Enquiry Biophilic Approach to Mughal Architecture

Abstract

The term Biophilia is relatvely new term, but the concept is not. People were intuitvely aware of it since the known history, where natural objects, shapes, and paterns have ofen acted as a source of inspiraton for the architects all over the world. Our adaptve synergy with nature, as well as our long standing behaviours and experiences that bind us to nature, are all part of the human-nature relatonship. The assumpton that one of the reasons people admire the historical buildings is that they contain the qualites of biophilic design hundreds of years before the emergence of this concept, and these are the qualites which keeps the spatal expression of the building alive. With the arrival of Muslims in India, from twelfh century AD onwards, the merger of local and immigrated architectural techniques resulted into an astounding style. Their buildings were not only aesthetcally appealing but had the strong historic and cultural background and had the indoor-outdoor connecton with the environment. The biophilic theory introduced by Wilson and Kellert was developed through observing innovatve strategies and practces in North America and European contexts. The paper will further enquire the manifestaton of the 14 parameters of Biophilic Design established by William Browning in Mughal Architecture and will try to establish the intangible elements through which they designed their buildings in keeping in mind the both built and un-built environment. The 14 parameters established will help to analyse the spatal confguraton of spaces and how built and un-built form amalgates with each other to establish human-nature connecton. The fndings would be focused on the manifestaton of the architectural elements in terms of orientaton, materiality, culture and climate to enhance the human nature relatonship as illustrated by William Browning in Biophilic Design.