Abstract:
This
thesis
is
about
faith
as
foundation
for
the
practice
of
architecture.
In
the
esoteric
interpretation
of
Islam,
the
intellect,
also
known
as
the
“eye
of
the
heart”,
is
the
source
of
all
aesthetic
and
ethical
decisions.
The
heart
is
seen
as
the
locus
of
knowledge
nourished
by
the
infinite
wisdom
and
love
of
God.
In this thesis, I humbly share moments of beauty and goodness experienced during my time travelling in Northern Pakistan and studying in Cambridge, Ontario - these moments point to and serve as an affirmation of the Absolute – His signs in all the horizons. Alongside these writings, I worked on reimagining a bench, the design of a box for dried apricots, windows for an apricot orchard, and the design of a small shade garden in Karachi. I moved between working on these, and drawings of precedents and prospective projects – all of these touching each other, being connected.
In the end, this thesis speaks to the joy and love experienced when one works from a place of submission to God. One is embraced with knowledge that allows us to design and make decisions for a better and beautiful world - a reflection of the Hereafter.
The examining committee is as follows:
Supervisor:
Andrew Levitt, University of Waterloo
Committee Members:
Robert Jan van Pelt, University of Waterloo
Fred Thompson, University of Waterloo
External Reader:
Jonathan Tyrrell
The
committee
has
been
approved
as
authorized
by
the
Graduate
Studies
Committee.
The
Defence
Examination
will
take
place:
Tuesday,
September
18,
2018
9:30 AM
ARC
3003
A
copy
of
the
thesis
is
available
for
perusal
in
ARC
2106A.