The Fractal shapes in Islamic design & its effects on the occupiers of the interior environment (case study: El Sultan Hassan mosque in Cairo)

Abstract

The Islamic civilization are distinct for using the art of geometry in their creative designs. In the early Islamic period, designs used simple forms like square shape, gradually more geometrical transformations are applied such as; shapes subtraction, addition, subdivisions, branching and rotation. The aim of this study is to show that the fractal geometrical shape, with the feature “self-similarity, infinite number of iterations for shapes with reducing scale, in finite region ”is one of the most influential elements in the Islamic design and consequently has its beneficial effects on the occupiers of Islamic interior environment. This study analyzed the existence of fractal shapes in the Islamic design with finite number of iterations since the old centuries through analyzing El Sultan Hassan mosque in Cairo, Egypt (1356-1362) as a case study. The fractal shapes are used in the Islamic design of the walls, ceiling, doors, domes and floors. The study also suggested a new contemporary Islamic golden and non-golden fractal shapes with large number of iterations to be generated by using the computer technology that can be used in the interior design. The Islamic fractal design acts as a strong stimulus to the brain generating strong emotions in very short time. The study illustrated that the Islamic fractal interior design has an aesthetic as well as healthy effects on their occupiers as, it improve the wellbeing, generates positive emotions and reduces the stress level, induces relaxation, improves the long-term memory, emitting positive energy balancing the negative energy in the space. Thus, create a comfortable healthy interior environment with increasing the vitality & reproducibility of their occupiers.

Keywords

• fractal shape; interior environment; self-similarity; islamic design; golden shape