Islamic Geometric Patterns

Hi Guys,

Would you know or have any essays, book or even Grasshopper Definitions which explains how to draw and/or list the different kind of Islamic geometric patterns ?

I am trying to use Grasshopper to make a contemporary version of a "Mashrabiya" (see without being seen) using a varying pattern.

Caglar did something similar here:

http://www.grasshopper3d.com/video/sixfold_point-1?xg_source=activity

Many thanks,

Arthur

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Seth Lamberton on September 3, 2010 at 3:33pm

Islamic Design: A Genius for Geometry (Wooden Books)
by Daud Sutton

This is a plainly spoken, well illustrated and useful book. It goes through many patterns and their geometric principles, how to draw them and begin to make variations.

Permalink Reply by Paolo Cappelletto on September 6, 2010 at 2:33am

try this.
http://beepdf.com/doc/357/geometry_in_islamic_art.html

http://beepdf.com/doc/13132/symmetry_in_islamic_geometric_design.html

cheers
Paolo

Permalink Reply by Chris Wilkins on September 6, 2010 at 5:56am

I like this book for Islamic geometric work, but it is not focused solely on the mosaics. Mainly the images of the Alhambra are beautiful and you can see how the different patterns come together on whole walls, where fields meet edge conditions:
Moorish Architecture in Andalusia

This is more focused on tiling patterns and could be very useful since it breaks his work down by categories of symmetries:
MC Escher, Visions of Symmetry

And Celtic knotwork is worth studying since many of same mechanics at work. I like this George Bain book, since he breaks it down well:
Celtic Knotwork, Methods of Construction

Permalink Reply by Arthur Mamou-Mani on September 22, 2010 at 2:00pm

Thanks a lot guys,

I followed your recommendations and also came across two more books which are very useful:

Islamic Patterns, An Analytical and Cosmological Approach
and
Arabic Geometrical Pattern and Design

I am currently working on a GH definition to build a screen using one of these patterns.
Cutting the pattern out of solid wood would be very expensive, have you ever come across an alternative to that (maybe interlocking elements?).

Many thanks,

Arthur

Permalink Reply by Chris Wilkins on September 22, 2010 at 2:10pm

What kind of dimensions are you talking? How deep is the screen? Indoor or outdoor?

Permalink Reply by Arthur Mamou-Mani on September 22, 2010 at 2:16pm

cheers
100mm thick, indoor.
Thickness is what prevents from seeing what's happening below.
Here's an impression of it (it sits on a staircase) :

Permalink Reply by Chris Wilkins on September 23, 2010 at 11:12am

Cool. Wish I was in London to help.

Permalink Reply by Arthur Mamou-Mani on September 23, 2010 at 11:20am

no worries, i just consulted the community on construction ideas as everyone had been so helpful on the gridshell issue previously... I actualy will try designing the pattern as modules which can be interlocked, might be cheaper...

Permalink Reply by P. Casey Mahon on September 23, 2010 at 2:31pm

You might also try layering thinner sheets to get your 100mm thickness (5x20mm)...it might be worth while to try getting in touch with Chris K. Palmer thru the forums, I was at a workshop where he presented a whole bunch of patterning definitions and ideas etc...

Permalink Reply by David Trubridge on September 23, 2010 at 4:26pm

We do a lot of this sort of work in a more 3d way for screens and light shades. www.davidtrubridge.com. If you want to contact me direct we could talk about it? Best wishes. David

Permalink Reply by Caglar on September 27, 2010 at 2:36am

Dear Arthur, I am maybe a bit too late but I found that one quite useful;

http://www.amazon.com/Symmetries-Islamic-Geometrical-Patterns-Abas/...

I have a little collection of rhino & GH files of Islamic patterns that I tried to form out of the pictures I took, mostly in Topkapı Scrolls. I am willing to share them if you want to collaborate.

Permalink Reply by Vahid Eshraghi on April 27, 2011 at 1:01am

I have a bok which gategorized all the islamic iranian geometries with the method of drawing each of them step by step. But there is one big problem the book has been written in persian .