Grammar Transformations: Using Composite Grammars to Understand Hybridity in DesignWith an Example from Medieval Islamic Courtyard Buildings

Scott Chase & Sumbul Ahmad

Department of ArchitectureUniversity of Strathclyde

2

Outline

HybridityRelated workComposite grammarsCaravanserai ‘composite’ grammar example

3

Hybridity

‘Blending of two diverse traditions into something heterogeneous in composition’Cultural & linguistic formsOften an outcome of colonialismCurrent buzzwords: multiculturalism, syncretism, creolisation

4

Hybridity in contemporary art

Enid Ratnam Keese (1995)Malaysian & Australian

5

Hybridity in Asian architecture

India: Jehangiri Mahal (16th C.)(Hindu & Islamic)

Thailand: Chakkri Hall (1882)Siamese and European ‘classical’ elements

India: Victoria Memorial Hall (1902-21)(Indo-Saracenic)

Britain: Royal Pavilion, Brighton (1808)(Indo-Saracenic)

6

Related work

Grammar transformations (Knight 1994)Redesign via grammar transformations (Chase / Liew 2001)‘Genetic’ hybrid designs (Schnier & Gero 1998)Caravanserai grammar (Ahmad 2004)Structure grammars (Carlson & Woodbury 1992)

7

Stylistic change:Prairie to Usonian

(Knight 1994)

8

‘Genetic’ hybrids

(Schnier & Gero 1998)

9

Caravanserai grammar(Ahmad 2004)

10

Composite grammars

Analogy in natural languageborrowing, e.g. English borrows from French & Latin

Creole languagesStructure & vocabulary from different source languagesAmharic: semitic vocabulary & non-semitic syntax

Structure grammars (Carlson & Woodbury 1992)

11

Structure grammars

Structure & Motif

(Carlson & Woodbury 1992)

12

Structure grammars (2)

13

Composite grammar 1Spatial

RelationInitial

ShapeShapes Rule Designs

Grammar A

Grammar B

CompositeGrammar 1

14

Composite grammar 2Spatial

RelationInitial

ShapeShapes Rule Designs

Grammar A

Grammar B

CompositeGrammar 2

15

Composite grammar 3Spatial

RelationInitial

ShapeShapes Rule Designs

Grammar A

Grammar B

CompositeGrammar 3

16

Creation of composite grammars

Com

posi

te

1G

ram

mar

B

Spatial Relation

Initial ShapeShapes Rule Designs

Com

posi

te

3C

ompo

site

2

Gra

mm

ar

A

17

CaravanseraisRest house/ InnPrimary elements

courtyard, cells, corner towers, bastions, entrances

Cells

Corner Tower

Bastions

Entrance portal

18

Caravanserais

Dair-i-Gachin Ribat-i-karim Darzin-Fort

Ribat-i-sharif_1154AD Ribat-i-Sipanj

19

Roman fortifications

Fort Eski Hisar Fort Qasr al Quwaira Fort Mughayir Fort Khirbat al Khan

20

Parthian houses

Merv, 9th-11th c Merv, 9th-11th c Reconstruction of a Palatial residenceMerv, 11th-12th c.

21

Caravanserai ‘hybrid’ language

22

Grammar rules

23

Grammar rule setsI. Interior II. Exterior III. Articulation Term.

Centralspace

Orthog.cell

Cornercell

Celldivision

EntranceBastion

placementFluting

Bastiondefinition

Towerdefinition

Entrancedefinition

AForts • • • • • •

BParthianhouses

• • • • • • •

CCaravanserais

• • • • • • • • •

Rule sets

24

Summary

ContributionsAnalysis of the historic evolution of hybrid designsGeneration of new styles through conscious mergers and transformations

Future workBlending dissimilar grammars/languagesGenetic approaches