approach associated with the study of the spiritual unseen powers such as good
or evil powers- ghosts- jinni- unseen things

7.4.4 Psychology:
It is an approach related to what concerns inclinations, wishes or scruples. (Cotterell,2004)

7.5 Religious Symbols:

A symbol is defined as the thing that represents something as it includes similar values,
belongs to or shares a certain fact or idea. Each of the religious symbols has a religious
denotation, origin and reference. By the passage of time, some of them acquired a more
profound effect that the religious doctrine itself. Some religions became recognized
through its own symbol. The purpose of using the symbol is to avoid the direct
description of the thing by making it either discreet or prominent in a way more
impressive and attracting attention. (Eliade,2012)

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 Symbols are the nucleus of contemplations (figure No.1) as they are not independent
units but inseparable interlaced units that may create complex perplexing forms whose
bases governing their applications are not understood. (Clarke, 1998),

Figure (1) Illustrates some religious symbols of some ancient civilizations

7.6 Sacred geometries & Numbers:

7.6.1 Sacred numbers:
These are numbers that acquired the sacredness quality for their conformity to religious
or universal symbolic denotations… etc.
Number (1): is the first of numbers and the evidence of unity (oneness of God) it is the
symbol of uniqueness (Singleness) and the one God such as Aton or Amoun in the
pharaoh civilization or the one God in the three heavenly religions.
Number (2): represents the dualities such as male and female, night and day, past and
present, heaven and hell, mankind and jinn… etc.
Number (3): symbolizes stages of the time: past, present and future. It represents in different
beliefs and religions the following:
 Babylon Trinity (Onu- Baal- Ena).
 Pharaoh Trinity (Amoun- Moot- Khenso).
 Trinity of Jewish marriage rituals (man's promise- woman's commitment- sacred knot)
 Holy Christianity Trinity (Father-Son, Holy Spirit).
 Trinity of Islamic Sharia (God- His messenger- imams and rulers). (Yassine, 2006)

8128
Number (4) expresses the four original directions, seasons of the year and in heavenly religions:
 In Judaism: the sacred rivers ( Vishun- Gihon – Haddaql- Euphrates)
 In Christianity: it symbolizes the number of the gospels at the beginning of the New
Testament (Gospel of Matthew- Gospel of Mark- Gospel of Luke- Gospel of John). In
addition, it refers to the body of man and its form resemblance to that of the cross.
 In Islam: it indicates the number of the main Sunni doctrines (Maliki- Hanafi- Shafae-
Hanbali). (Yassine, 2006)

Number (5):
 In Judaism: it represents the number of the Torah Books (Genesis -Exodus –Leviticus-
Numbers- Deuteronomy).
 In Islam: it indicates the five pillars of Islam (prayer- zakat 'charity'- fasting-
testimony ' that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allah'- pilgrimage). (Yassine, 2006)

7.6.2 Sacred Forms:

These are forms that were created whose sides symbolize an integrated matrix of man's
perception and the universal facts surrounding him. (Clarke, 1998)

8. Architectural Entity:
Architecture at present represents an art, production and practice in several turning points of
crises of different aspects. It is considered among the intellectual, cultural and productive
crises afflicting our contemporary society. As a matter of fact, the urban field consists of an
architectural chaos resulting from transforming the philosophies accompanying architectural
works of architecture pioneers into cultural approaches and international styles neglecting
the cultural borders, the heritage output, and the natural and local potentials which led to
lacking of the architectural product to the communication features due to its lack of
peculiarity, cultural locality and the characteristics associated with the Egyptian
environment. (El-Kady, 2005) This is in addition to the obvious deficiency in meeting the
financial and spiritual needs which make architectural works lose the feeling among them
and the society and place. All the above-mentioned clearly indicate the intellectual

8129
 conformity of the Egyptian architect to the western non-Egyptian origins and ideas.
Undoubtedly, this is the responsibility that lies on the domestic architectural education
which has a principle role in the formulation of the intellect and features of the
contemporary Egyptian architect so that he may choose what is appropriate to his intellect
and society through the culture and mythology of the place that makes it distinguished from
other societies. (El-Kady, 2005)

