The Case of Jeddah 

Author: Spahic Omer 
Publisher: Dar Al Wahi Publication
ISBN: 9789670729473
Weight: 0.809kg
Pages: 430
Year: 2022
Price: RM95

This book addresses the subject of the relationship between tradition and modernity in Islamic architecture, using historic Jeddah as a case study as the book is divided into five chapters. The first chapter discusses the two-sidedness of modernity and its relationship with tradition. The second chapter explains the meaning and significance of Islamic architecture both as a concept and physical reality. laying emphasis on the profundity and dynamism of its conceptual, utilitarian, and artistic dimensions. The third chapter describes the main aspects of the uniqueness of historic Jeddah. The focus is on the city's rich history, cosmopolitan character, status as the gateway to the holy city of Makkah, and architecture. 

The fourth chapter discusses the theme of traditional Jeddah housing and the lack of its continuity. The fifth chapter analyses the topic of mosque architecture in historic Jeddah -and somewhat beyond-acknowledging its place and importance within and beyond the realms of tradition and creative innovation. At first, the place of mosques in the morphology of the city is explained, followed by their typology. The mosques are divided into four broad categories: original traditional mosques, homogenous neo-traditional mosques, heterogeneous neo-traditional mosques, and modern mosques. Several mosques from each category are discussed as specimens, covering thus most of the notable mosques. On the whole, twenty mosques are discussed.