Faith and Architecture: Designing from the Heart

Abstract

This thesis is about faith as foundation for the practice of architecture. In the esoteric interpretation of Islam, the intellect, also known as the “eye of the heart”, is the source of all aesthetic and ethical decisions. The heart is seen as the locus of knowledge nourished by the infinite wisdom and love of God. In this thesis, I humbly share moments of beauty and goodness experienced during my time traveling in Northern Pakistan and studying in Cambridge, Ontario - these moments point to and serve as an affirmation of the Absolute – His signs in all the horizons. Alongside these writings, I worked on reimagining a bench, the design of a box for dried apricots, windows for an apricot orchard, and the design of a small shade garden in Karachi. I moved between working on these, and drawings of precedents and prospective projects – all of these touching each other, being connected. In the end, this thesis speaks to the joy and love experienced when one works from a place of submission to God. One is embraced with knowledge that allows us to design and make decisions for a better and beautiful world - a reflection of the Hereafter.