9. Architecture and Mythology:

9.1 Effect of the architectural work on the confirmation of the mythological event:
The architectural work is involved as an element of mythology which affects mythological
events and endows them with brilliance and authenticity associated with the values of
eternity and continuity. Therefore, the role of the architectural work appears in order to
confirm the mythological event such as "Troy wooden Horse" in Turkey, "Dracula Castle"
in the Rumanian City of Bran, and the buildings of the sinking continent of Atlantis
between Iceland and Ireland. Thus, we find that each of the former architectural works has
an influential role on completing the aspects of the mythological work. (Figure No.2)

Sinking Atlantis- (Iceland –Ireland) Dracula Castle Bran, Rumania Troy wooden Horse- Turkey
Figure (2) Effect of the architectural work on the confirmation of the mythological event
9.2 Effect of the mythological event on the architectural work:
Mythologists contributed to the preparation of records that include the mythology of world
civilizations which are approximately twenty-two mythologies in several encyclopedias of
world's legends. Through the following ideas, the effect of mythology branches of several
ancient civilizations on the works of international architects who followed a style in design
based in their intellect on inspiring and being influenced by the mythology of a certain
civilization or an abstraction of an architectural expression that distinguished a certain

8130
civilization can be presented. Among these examples are the approaches of modern
architectural culture in the deconstruction architecture (Youssef,2009).
The ideas of these architects were associated and they depended on being aware of all
ancient beliefs and myths. Thus, some of them related his works to the first edifices in the
history of humanity such as the vessel of “Noah Bin Metoshaleh”. It is the first constructive
edifice in history that carried on board a couple of all species of animals and birds. Some of
them inspired their ideas from the tents of Aad's nation with the lofty pillars associated with
the prophet Hud Bin Shalekh. It is the second architectural edifice in history. As for the
third edifice, it is the orchards and gardens and building in caves at the time of the prophet
Saleh. Ideas of some contemporary architects were associated with the building that the
prophet Ibrahim Bin Azar was thrown inside. It is a high building similar to the chimney
and is considered as the fourth architectural edifice. This is in addition to prophet Ibrahim
building of the Holy Mosque "The Sacred Kaaba" which is the kibla (direction to which
Muslims turn in their prayers) of all Muslims, the fifth architectural edifice. (Trawick,1970)
This is followed in history by the dome of time, the first ideas of worshipping inside an
architectural building, and it was the sixth edifice at the time of the prophet Moses Bin
Omran, and it is the nucleus of designing Jewish temples (Libeskind,1997). It is also parallel to
the pharaohs' way of thinking about worshipping inside a built edifice or the thinking of
God the only one. Furthermore, architectural ideas that paralleled to the legends of the
prophet Solomon appeared such as the throne of Queen of Sheba with its seven stories, and
it is the seventh architectural edifice. This is in addition to the crystallized palace of
Solomon which is the nucleus of designing floating establishments on water surface, eighth
edifice. Then the ninth edifice represented in Solomon altar which remained as the target of
Jews for four centuries. (Libeskind,1997)
Moreover, some architects inspired the ideas for their buildings from some ancient mosques
as we see some architects who were influenced by the narratives of prophets such as the
creation of Adam and Eve, stories of the prophet Yousef and the prophet Younis and the
story of crucifying the prophet Jesus in addition to the ideas and legends of Chinese and
Indian civilizations… etc. therefore, the deconstruction thinking is considered as a linguistic

8131
 practice and a philosophy that involves finding central landmark ideas and searching in
knowledge fields such as architecture. (Jencks, 2002)
Likewise, the deconstruction culture works on detecting and detangling constrains of
contradictions, refuting and involving suppositions which compose a direct philosophical
form which derives its cultural philosophical entity from the mythology of the past.
Deconstruction is a part of criticizing post-modernism. (Jencks, 2002)
Its aim is to terminate the dominance of post modernism architecture on the architectural
thinking. (Jencks, 2002) Thus, several approaches of the dissociated thought appeared to
confirm the mythological thinking of architecture, such as:
- Approaches of a direct philosophical thinking:
a) trend of nihilism: works of “Peter Eisenman” (Eisenman,1996)
b) trend of absurdities: works of “Bernard Tashumi”
- Approaches of borrowed philosophies
a) trend of deconstruction: works of “Frank O.Gehry” [12]
b) trend of modern construction: works of “Zaha Hadid”
c) trend of complexity: works of “Danial Libeskind” (Figure No. 3)

