Archnet commissioned then Ph.D. candidate Melanie Michailidis to create a survey course of Islamic architecture using only materials available on Archnet in 2004.
The course entitled "Architecture of the Islamic World" surveys the art and architecture of the Islamic world from the seventh through the twentieth centuries. It examines the form and function of the architecture as well as its social, historical and cultural contexts, and the evolving meanings of these buildings by their users.
The course is designed for undergraduates and is based on a thirteen week semester with biweekly meetings of approximately one and a half hours, although adjustments can easily be made based on the weekly subject headings for classes meeting three times a week. The syllabus can be printed and distributed to students, or used as a guide by the instructor. It includes a summary of points and a list of readings for each topic, with links to related monuments on the Archnet Digital Library.
We hope that this course will become a useful template for instructors of Islamic architecture, demonstrating how the wealth of resources found on Archnet can be used in the classroom.
Michailidis, Melanie. Architecture of the Islamic World. Cambridge, MA: Archnet, 2004. (Updated and edited 6 June 2015)
Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT
