Professor K. A.

Nizami Centre for Quranic Studies

Aligarh Muslim University

Architect Professor Abdel Wahed El Wakil

Tradition is the living faith of the dead, traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.-Architect (Prof.) Abdel Wahed El Wakil

A Visual Documentation Includes Photographs, Introduction, Captions & Conversations with Prof. A. A. Nizami

BUILDING FAADE & ENTRANCE

The K. A. Nizami Centre for Quranic Studies at Aligarh Muslim University is designed by an Egyptian Architect and Professor Abdel Wahed El Wakil. Among its founding members and trustees is Professor Ahtisham Ahmad Nizami S/o K. A. Nizami, he is also the present director of the Centre.

The Centre was in September 2012 and is successfully running seven courses including Calligraphy and graphic design.

inaugurated

CORRIDOR WITH CLASSROOMS

"I never witnessed any architect design as Prof. Wakil did...Over a meeting he brought many tracing sheets and a bunch of pens and he started to draw; like an exploring child he drew, transferring his thoughts on sheets after sheets..." remembered Prof Nizami. "After a while he said to us, its done Mr. Nizami you'll get the CD with required plans/drawings...and we did..." appreciated Prof. Nizami. He commended Architect Wakil for providing them with detailed walk-through of the building too along with its drawings.

evolve

COURTYARD WITH CONFERENCE, CLASSROOMS & STAFF ROOMS AROUND

The building is , a tradition endorsed by Architect Wakil in his many works. Prof. Nizami remembered how Prof Wakil defended and promoted the use of Brick construction over Reinforced Concrete in a lecture held at Aligarh Muslim University during his visit to India. Prof. Nizami recalls the gist of Prof. Wail's lectureBesides costing equal to RCC, its more structurally sound, environmentally friendlier and more appealing traditionally as well than in RCC.

made in brick

27.5 inches thick load bearing walls; Jali and window are separated by gaps that
maintain comfortable temperatures inside.

MOSQUE -EXTERIOR

"Let me take you to a very beautiful mosque within the University" said a local friend of mine (student at Aligarh). Both of us liked it
very much because of its traditional appearances. Perchance, it was the same building designed by the Architect (Prof.) A. W. Wakil, for which I planned my visit to Aligarh.

Brick Lined

walls makes a sympathetic gesture to the surroundings while upkeeping its self-appeal too.

MOSQUE MIHRAB PROJECTING

Offsets in Elevation breaks the monotony of arches and gives a distinct character to the Mosque; Keeping the

Architectural Vocabulary simple yet appealing.

To contextualize the building the University's Architecture esp. of Jama Masjid.

Dome and Minarets

bear semblance with

MOSQUE -COURTYARD

The wall punctures are perfectly synonymous to works and motifs evokes Islamic decorum found in buildings of the past.

Islamic Architecture; Jali

Combination and Composition of Arches and windows impart a

traditional association (Moorish character) to the building.

Courtyards have been an effective interface between human and nature since
ages, esp. for climatic reasons.

MOSQUE -INTERIOR

Grandeur of the mosque is felt by its high rising & weighty plastered columns. Full span doors keeps the Masjid naturally illuminated.

load-bearing arches

MOSQUE BRICK DOME INTERIOR

Narrating the history of its construction Prof. A. A. Nizami talked about the

Mosque's Dome. "Its a double dome, you know? You a maulana (an expert)
of Architecture, you must be knowing what is a double dome and what are its functions" he asked us as an educator. To our answers he said "Yes you're right it serves an aesthetic purpose (to maintain visual proportions) from the interior as well as from the exterior. But to my experience, it also adds to the acoustics of the mosque."

MOSQUE LOADBEARING BRICK ARCHES

He continued to narrate an interesting episode of construction of the dome.

"What to fill in-between the two domes was the question, asked by the
contractor? I consulted University architects and engineers...all gave unsatisfactory suggestions...later we took this problem to Prof. Wakil...He strictly discounted the idea to fill anything in-between the two domes except to leave it hollow...it is self supporting and it shall remain hollow...asserted Prof. Wakil...".

In the end I feel obliged and thankful to Prof. Wakil for informing me about his work in India, that I had an opportunity to visit it. I am also thankful to Prof. A. A. Nizami for providing valuable insights, sharing his experiences and discussing developmentstages of the building in detail. Last but not the least, I would like to extend my thanks to my friend Mohd. Atif who accompanied me and made arrangements for photography.

Courtesy: Feroz A. Faruqi B. Arch, M. Ekistics Jamia Millia Islamia New Delhi