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 Trend of Modern
Trend of nihilism trend of absurdities Trend of dissociation Trend of complexity
construction
Peter Eisnman Bernard Tschumi Zaha Hadid Frank O. Gehry Daniel Libsekind
1989 1987 1998 1997 1999
Examples

Wiskiner scientific Center Lafayette Garden 21st century Arts Museum Solomon Guggenheim The Jewish Museum
Ohio University- USA Paris- France Rome- Italy museum Balbo - Spain Berlin-Germany
Contradiction with the Intersection of masses Overlapping and
Sudden fractures- sharp Absence of
surrounding buildings – with angles of sudden protrusions – conflicting
Features

abstract of bending mysteriousness module in

effect by using colors- perspective distortions- masses of the building
corners in masses – the ides- contradiction
destroying geometrical exaggeration in masses- with a sculptured shape- -
complexity of mass with the surroundings-
bases- non adaption of a shapes challenging lack of module –
philosophy colour neutralism
vision in form gravity- lines' intersection dynamism of shape
Mythological concept and the philosophy of mass

A group of incomplete The architect was

He was affected by the The bulk of the museum The museum is a similar
disjointed buildings were influenced by the most
crucifixion and the idea of suggests the complex replica of Noah ship as
made and distributed in a important symbols of the
pains of the crucified lines indicating the artistic the picture of the museum
garden. He colored the Jewish society inherited
Christ to present a lines which correspond to bulks is associated to the
disintegrated spatial from the Hebrew culture
complex formation of a the entanglement of body of the ship. He
shapes in red and called which is the presence of
group of incoherent formative arts such as meant to make it a shelter
them red follies and they Dawood Star. The
geometrical shapes. In painting and sculpture. and the rescue ship for
are positioned at the architect abstracted this
addition, he used white They suggest the the visitors which
intersection points of the religious symbol as he
lattices in the facades and entanglement of the art transport them to the safe
geometrical passages' dissembled its sides and
red colour in the power to branches especially the beach selecting the best
lattice as an evidence of vacuumed it of their
simulate blood. modern ones. exhibits in the museum.
dissociation and direction. gravity centers

Figure (3) Illustrates the mythological concept and the philosophy of the architectural mass of the
deconstruction approach architects in the post-modernism period. (Researchers)

8133
9.3The mythological concept and the philosophical formative idea of the
project of the library of Alexandria with a western thinking & Egyptian
locality:
The design idea of the project depended on expressing knowledge which represents the light
for humanity. Since the maximum light degrees is the sun and the library is revived and
rebuilt again, the idea was elaborated formatively to form the sun disk at the time of sunrise to
suggest that the library will be the knowledge sun constantly bright. (Clarke, 1998)
This is an extremely profound idea in its symbolic connotations with the ancient Egyptians
concerning the god of generosity and openhandedness especially when the building bulk
surrounded the granite wall to gather all the ancient and contemporary languages of the world
which represent the maximum association between the design concept and the philosophy of
the mass and mythology and the influential inherited borrowings on this concept in addition to
transforming the sacred circle shape using the design style through omission, reducing a
portion of the circle and the addition of a high bridge that represents the hand of generosity
while adding the magnitude of the heavenly dome which has the shape of a sphere. This
concept is not separated from the interior design of the project. (Clarke, 1998) However, a group
of lofty pharaoh pillars complemented it, so that they endowed a spirit to the place. (Figure
No. 4 & Figure No. 5)

