Spiritual City Research Articles

The Rehabilitation of the Old Medina of Bejaad, Morocco: a Technological Approach (BIM) to Enhance the Built Heritage

Objective: This study proposes a process of revitalization and regeneration of the old medina of Bejaad, as well as a methodology for the technical analysis of its urban fabric and traditional structures, while respecting the inherent values of its constructions. Through data related to the location of each building and a more in-depth investigation, a global relationship with its environment and history is established. Theoretical Framework: The old medina of Bejaad, through its ancient fabric and its potential social and economic wealth, should be leveraged for the development of this spiritual city. This built heritage is characterized by buildings that, for the most part, have preserved an uncommon restraint, maintaining the art of past construction and the secrets of local housing. Its housing is composed of two types of built fabric: traditional and more recent structures. These two types of buildings are connected by a network of public spaces that bring the inhabitants together. Method: Creation of specific Building Information Modelling (BIM) object libraries, derived from three-dimensional models created by 3D scanning using Lidar technology. Results and Discussion: The results of this investigation highlight the need to identify new methodologies for studying the built environment, which no longer focus solely on individual building types, but encompass the broader scale of the fabric, within which it is possible to assess the constructive relationships between the elements composing the block. This is achieved through a process of adopting measures for the protection, rehabilitation, and appropriation of their living environment. Originality/Value: The study proposes a practical evaluation approach by providing precise data to improve the preservation of the built heritage of the old medina of Bejaad, with the aim of establishing an architectural, urban, and landscape charter for the city and its components.

카자흐스탄 남부지역 거점 도시의 문화 정체성: 쉼켄트, 투르키스탄의 문화적 특성과 발전 정책 분석을 중심으로

This study focuses on the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan, and the scope of the research space includes Shymkent and Turkistan, cities of the southern region. There are a number of reasons why this region was chosen as the scope of the study, including the lack of existing domestic research. Administrative changes in the southern region took place in 2018. In the case of Shymkent, the ethnic composition and forms of economic trade are unique in relation to Uzbekistan. In the case of Turkistan, the city has recently established itself as a new tourism-specialised city, based on its perception as a spiritual city. In this context, this researcher aims to analyze the current status and cultural characteristics of these cities based on his own experience of visiting them, and to derive their cultural identities. In addition, I will discuss the urban development policies and future prospects that the Kazakh government is pursuing in both cities.

REFLECTION OF BANARAS IN THE PAINTINGS OF JAYASRI BURMAN

Banaras is a holy and spiritual city that attracts people from all over the country even writers and artists. Many artists captured the beauty of Banaras in their art. Jayasi Burman is one of those artists whose paintings offer a glimpse into the soul of Banaras. Her art captures the essence of the city’s rich traditions, its vibrant colors, and its spiritual fervor. She is known for her Indian mythological paintings. But when the author met her for research work, realized that she has a very close attachment to Banaras. Banaras always attracts her. The spirituality of the city and the faith of the people inspire her. Banaras, Vishwanath Goli, Kashi ghat, Jalyatra, etc. are the examples of Jayasri Burman’s paintings where we can see the impact of Banaras, its culture, and mythology. This paper will explore the works of Jayasri Burman and delve deep into the world of Banaras. We will go through the cultural legacy of the city and experience its mysterious charm through the eyes of this renowned artist, from the ghats of the river Ganges to the alleys of the old city.

Review of Spiritual City

Review of Spiritual City

Cancer care in India's spiritual city

Cancer care in India's spiritual city

Problematics of caring in a spiritual gerontopolis: A study of old age homes in varanasi (Kashi)

ABSTRACTAmong Hindus, Varanasi is believed to be the home of Lord Shiva, who frees the devotees from the bonds of past karma to ensure them moksha–release from the endless cycle of birth and death. This belief has attracted many elders, from time immemorial, to take shelter in various old age homes, wanting to die in this sacred city. Those attending these elders face challenges in balancing between modern practices of eldercare and traditional attitudes of the residents regarding disengagement from body, family, and society which are requisites for moksha. The paper concludes by questioning the relevance and applicability of globally accepted care principles for older adults in the spiritual city of Varanasi.

Ottoman architectural heritage in the Medina of Tunis: resistance through modern day artistic events

The Traditional Medina of Tunis is a historical city center holding a remarkable architectural and cultural heritage which is a mixture of several civilizations and traces of different era. One of the most remarkable architectural traces is left by the Ottomans. The Ottoman architectural monuments left in the Medina of Tunis are reflecting a resistance in the face of gentrification.This research aims to describe the impact of modern art events and their induced hybrid representations on the Ottoman architectural heritage of the Medina of Tunis. Despite the structural changes left by commercialism, the centuries old infrastructures still possess an outlook of an authentic historical space embracing several civilizations. A qualitative research method has been chosen to achieve the goal. In the first part of this study, a brief history and an overview about the urban context of the Medina of Tunis is given. Subsequently the existing Ottoman architecture in the Medina of Tunis and the ways it has affected the existing urban atmosphere is reflected upon. To highlight the interaction of Ottoman architectural heritage and modernity, two contemporary art events are commented upon as an observation cases. The events are ‘Interference’ and ‘Dream city’ and they are held annually in the Medina of Tunis.It is concluded that modern art events are becoming a tool to express the community’s ‘psyche’ of culture. Events like ‘Interference’ are nurturing a crosscultural interaction of identities, where virtual simulations are shaping new experiences inside spiritual city walls of Medina and leading to highlight the imminent presence of Ottoman architectural heritage in this historical city center.

