This past Friday morning, we had the pleasure of touring the Moroccan Court, one of the newest additions to theMetropolitan Museum of Art. As if a walkthrough of a beautiful space was not enough, our private tour included commentary from Adil Naji, president and chief executive of Arabesque, the company behind the design. Looking to bring 14th century Islamic design into a metropolitan area, Naji and his team worked around the click to recreateMorocco in the Big Apple. “Everything has historical background and has to be precise,” notes Adil. Beginning the journey in 2009, his team turned an empty space into a Moroccan wonder.
Simply put, the Moroccan Courtfeatures three arches, a central fountain and “skylight.” Modeling carved wood and arches, Moroccan stone and intricate tile patterns, the court allows New Yorkers to experience an exquisite design. The use of a courtyard revealed both an intimate and public gathering space in Moroccan culture. “It’s sacred and always in the center of the house,” adds Naji. To create the effect of transitioning into an outdoor space, Naji used Moroccan roof tiles underneath a lighting system.
The room has diagonal symmetry that joins together each of the architectural elements in the space. Every handcrafted item had a purpose uniting Moroccan design with community, and Islamic influence. Adil revealed four symbolic elements of Islamic design that are present in many of the details of the Moroccan Court. There was a strong use of geometry to reflect the science and thought behind the design. Floral designs modeled a freeness in lines to evoke an openness in thinking. Beautiful calligraphy can be found in the plaster showcasing an interpretation of things that one can not verbally express. Classic honeycomb designs also made the room radiate with a symbolism of worship. If these details don’t create a “wow factor” for you, perhaps the tile will. Crafted and customized in Morocco(as many of the materials were), five colors were used to create a greater meaning:
- Black and white – good and bad (soul)
- Blue – land
- Green – water
- Honey – air
We hope you have the chance to visit the Moroccan Court at the Met as it models great detail. Each piece took a patient skill to create (the wood carvings alone took 30 people and five months). Click here to see a video about the building of the Moroccan Court. To learn more about the project, visit the Met online at www.metmuseum.org
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