10. Attempts of activating the mythology of the local Egyptian civilization:

The experimental phase of activating the mythology of local or domestic architecture which
we experience in order to search for a local pure identity remains a period of random
dimensions as there are no indications of an obvious line or method. However, the
architecture of the end of the sixties and the beginning of the seventies period remained
dominant alternately with the novice revival movement of the ancient classical styles. As
for the restoration attempts, they are limited and scarce and do not express an integrated
creative movement. Furthermore, they do not have a sufficient amount of conscious

8134
criticism. The important point about them is related also to the lack of a prime example, a
model, and a mentor. (El-Kady, 2005)

8135
Mythological Effects of the Alexandria Library Project Alexandria-
The present Egypt Mythology of the
project pharaohs

Belief in Religious
the god of belief
sun

Sun is the
god of View
pharaohs of the
and it is the universe

Mythological Branches
god of
generosity
and
inclusion
Myth of the Myth &
god of religious
Amoun tales

Pharaoh Metaphysi
approach c-al
and the hand approache
of s
generosity

The sun Religious

symbols

The circle is
Sacred
the sun &
the sphere is numbers
the & figures
heavenly
dome
Conclusion: an extremely
profound concept in their
symbolic connotations with
the ancient Egyptians with the
god of generosity reappearing
again especially when the
building mass was surrounded
by both granite wall to gather
all the ancient and
contemporary languages of the
world which represent the
maximum association among
Figure (4) The Mythological Effects on the Thinking and Design ofthethe
design concepts of the
Alexandria
mass.
Library.(Researcher)

8136
Since the time of the experiment of Hassan Fathy and disciples, no Egyptian architect could
gather around him new generations of innovators in a healthy atmosphere that allows them
to participate and develop. Hence, we find architectural works inclining to revivalism, and
others turning towards the domestic or local character of the desert features. Moreover,
there are others which acquired the thinking of post-modernism as an example to follow in
obtaining genes of Islamic or classical architecture (El-Kady, 2005), and some of them

8137
succeeded while others failed in this experience. Moreover, the majority of them cared only
about the imitated facades while most of these architects lacked the mythological thinking,
identity or intellectual locality in the form of the building magnitude. (Figure No. 6)

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Figure (6) Different cultural approaches and8139
attempts of finding identity in Egypt. (Researchers)
10.1 Unifying the architectural dialogue to activate the mythology of local
civilizations:
Architectural directivity has two basic dimensions: cultural doctrinal and visual motor.
Directivity characterized the Islamic architecture as all believers turn towards the Holy Kaaba.
This direction has an implication of achieving unity. This indicates that the relation between
the entrance and the temple is embodied in the temple as a symbol of Kebla. Dominance of
the doctrinal cultural dimension of direction is the most important relation in the space of the
Islamic architecture. This is obvious in the planning of the city and the urban spaces as the
urban texture turns to the city towards the mosque which in turn turns to the Kaba, the Kebla
of Muslims. Likewise, we find that the mosque has a clearly defined movement line from the
entrance to the temple. In each case, the mosque is built and the entrance is modified so that
the mosque maintains its centrality in addition to the presence of complementary formative
architectural elements to this doctrinal system. A small dome may be added to indicate
directivity. On the other hand, schools and houses conformed to jurisdiction rulings that led to
keep the broken entrance as direction is changed in order to avoid visual penetration.
Islam did oblige or impose on the Muslim certain mythological shapes to be used in order to
realize the notions of religion. However, this does not imply the limitation of the Islamic
religion impact on the architectural shape as the Islamic religion has a great influence in the
creativity of shape including the mental developments in the mind of a Muslim which has an
effect on the tangible material form. This is despite the fact that Islam did not determine a
certain shape to associate to the architectural intellect. In addition, it was related in any way to
the Islamic religion except the Kaaba which is the only Islamic building which is
compulsorily associated with two worship rituals: prayer as a direction and pilgrimage as a
location as well as prayer and circumambulation. Narrations prove that the shape of the Kaaba
was predestined by God. Nevertheless, the style and shape were not absolute. but they were
confined to the limits and principles of the Islamic religion through three main axes:

