The Intersection of Tradition and Modernity in Contemporary Architecture of the Islamic World

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Mohamad Sadegh Foroughi ¹
• Jafar Taheri ²

¹ Master of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

² Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

10.22067/context.2025.92062.1013

Abstract

For over a century, architects in the Islamic world have grappled with the dual dilemma of preserving tradition versus fully embracing modernity. However, the influence of Muslim intellectual reformists on the thought and practice of these architects remains largely unexplored. The advent of modernity, accompanied by an identity crisis and the accelerated decline of Muslim societies, prompted a revivalist response from both Muslim communities and intellectuals. These responses, both in theory (intellectual discourse) and practice (architecture), can be categorized into three overarching discourses: (1) a return to tradition, (2) adherence to modernity, and (3) a synthesis of tradition and modernity.

What has been termed the revivalist movement, the Islamic Renaissance, or the Neo-Mu‘tazilite trend focuses on an intrinsic synthesis between tradition and modernity, advocating integration as a middle ground between these two poles. This paper examines the impact of these discourses on the thinking and methodologies of leading contemporary architects in the Islamic world. By conducting a historical analysis of major design approaches through a comparative study of the theoretical foundations of contemporary architects and the ideas of Muslim reformists, the paper aims to offer new insights.

Furthermore, through an examination of revivalist architects and their architectural responses to the intersection of tradition and modernity—following Nasser Rabbat’s tripartite classification of (1) Orientalism, (2) Nationalism, and (3) Neo-Islamic—the study argues that, while valuable, this classification appears broad, particularly in the nationalist category. The present discussion seeks to refine and update this framework in light of contemporary Muslim reformist thought.

Keywords

• Religious Revivalism
• Islamic World
• Tradition
• Modernity
• Contemporary Architecture

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