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In the North African land of Morocco, every dar-dwelling, religious institution, or commercial building is organized around an interior, walled courtyard that provides privacy from the bustle of urban streets and an outdoor space for social interaction and tranquil meditation. Over the course of centuries, ornamental schemes have evolved to incorporate not only native plant life but also intricate water features and patterned tile work known as zellij, all of central significance to the Moroccan culture and climate.
Vitally important for providing shade and catching breezes in an arid landscape, Moroccan gardens are designed and cultivated with vibrant color and aromatic plants. Author Achva Benzinberg Stein explores the three main types of gardens—the simple and elegant paved patio form of the ouest ed-dar, the more elaborately planted riyad, and the agdal, an open, cultivated landscape. Striking color photographs, including numerous aerial views, show gardens and courtyards in Marrakech, Fez, and elsewhere.
Vitally important for providing shade and catching breezes in an arid landscape, Moroccan gardens are designed and cultivated with vibrant color and aromatic plants. Author Achva Benzinberg Stein explores the three main types of gardens—the simple and elegant paved patio form of the ouest ed-dar, the more elaborately planted riyad, and the agdal, an open, cultivated landscape. Striking color photographs, including numerous aerial views, show gardens and courtyards in Marrakech, Fez, and elsewhere.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Professor Stein was the Director of the Master of Landscape Architecture Program in the School of Architecture, University of Southern California (USC) when I was studying in USC. She is one of the best teachers and most talented professors that I have ever met and I learned a lot from her, including motivation for study, design methodology, landscape theory, etc. She was my teacher and she'll always be my teacher. I have great respect for her.
Even though there are a variety of garden styles in the world, they can be put into two major landscaping systems: formal gardens and naturalistic gardens. The formal gardens are represented by Egyptian gardens, Persian gardens, Islamic gardens, Moroccan gardens, Italian gardens, French gardens, some American gardens and some English gardens, etc. The naturalistic gardens are represented by Chinese traditional gardens, some English gardens, some Japanese gardens and some American gardens, etc.
Professor Stein has done research on gardens in arid climates for decades. "Morocco: Courtyards and Gardens" is a significant contribution to the field of landscape architecture. It is extremely well-written and comprehensive, filled with striking photos. It covers the social and cultural influences, basic Moroccan garden categories and layout, plant materials, ornamental schemes, and shade and shadow, etc.
"Morocco: Courtyards and Gardens" is one of the best on this subject. It is written by a great professor with many years of experience and excellent design expertise. It is a must-have for landscape architecture students and design professionals!
Gang Chen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Author of "Planting Design Illustrated," "LEED GA Exam Guide," "Architectural Practice Simplified," and other books on various LEED exams, architecture, and landscape architecture
Even though there are a variety of garden styles in the world, they can be put into two major landscaping systems: formal gardens and naturalistic gardens. The formal gardens are represented by Egyptian gardens, Persian gardens, Islamic gardens, Moroccan gardens, Italian gardens, French gardens, some American gardens and some English gardens, etc. The naturalistic gardens are represented by Chinese traditional gardens, some English gardens, some Japanese gardens and some American gardens, etc.
Professor Stein has done research on gardens in arid climates for decades. "Morocco: Courtyards and Gardens" is a significant contribution to the field of landscape architecture. It is extremely well-written and comprehensive, filled with striking photos. It covers the social and cultural influences, basic Moroccan garden categories and layout, plant materials, ornamental schemes, and shade and shadow, etc.
"Morocco: Courtyards and Gardens" is one of the best on this subject. It is written by a great professor with many years of experience and excellent design expertise. It is a must-have for landscape architecture students and design professionals!
Gang Chen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Author of "Planting Design Illustrated," "LEED GA Exam Guide," "Architectural Practice Simplified," and other books on various LEED exams, architecture, and landscape architecture
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a beautiful illustrated book about rural Morocco. It is not exclusively about Moroccan courtyards and gardens. Many illustrations are of the Moroccan countryside within the context of deprivation of resources, poverty and faded grandeur. It is page 50 before the first illustration of a courtyard (in Fez). And there is one chapter titled Courtyard Gardens, which is two pages long and has one illustration. There are no illustrations of private courtyards and gardens, many illustrations are of mosque or palace gardens. I admit I was looking for a book that would help me create a Moroccan themed courtyard garden, and this was not it.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Poor Quality Photos, Good Text
29 July 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was taken by the gorgeous cover photo of this book, but unfortunately the rest of the book's photos are extremely grainy - they were obviously taken with a cheap, compact camera. With all of the beautifully printed books available today, it was disappointing to spend quite a bit for this one only to find it was poorly produced. However, the text is interesting and informative. So, if you're interested in scholarly information about Moroccan climate, landscape and courtyard design, this book will be of interest. However, if you're looking for pretty pictures, this book will not make you happy.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Just TOO appealing.
30 Aug 2008
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Oh dear, oh dear - why do I buy books like this! It is so gorgeous that I want to re-vamp my entire garden right now so I can transpose some of this beauty to my home in Australia. In fact I have started, but my back and knees are a dead giveaway - I'm not young enough to do it, nor old enough to shame my sons into doing it. Still, using some of the ideas here, I have made some relatively simple changes to our deck and garden to reflect the Moroccan style and am very happy with them.
If loving gardens were a sin, I'd go straight to hell. Gardeners have their likes and dislikes but I'd challenge any gardener not to find someting to take their fancy in this book. As for non-gardeners, well, just buy it anyway, because the plates and text are so, so good. To paraphrase Omar Khayyam: " . . . a cup of tea, a book about Moroccan gardens . . . and gardens are Paradise enow".
If loving gardens were a sin, I'd go straight to hell. Gardeners have their likes and dislikes but I'd challenge any gardener not to find someting to take their fancy in this book. As for non-gardeners, well, just buy it anyway, because the plates and text are so, so good. To paraphrase Omar Khayyam: " . . . a cup of tea, a book about Moroccan gardens . . . and gardens are Paradise enow".
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
The landscape of Morocco
14 July 2009
Format:Hardcover
I bought this book among other 2 books of the same category, which depict the marvelous architecture and arid nature of Morocco. A country that has caught my interest after I visited last year Spain, where I witnessed the impressive Moorish architecture.
By comparison to the other two books I must note that this one in particular offers quite detailed written information, although I happen to care less for the informative part but rather the imagery contrast. When I buy books of the type I but them for their images not for the text, and images don't miss here either. The book also concentrates on the landscape of the country. There are quite many interesting images to view, although in my opinion, some of them lack technical precision as the images appear a little grainy and/or slightly out of focus.
By comparison to the other two books I must note that this one in particular offers quite detailed written information, although I happen to care less for the informative part but rather the imagery contrast. When I buy books of the type I but them for their images not for the text, and images don't miss here either. The book also concentrates on the landscape of the country. There are quite many interesting images to view, although in my opinion, some of them lack technical precision as the images appear a little grainy and/or slightly out of focus.
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