Shades of Knowledge
Concept development and design of calligraphic shading structures for the seven administration buildings at the Sabah Al-Salem Kuwait University City development. Entitled ‘Shades of Knowledge’, the custom-designed templates are created to be used as “meshrabiyas” or veils that envelope each of the seven buildings. The templates are designed as modular calligraphic patterns to allow for visual development and variety. The buildings are: The Pearl - Convocation Hall, The Cube - University Library, Central Administration Building, The Conference Centre, The Cultural Centre, The Visitor’s Centre and the Grand Mosque.
The designs for each template are created with verses of poetry, prose or the Qur’an that relate to education and culture, reflecting each building’s function and form. The verses draw upon historic references from Islamic literature, creating an ephemeral play of light and shadow through a maze of letters. The screen designs also responded to their solar orientation. Accordingly, east and west orientations required more shading, whereas the north and south should allow for more light through the screens.
'The Cube' - The University Library
The template designs for The University Library are based on a square, complementing the cubic form of this building. For this building I have selected a verse by Al-Mutanabbi, one of the most acclaimed classical Arab poets (10th century):
وخير جليس في الزمان كتاب
This translates as, ‘The best companion in time is a book.’ The calligraphic style chosen for this template is the square Kufic script. The design for this screen panel is given a more contemporary feel by abstracting the letterforms of the poetry and deconstructing them onto four panels. Viewers are challenged to decipher the meaning behind the design, which can only be unravelled once the screen panels align in the sequence known as the Library Key* (shown on the following pages).
By rotating the position of the openings within the screens, the variables created were endlessly multiplied. Thus the openings could provide the greatest amount of flexibility for the interior spaces whilst keeping the integrity of the overall "meshrabiya" design. Furthermore, the relationship between the letters is more dynamic and playful, creating a maze of letterforms that is visually engaging.
Commission by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) for Kuwait University City Campus (2011-2013)