Design in the Association of the Beloved: Rethinking the Relationship Between Communal Space and Architectural Memory
Reviving Communal Spaces in the Islamic Context
The text explores the idea of revitalizing gathering spaces that have either disappeared or diminished in the Islamic world, portraying them as areas that historically played a central social and cultural role. These spaces were not merely physical locations; they represented meeting points for collective memory and human interaction, making their reconsideration a cultural matter that extends beyond architecture alone.
Art as a Medium for Spatial Reflection
In this context, art is presented as a spatial installation that invokes these absent spaces and reintroduces them in a contemplative manner. The focus is less on form and more on the underlying concept: how art and architecture together can reinterpret notions of social gathering and belonging, while raising questions about what has been lost and what can be reclaimed in the realm of human experience.
Transformation as a Conceptual Framework
The concept of “transformation” serves as an overarching intellectual framework for this approach, highlighting the ongoing changes that human societies undergo, whether in lifestyle patterns, value systems, beliefs, or modes of meaning-making. Accordingly, the artwork becomes part of a broader discourse on how these transformations shape our relationship with place, memory, and collective identity.
In this way, the text shifts from describing a specific event or participation to offering an analytical treatment of a deeper idea, centered on the relationship between space and socio-cultural transformation in the broader human context.
Sufi Memory as an Entry Point to Space
The title “In the Association of the Beloved” carries a spiritual connotation rooted in Sufi heritage, attributed to several poets and mystics, including Rabi’a al-Adawiyya. Within this framework, the title functions not merely as an aesthetic element but as a conceptual gateway linking the spiritual experience with the idea of human gathering, granting the space a symbolic dimension that transcends its physical boundaries.
Reviving Affected Gathering Places
The approach begins with the idea of honoring sites that have been destroyed or marginalized in various contexts across the Islamic world. These locations, despite their geographic and historical diversity, are invoked as testimonies to past ways of life in which gathering spaces were essential elements of the social fabric. Through this act of remembrance, absence itself becomes a subject for reflection and analysis, and contributes to the archive of communal experiences.
Interweaving Memory, Architecture, and Collective Presence
The work intertwines memory as a record of human experience, architecture as the physical framework of that experience, and collective presence as the essence of meaning. Through this interplay, the question of the human-place relationship is revisited: how do memories inhabit spaces, and how do the meanings of gathering persist even after the sites are damaged or vanish?
Spaces for Coexistence and Contradiction
Historically, these places were spaces where contradiction and harmony coexisted. Prayer met poetry, commerce met contemplation, and coexistence met disagreement. The analysis highlights that the value of these spaces lies not in a single function, but in their capacity to embrace the multiplicity of human experiences, making their loss a cultural deprivation that transcends geographic boundaries.
Nostalgia for Lost Communal Spaces
The text begins with the idea of longing for gathering places that have disappeared or deteriorated over time, portraying them as essential elements of social and spiritual experience. This nostalgia is not presented merely as an emotional sentiment, but as an analytical entry point to understand how communal spaces shaped collective memory, and how their absence created a void that extends beyond architecture to affect human relationships themselves.
Shared Architectural Memory
By collecting references from various sites across the Islamic world, the concept of “shared architectural memory” emerges as an invisible link between these spaces. This memory is not based solely on formal similarity, but on the values these spaces carried, where gathering reflected meanings of closeness, hope, continuity, and at times, cultural resistance against fragmentation or disappearance.
The Majlis as an Integrated Spatial Model
In this context, the majlis is invoked as one of the oldest spatial models in Islamic civilization. Its significance lies in its ability to integrate three interrelated dimensions: architectural form, social function, and spiritual principle. This integration is not understood merely as a result of technical planning, but as a reflection of a spatial logic that regards human gathering as inherently valuable.
Spatial Logic and the Meaning of Gathering
The approach emphasizes that the value of these spaces does not stem from their materiality, but from their internal logic, how they organize relationships among individuals, facilitate the exchange of ideas and emotions, and create a sense of belonging. Accordingly, reviving these models becomes an effort to rethink the meaning of communal space today and its potential role in restoring social and symbolic bonds weakened by the loss of such places. The discussion can also relate to architectural discussions on modern applications of spatial design.
Architecture as a Dynamic Space
The work is presented here as an architectural model that goes beyond the notion of a fixed structure, functioning instead as a living platform for encounter and interaction. This approach redefines architecture as a mutable, shapeable state rather than a completed building, where change becomes an essential part of its identity and function.
Daily Transformation and Continuous Formation
Through its daily exposure in varying configurations, the space reflects architecture’s capacity for renewal according to context and time. Each new use—whether a gathering, a performance, or an open dialogue—adds a new layer of meaning, keeping the place in a state of constant formation rather than settling into a single, final image.
Gathering as a Generator of Architectural Rhythm
The rhythm, atmosphere, and pace of the space shift with every gathering, indicating that architectural vitality stems not merely from materials or design, but from the quality of human presence and the nature of interaction within it. In this context, the gathering itself becomes a constituent element of the place, not merely an activity that occurs within it.
Architecture Activated by Human Presence
This perspective emphasizes that architecture derives its true meaning from the people who occupy it. Without human presence, a space remains merely potential; through use, it transforms into an active entity reflecting the relationships, sounds, and movements that arise within it. Thus, architecture is reconsidered as a living social practice, rather than a static product separate from its users.
Material and Sound as Space-Shaping Elements
The installation relies on simple materials in their presence yet rich in significance, using plywood and fine cement to form a physical framework balanced between solidity and lightness. Complementing this is a multi-channel sound work, distributed across synchronized paths, creating an auditory dimension as significant as the visual one. This interplay of material and sound produces a complex space, where intimacy coexists with a collective character without either dominating the other.
Balance Between Permanence and Transience
Through this combination, the space appears as an intermediate state between the fixed and the ephemeral. Materials suggest stability and continuity, while sound introduces an element of passage and temporality, reminding us that spatial experience is not static but formed moment by moment through movement, listening, and presence.
Spatial Experience and Evocation of Collective Memory
The work is presented as an installation that can be experienced in multiple locations, reinforcing the idea of dispersion rather than centralization, transforming the space into a living monument open to interaction. Through this experience, broader questions arise about past modes of gathering, how they were shaped and structured, and the possibilities for rethinking collective assembly today. The approach thus goes beyond evoking memory, opening the way to imagining new forms of encounter that draw inspiration from the past without being confined by it.
✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight
The “In the Association of the Beloved” project provides a valuable framework for studying the relationship between architectural memory and human presence, highlighting the potential of architecture to evoke absent communal spaces. The concept can be seen as a model for rethinking how people interact with spaces, demonstrating that architecture and design are not limited to physical construction but also encompass a dynamic social and experiential dimension.
However, there are several considerations that may limit the application of this model on a broader scale. The temporary and ever-changing architectural experience relies heavily on direct interaction and the physical presence of individuals, making its continuity dependent on factors that are difficult to control, such as visitor numbers, the nature of activities, and the capacity to maintain the installation. Additionally, the intensive focus on symbolic and auditory dimensions may reduce the feasibility of expanding the idea into permanent urban projects or wider civic contexts, including urban spaces.
From another perspective, the project offers an opportunity to reconsider the design of public spaces in ways that integrate sensory experience, social interaction, and symbolic meaning. It can inspire architects to explore new methods for activating spaces beyond traditional architectural forms. At the same time, it remains primarily an analytical experiment rather than a fully implementable model, underscoring the importance of examining mechanisms for sustainability and long-term engagement before applying its concepts to larger projects.