Utopian Moments: Reading Utopian Texts

Utopian Moments: Reading Utopian Texts

PhilipSheldrake, The Spiritual City: Theology, Spirituality, and the Urban. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell, 2014, x + 226pp. £65.00 / $99.95 hb., £19.99 / $36.95 pb

International Journal of Systematic TheologyVolume 18, Issue 2 p. 242-244 Review Philip Sheldrake, The Spiritual City: Theology, Spirituality, and the Urban. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell, 2014, x + 226pp. £65.00 / $99.95 hb., £19.99 / $36.95 pb Joelle A. Hathaway, Joelle A. Hathaway Duke Divinity SchoolSearch for more papers by this author Joelle A. Hathaway, Joelle A. Hathaway Duke Divinity SchoolSearch for more papers by this author First published: 21 March 2016 https://doi.org/10.1111/ijst.12112Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume18, Issue2April 2016Pages 242-244 RelatedInformation

The Spiritual City: Theology, Spirituality, and the Urban by Philip Sheldrake

Reviewed by: The Spiritual City: Theology, Spirituality, and the Urban by Philip Sheldrake Chad Thralls (bio) The Spiritual City: Theology, Spirituality, and the Urban. By Philip Sheldrake. Oxford/Malden, MA: Wiley Blackwell, 2014. 226pp. $37.95 Throughout his career, Philip Sheldrake has been interested in the significance of place. In a series of articles and book chapters over the past decade and a half, he has devoted sustained attention to one type of place in particular, the city. As someone who has lived in New York City for the past six years, I applaud Sheldrake for bringing the topic of the city forward as worthy of serious reflection, because living here poses a unique set of challenges. The discipline of Christian Spirituality has given a lot of attention recently to the natural world, and deservedly so. Nature is a powerful place of divine encounter, and concern for its well-being is critical in our age of ecological crisis. Wilderness is a holy place for me as well, but for a variety of reasons, it is difficult for me to get out of the city. I must find God here, and so must most of my fellow New Yorkers. Sheldrake deserves much credit for turning our attention to the city, the place where the majority of human beings live their everyday lives. In the Introduction, Sheldrake lays the foundation on which he will assemble his evidence and build his argument. First, cities are an important topic to consider because an increasing percentage of the human population lives in them, and they are projected to keep growing in the future. In 1950, twenty-nine percent of the world’s population lived in urban areas. This grew to fifty percent in 1990 and is predicted to rise to seventy percent by 2050. Cities shape those who live there. Because so many are being formed by this particular kind of place, Sheldrake believes it is critical to think about the values that cities instill in those who reside in them. Second, he takes up the critique of sociologist Richard Sennett, who criticizes Christianity for an anti-urban bias. In his discussion of Augustine’s City of God, Sennett claims that Christianity encourages the nurturing of a private, inner world that de-emphasizes public life. Sheldrake counters Sennett’s criticism by strongly asserting that Christians do not discern their identities through an interior search for a hidden true self. For him, one’s identity is realized in interaction with others, which makes the public realm essential to the Christian life. The book is divided into two parts. In the five chapters of Part One Sheldrake surveys a variety of figures in the history of spirituality in search of resources that might be useful in funding a Christian vision for the contemporary city. He devotes entire chapters to Augustine’s reflections on the earthly city and the city of God in light of the decline of Rome, monasteries as ideal human communities, the renewal of cities in Europe between 1150 and 1250 (which included the building of cathedrals and the rise of universities, the mendicant orders, and the Beguines), the Protestant [End Page 292] and Catholic Reformations of the sixteenth century, and the Jesuit scholar Michel de Certeau’s writings on cities. In his review of this material, he refers to an impressive array of historical sources and contemporary scholars. One shortcoming of the book is that, other than Augustine and the Ignatian tradition, he treats each of these authors very briefly. I often wanted to read more about a suggestive idea, only for it to disappear quickly as he moved on to the next source. The chapter on de Certeau is the strongest in Part One, in part because Sheldrake dives so deeply into his work. Sheldrake constructs his theology of the city in the four chapters of Part Two. Several threads of his argument are worth highlighting. First, he articulates a Christian understanding of community. Christians affirm that God is Trinity, which means that God is a relationship of three interrelated persons. Since human beings are created in the image of God, Sheldrake affirms that they are not isolated individuals, but beings in relationship...

Philip Sheldrake, The Spiritual City: Theology, Spirituality, and the Urban

Philip Sheldrake, <i>The Spiritual City: Theology, Spirituality, and the Urban</i>

Xul Solar, the Reluctant Utopian

Xul Solar—a painter, sculptor, writer, mystic and inventor of imaginary languages—is one of Argentina's and Latin America's most fascinating and intriguing artists whose work has been relatively neglected in the English-speaking world. His case is compelling, among other reasons, on account of his peculiar urban landscapes. The article focuses on his notion of the spiritual city by analysing textual and visual material from the interwar period, and re-contextualizes his utopianism within the conceptual climate of his time, offering a reading against the grain.

Bahá’u’lláh’s Influence on the New York School of Painting

As members of the New York School of painters, Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko announced not only the passing away of an entire creation but also the bringing forth of a new one. Though unaware that they were living and painting in the City of the Covenant whose light would one day rise from darkness and decay to envelop the world even as their painting of light consciously arose from the void of a blank canvas, Newman’s and Rothko’s work may nevertheless be best understood as a powerful first evidence of what Bahá’u’lláh called “the rising Orb of Divine Revelation, from behind the veil of concealment.” Their work may yet find its true spiritual location in the spiritual city founded by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on his visit to New York in 1912.