Water and the Environment in Islamic Architecture

Water features and water engineering are central in the medieval and early modern architecture of the Islamic world. Indoor and outdoor fountains in residence and mosques, bathhouses, basins and channels in gardens, and cisterns to store water are only some of the ways in which water is integrated into architectural contexts. This seminar examines water features within an eco-critical framework, analyzing how water in architecture serves to regulate temperature, make cities livable, and reflects and shapes attitudes towards the environment.