To the esteemed editor of Memar magazine: greetings, and my pleasure at the appearance of a publication that has entered the field of Iranian architecture with a new structure and has, in this short time, found a fitting place among the specialists and students of this field. Since the exchange of views and the criticism and examination of the subjects of contemporary Iranian architecture would appear to be among the publication’s aims, a few words have been written concerning the competition for the extension scheme of the holy shrine of Hazrat Ma’sumeh (peace be upon her), which I submit as follows:
A — The judging
1. Given that a number of competitions have recently been held across the country, it is to be expected that the judging of competitions of this kind should have a programme and the necessary rigour in selection. For assessing schemes of such variety and spatial breadth, and for judging whether the schemes possess quality, it appears more appropriate to establish the principal criteria in advance and to have each juror score every single scheme against each criterion, with a final aggregation of the rankings, rather than the scoring methods common in the schools of architecture, where the schemes are ranked in a general way, or a flower is taken from every meadow and a scheme in every style is placed at the head of the table.
2. Beyond that, it would perhaps be better if the method of judging were determined and announced before the competitions, so that, just as the schemes improve in quality after being presented, the method of judging should improve as well.
B — The schemes
Several general points are apparent in the schemes published in the magazine:
1. Among the premises of the problem are the prayer halls attached to the shrine — for one of the difficulties of places of pilgrimage, and of the holy shrine of Hazrat Ma’sumeh (peace be upon her) in particular, is the absence of prayer halls attached to the space of the shrine, such that, through a spatial flow, the pilgrim might feel himself within a “sacred space”; and further, that on special occasions a single unified space should be available for holding ceremonies and for congregational prayer. As we can see, the Grand Mosque, for all the extent of its space, is most often empty of pilgrims and cut off from the shrine.
In most of the schemes presented, the added space is plainly separated from the existing space. Although separating them makes the work of design and construction easier, let us bear in mind that this competition was set in order to resolve the difficulties of the shrine complex, and answering to them is required. Contrary to the experience of Iranian architecture, it is as though the designers had themselves recognised the “dis-harmony”1 between the scheme and the existing condition — to the point where some have withdrawn sharply from the fabric of the shrine.
2. As in earlier competitions, some of the designers have resorted to generalities and have answered the problem by presenting a single idea. Although this may have its place in some competitions — in a competition whose aim is to obtain an idea and a view — it does not in competitions such as this one; which, instead of formal schemes, requires above all functions expressed in form, or even something beyond form and function: spaces possessing spatial value in their parts, in the whole, and in their spatial relationships. For a space such as that of the shrine has qualities such as feeling, majesty and spirituality alongside intimacy and compassion, unity and variety; such as crowding, circulation and interpenetrating movement — spatial separation and continuity together with the need for concentration, and so on — which, set against one another, can lead to the creation of a unique space, since the sacred space of a place of pilgrimage is twofold: functional and symbolic at once.
3. Another matter apparent in the schemes, again as in earlier competitions, is the inattention of those designers who have turned to the new styles towards the internal qualities of the space of the shrine — what we call the people’s wish.
4. Among the knots in the premise of the problem are: first, the necessity of preserving the qibla-side wall of the Grand Mosque, and second, the connecting entrance along that same line of the wall. The first has most often been turned into a device by the designers, while the second is the place to which, apparently, all the difficulties have drained down from ground level and remained unresolved.
And finally: great thanks are due to the publishers of that collection, who make the confrontation of opinions possible; and there is much cause for satisfaction in the continuation of the process of architectural competitions — for in such arenas every scheme, whatever it may be, is offered as the outline of a way of thinking, is tested against the subject, and becomes a road made clear for those who travel it, whether rightly or in error. “Let each choose as he will.”
Hamid Bank, architect and graphic designer
1. The word “dis-harmony” has been written separated for the sake of emphasis.
Correction
Ms Maryam Salour has written to point out that in the section presenting the restoration of the Ala House (the Calligraphers’ Association) in Memar 5, an image of her work was printed without her name being mentioned. That work, presented with the caption “entrance with tilework to the walls”, is a piece entitled Creation, measuring 8 × 2.20, and is the work of Ms Maryam Salour.
