Is it possible for the architect of one culture to design for another Essay

Is it possible for the architect of one culture to design for another - Essay Example There are many architectural features which are inherent to different religions. But do the architect's faith and the style of the building designed always coincide The purpose of the paper is answering the following question: is it possible for the architect of one culture to design for another Are there such examples in the history of architecture 2. Interosculation of cultures, including religious, occurs rather often throughout history. "Initial attempts at training the Ottoman architects in contemporary building techniques and European styles were made in 1801, at the new Imperial College of Military Engineering. The first foreign instructor commissioned to teach young Muslim architects was probably the British architect, W.J. Smith" (1). So, in early 19th century (and even earlier) began the interaction of Ottoman and European architectural traditions that is very important for architectural development in the West (Christian culture) and in the East (Muslim culture basically). "The effects of Westernization upon the Ottoman Architecture commenced with the changes seen in applied decoration... Ottoman architects reinterpreted Western influences on the Ottoman manner" (1). As we see, interosculation of architectural styles leads to changes in architecture which can be very important. "More modern examples can be seen in th e works of Antonio Gaudi, the great Spanish architect who studied Islamic art and architecture and even incorporated its themes into Spanish church buildings, such as the school he built for a convent in Ejica, Spain" (2). So, Antonio Gaudi, transforming the main features of Islamic architecture for the European and Christian one, could use it designing church buildings. "Islamic architecture has influenced European culture even more than it has American culture, as is evident in Venice on Italy's Adriatic coast" (2). Interosculation of cultures gives the beginning of original architectural styles having features of both Christian and Islamic cultures, so it is not surprising that it can be possible for the architect of one culture to design for another. "In the mid-1920s, developer Glen Curtiss bought land north of Miami and built an entire city of Moorish buildings. Under Curtiss' plan, nearly every building in Opa-locka, Fla., had a dome and minaret. It became known as "the Baghd ad of the South" (2). This example also tells about interaction of two religious cultures in architecture. "The history of Islamic architecture will always be intertwined with the US, Europe and other continents Even during the Crusades Europeans who went to the Holy Land were changed by what they saw in Egypt, Syria and other countries" (2). Throughout the history of the Middle Ages Arabian influence on the European architecture was especially high. During the Crusades Europeans firstly touched to Islamic architecture and culture having apprehended its main features and canons. During the Arabian seizure of Spain Islamic architectural elements became widely spread in Europe in spite of differences between