Re-imaging the city

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Somaiyeh Falahat explores the spatial and morphological logic of pre-modern Middle Eastern and North African cities, referred to as "Islamic cities." She argues that a city's form and structure are deeply rooted in the thought-structure of its people. To truly understand these places, one must engage with this life-world as a lens for observation. This approach seeks to uncover new levels of understanding by grasping indigenous concepts and proposes a novel method of analysis. Falahat uses the historic city of Isfahan as a case study, suggesting that the indigenous term Hezar-Too effectively captures the city's complexity, often described as labyrinthine. This perspective allows for a more contextual observation of the city, revealing its true character. The contents include discussions on the model of the "Islamic city," the idea of the labyrinth, and the development of new terminology. The work targets researchers and students in architecture and urban history, particularly those focused on Middle Eastern and North African cities, as well as architects, historians, and urban planners. Falahat is a senior researcher and lecturer at Technische Universität Berlin.