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a) The first axis: (El-Emery, 2000)
It represents the system of the Islamic Sharia and the prophetic traditions' objectives and
rulings. For example, in the case of the rejection of the messenger “PBUH” of the dome, it is
not a refusal of the shape in itself but it is due to the association of shape to a rejected case in
the principles of Islam such as boastfulness, vainglory, squandering and extravagance. Hence
the Islamic religion has formed a special pattern and view restrictive of shape in a certain case
and a specific time in conformity to the general religious principles. (Davidson,1998)

b) The second axis:

It is the rejection of some shapes and it has two kinds. The first is the refusal of representation
or embodiment following the prophetic traditions. Therefore, the Islamic art became
distinguished from other cultures as the Muslim turned to abstraction as an expression of the
monotheism principle. As for the second type, it is the rejection of the symbols and shapes of
other religions and it is an important principle inferred from the Holy Koran and the prophetic
traditions so that the Muslim or the Islamic nation in general has its own individuality or
uniqueness which distinguishes it from the other nations. A Muslim should not imitate every
symbol and shape expressing another religion other than Islam or suggesting an atheistic
belief, rather he should deviate from it. This shows the importance of the exceptionality of the
Islamic architecture in form. (Davidson,1998)

c) The third axis:

It is the selection of certain types in compliance with the prophetic traditions and their rules
such as the lengthening of the mosque's space which embodies the teachings of the
messenger PBUH in the method of praying in group as the rectangular shape became the
ideal shape for the mosque. Thus, selection of shape is made in the way that is appropriate
to the rulings of each pattern of buildings. Then the Muslim is given the freedom of
creativity and development as long as it agrees with the religion in order to achieve the best
shape or according to the different doctrines or a single doctrine… etc. (Bianca,2000)

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10.2 Contemporary reviving strategy:
It is represented in the use of the historical shape to create a new contemporary shape that
convey contemporary meanings and revivification of heritage and cultural and social values
as well as historical facts and it provides new and varied meanings. This approach is
characterized by the use of a contemporary formative language together while conveying
spirituality of regional belonging. Foreign architects started this approach to be liberated
from the burden of achieving belonging and breaking away from the sensitivity issue which
results from the misuse of conventional symbols when abstracting them such as the mosque
of Baghdad University of “Walter Gropius” who is distinguished by great simplicity to the
extent of abstraction by the creation of an umbrella and the symbolic indication of its
borders and the selection of the dome shape in order to convey the connotations of shading
tent. According to this, the shape involved the dome (modern) then the tent (ancient). What
contributed to this selection of the lack of being confined to the inappropriateness of the
shape for the function is the weakness of feeling of the Kebla direction and it is the most
effective factor in the design of the mosque. However, this building served as an important
event in the language of professional practices of the fifties as it provided an indication of
the positive interpretation method of the problem of employing heritage in contemporary
Arab and Islamic architecture. What increased the importance of this approach is the fact
that several modern buildings require a new understanding of functions, technologies and
economy in the form in which conventional shapes appear as so inappropriate that some of
them seem intruded in the total building. Borrowing from the heritage has worked in
several approaches (Abel,2005) which are as follows:

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10.2.1 The first approach:
Borrowing at the level of planning and the pattern of formulating schemes such as several of
the works of architect “Rasem Badran”. (Badran,1998) (figure No.7 & 8)

Figure (7) Borrowing at the level of planning and the pattern of formulating schemes.

Figure (8) Housing project showing the urban mountainous clusters of the living quarters and
providing privacy while still maintaining social continuity and integration a different balance to
achieve as old urban fabric in Islamic cities. (Wadi Saleh Housing project-Rasem Badran).

