Identifying the positions of the rhomboid flat element based on the interpretation of muqarnas drawings Case Study: Drawings of Hossein Lorzadeh and Asghar Sha΄rbaf

Document Type : Research Article

Author

PhD Graduate in Architectural and Urban Conservation, Restoration and Conservation Faculty, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

10.22034/ahdc.2026.24441.1917

Abstract

There is limited written information regarding the rhomboid flat element and how it differs from other flat elements in muqarnas. According to the students of Hossein Lorzadeh, he has provided a definition for this element. Although this element appears in some muqarnas designs, there is no detailed written information regarding its specific placements. Hossein Lorzadeh, who has given the most comprehensive explanations on defining muqarnas elements and their placements, does not explicitly refer to the positions where the rhomboid flat element can be placed. He merely mentions it as the "hanging gate." Understanding the positions of the rhomboid flat element is important for the design and drawing of muqarnas plans, as it helps reveal its formal and volumetric aesthetic qualities. Since written sources do not offer explanations about its placements, it is necessary to examine existing muqarnas plans and gather information on the matter. This study seeks to answer the question of where, based on the muqarnas designs of past artisans, the rhomboid flat element can be placed, and which elements can be paired with it. The research methodology involves reviewing library sources, scanning the muqarnas designs by Hossein Lorzadeh in his two-volume book Revival of Forgotten Arts, examining the plans by Asghar Sha΄rbaf in Selected Works, and analyzing these plans to identify those featuring the rhomboid flat element. The analysis will focus on the placement of this element in the mentioned designs. The findings of this study indicate that the rhomboid flat element is not solely placed adjacent to the hanging element but can also be positioned between two butterfly shapes, which are suspended between bowls connected to the flat element. Moreover, in terms of placement, it is found in the upper half of the muqarnas rows.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Architecture in Hot and Dry Climate
Volume 13, Issue 21
May 2025
Pages 15-27

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