Xiaoxiao Ma
My second year project is based on a heritage restoration and environment renovation project in Khiva, Uzbekistan.
The work is in two parts. The first part is the landscape design project ( one painting and several drawings ) for the project site area: a 330 meters long pathway and two empty plots at either end of the street. The north area is the traffic junction and the entrance of the town, and the south area is a public space surrounded by a Madrassa and a Mosque built at the end of 18th century. The whole design aims to optimise the environment of a narrow pathway for the local people and visual directions for visitors to the Madrassa and Mosque. The clear axis and symmetrical layout of the landscape will help people to experience the sacred space in front of the Madrassa and Mosque; it will help guide them in appreciating the traditional architecture despite the fact that no traditional activities or devout assemblies are currently present. Taking in consideration the dryness and lack of rainfall in this central Asian city, several fountains and a water-recycling system for the purpose of irrigation, will be part of this design, as I would like to highlight both the practical and the symbolic aspects of water in the Islamic city.
The second part of my work encompasses real scale arts pieces and paintings originating from the design. After I had been given the opportunity to participate in this development, my comprehension of geometry and Islamic patterns in this specific area has gradually improved.