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10.2.2 The second approach:
Recalling the material output, professionalism and traditional knowledge like the case in
the works of (Hassan Fathy, Abd El-Wahed El-Wakeel). Figure (9)

Figure (9) The second approach through works of Hassan Fathy, Abd El-Wahed El-Wakeel
10.2.3 The third approach:
Borrowing at the level of composition relationships such as geometrical systems,
equilibrium, similarity, and the like and the Islamic ornamentation like (Umm Al-Qura
University). Figure (10)

Figure (10) The third approach through the design of Umm Al-Qura University
10.2.4 The fourth approach:
Borrowing at the composition and formative level of facades such as simulating (Rifat El-
Ghadirji). Figure (11) (Ghadirji,1990)

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 Figure (11) The fourth approach through works of Arch. Rifat El-Chadirji
10.2.5 The fifth approach:
Borrowing at the level of forms and elements, modernizing a conventional domestic
familiar form while combining the technological approach such as using the old elements
of and modernizing them like the works of arch. Jean Nouvel. Figure (12)

Figure (12) The fifth approach through works of Arch. Jean Nouvel.

11. The Case Study:

With the increase of the store of formative and designing values of popular architecture
and domestic or local mythology, this contributed to inferring new designing and
expressional approaches related to the domestic cultural values derived from the domestic
mythological culture. (figure No. 13,14)
Architecture built by no architects expresses the society view and the manner of its
handling of natural, social, economic and domestic artistic conditions. It can be a source
of producing new designing artistic values through the intellectual store of the Arab or
Muslim architect better than that of the western architecture in terms of setting an example
to follow. (figure No. 15)
We all know the extent of the great separation between theory and application. That is the
separation between what is being taught in universities in the field of architecture and
what the architect actually requires in his practical life. The architect must have a

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prominent role in this change, a role in developing university architectural education, a
role in establishing a link between theory and application, what is taught at universities
and what the architect and planner require in their work in reality. There is a need for
freedom of thinking, abundance of production, insight of criticism and reforming our
heritage of past civilizations and works of artists and architects who proved their existence
throughout ages. When we acquire a contemporary conscious view, the perception of the
past must be influenced by this view.

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 Figure (13) “Mansoura University in New Damietta city – Egypt” as an application of Inferring
new designing and expressional approaches related to the domestic cultural values
derived from the domestic culture. (Designed by researchers)

The compact
urban fabric
and the interior
courtyards

+
Electronic chip
of computer
operating unit

Figure (14) The compact urban fabric and the interior courtyards as a part of the urban heritage and
the relationship with Electronic chip computer operating unit expressing the harmony of mythology
through different ages. (Designed by researchers)

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 Figure (15) Using the vocabulary of traditional architecture in a contemporary way, such as the
mashrabiya with its shapes, the cantilevers, the dome and columns (researchers)
12. Conclusions: and Recommendations:
Architectural dialogue must be unified in order to attain a proper definition of domestic
architecture and architectural models of a national character to find out the reasons for the
failure of contemporary Egyptian architecture to realized the expression of original or
contemporary Egyptian locality and paralleling this with the human and social needs in
the light of the direct effect of the information revolution .In order to achieve this
comprehensive view, the dimensions which form it and serve as its structure must be
considered as follows:

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5.1 Ability to present a new perspective or create an independent approach. This may be a
highly estimated matter for the Arab movement critics so that we can set the Arab
principles on the world architecture map while leaving the arena void of effects
favoring certain ideas and in order to allow the Arab architect to make and confirm his
position in the world output.

5.2 Effective participation of architects of other nationalities provided that it is in the light
of specific conditions governing this participation which would encourage our
architects to get involved in experiments abroad according to a certain logic but by an
international perspective that would enable them to participate in the international
intellectual and theoretical approach. This is in addition to trying to stand away of this
overwhelming hurricane which swept in its way all the cultural, social, religious and
environmental factors and calling for subjective analysis and combining the
technological dimension with the heritage.

5.3 The architect should raise an important enquiry for work in terms of its effect on the
national cultural dimension. Is there an addition to what already exists of cultural
approaches and patterns in the national arena? This addition differs from the one
preceding it. The architect is required to observe it in the international dimension as
the local or national dimension cares about another kind of issues related to reality and
stems from the architect's responsibility to formulate the values of his society,
clarifying and embodying them in order to preserve them. The architect is responsible
for the appropriate communication and equilibrium among the urging raised national
and international issues.

5.4 Developing the architectural education in Egypt and the Arab world and introducing
the means which will broaden the creativity faculties of the architecture student by
using modern scientific methods especially like providing the developed
communication networks, improving information service and knowledge and
historical data closely related to the myths and fables of our countries.

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5.5 Introducing programs concerned with the study of modern materials whether natural
or artificial ones and the method of dealing with them in the field of construction and
building and working on updating them within the framework of continual
development and the framework of local and international variables in order to attain
the proper equilibrium among the heritage requirements and modernity needs.

5.6 Elaboration of the public participation, urban character, perseveration, maintenance,

renewal, enhancement and increasing interest in the positivity of architecture of the
poor, autonomous urbanization and local architecture as well as prominence of
architectural heritage and linking it to the past, its heritage and mythology as a social
necessity and one of the principles of national culture and introductions to confirm the
identity of societies.

5.7 Formulating effective active gatherings of groups of architects who undertake the
responsibility of explaining the role of architecture and the architect in society and
changing the perception of decision makers for the architect's position from
marginalization to activation so as to modify architecture and deepen its role in
society.

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6. References;
1. (Cotterell,2004), Arthur, “The Encyclopedia of World Mythology” , Published by Parragon & the British
Library , Warminster , UK, 2004
2. (Youssef,2009), Maged Nabil “Mythology in Ancient World” New Book House , Cairo, Egypt, 2009.
3. (Eliade,2012), Mircea “The Sacred and the Profane : The Nature of Religion” Translated by Willard
R.Trask , Published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York , USA, 2012
4. (Harris, 2000), Nathaniel, “History of Ancient Greece” Published by Hamlyn , an imprint of Octopus
Publishing Group Limited , London, UK, 2000.
5. (Clarke, 1998), Randel , “Symbol and Myth in Ancient Egypt” Translated by Ahmed Slyham Egyptian
book comp., Cairo, Egypt, 1998.
6. (Yassine, 2006), Abd El-Nasser,“Religion Symbols in Islamic World” Zahea El-Shark Library,
Cairo,Egypt, 2006.
7. (El-Kady, 2005) Mohamed Mostafa “Late Modenism , Application in Egypt” Faculty of Engineering ,
Cairo University, Egypt, 2005.
8. (Trawick,1970), Buckner B., “The Bible As Literature” , Barnes & Noble, Inc, New York, USA , 1963.
9. (Libeskind,1997) Daniel , “Radix – Matrix”, Prestel – Verlag , Munich & New York ,USA.1997
10. (Jencks, 2002), Charles, “The new Paradigm in Architecture, The language of Post modernism” ,Yale
University Press, London, New Haven. 2002.
11. (Eisenman,1996), Peter,”Architecture and the Problem of Rhetorical Figure”,in Nesbitt Ltd, London,
UK., 1996.
12. (Dal,1998), Francesco & W.Forster, Kurt, ”Frank O.Gehry, The Complete Works”, published by
Monacelli Press , New York ,USA, 1998.
13. (El-Emery, 2000), Hafsa Ramzy, “Architecture in Islamic & Arabic World” Journal of Engineering and
Technology, Technology University , Baghdad, Vol.19, Iraq, 2000.
14. (Davidson,1998), Cythia, “Legacies for the Future – Contemporary Architecture in Islamic Societies”,
The Aga-Khan Award for Architecture , Thames & Hudson, London, UK, 1998.
15. (Abel,2005), Chris, “Architecture & Identity – Towards a Global Eco-Cultural”, Avon Books, New
York , USA, 2005.
16. (Badran,1998), Rasem, “Historical references and Contemporary Design in Theories and Principles of
Design in the Architecture of the Islamic Societies” , Symposium , The Aga-Khan Program for Islamic
Architecture, Cambridge Mass , , London, UK, 1998.
17. (Bianca,2000),Stefano, “Urban Form in the Arab World – Past and Present”, Thames & Hudson,
London, UK, 2000.
18. (Ghadirji,1990), Rifat, “Concepts and Influences Towards a Regionalised International Architecture”,
KPI, London, UK, 1990.

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