SAEDNEWS: The language of imagery, in its most universal form, conveys emotions more effectively than words or sounds and can transcend boundaries. This may explain the translation of music into architecture, highlighting their interrelationship.
Architecture and music are two artistic domains created and perceived by humans. Music expresses human emotions and thoughts and reflects inner states, whereas architecture can be regarded as “solid music” because it manifests similar emotions and ideas through physical materials. Music is primarily meaningful in the temporal dimension, while architecture operates in the spatial dimension. Although the raw materials of these two arts differ, both employ similar tools—manifested auditorily in music and visually in architecture.
The most prominent and significant connection between these two arts is the concept of space, which has historically facilitated profound links between architecture and music, particularly in pre-modern times. There appears to have been a distinct quality in the spatial experience of music and architecture in the past that has evolved in contemporary times. The aim of this study is to examine the deepest conceptual layer shared by these two arts, specifically the relationship between musical and architectural space across historical periods.
Architecture
Architecture is an art with which all humans engage, consciously or unconsciously. Its significance is profound, as it directly influences human psychology and behavior. Proper attention to architectural design enables the creation of environments that uphold human dignity and potential. Architecture not only defines space but also situates itself within a broader spatial context, through which people move. A comprehensive definition of architecture can be summarized as the design of spaces that:
Fulfill human needs
Protect against the disruptive phenomena of nature while being aesthetically pleasing and harmonizing with human dependencies and the natural environment
Music
Music is the organized dispersion of sound waves in space, which stimulates human movement within specific environments and affects the psyche. For example, sama‘, a ritual with distinctive choreography, illustrates how movement, originating from music, is inherently dependent on space. Sufi philosophy suggests that spiritual perfection is achieved by elevating the material, often expressed through symbolic geometric forms, such as curves, which are reflected in circular musical and physical movements in rituals and traditional Iranian exercises.
Music in Iranian and Islamic Architecture
Both architecture and music share two key attributes: functionality and transcendence. They serve practical purposes while simultaneously conveying meaning and beauty. Comparable elements include spatial organization patterns, connecting and discrete spaces, weight and gravity in music and architecture, musical peaks versus architectural height, proportionality in musical intervals versus architectural ratios, and correlations between folk music and vernacular architecture or religious music and religious structures.
Architectural perception unfolds gradually, and initial responses to space may vary individually, whereas music exerts immediate influence, shaping emotional states in real-time. Movement in architecture is spatial, linked to memory and history, whereas movement in music is temporal, influenced by time, environment, and memory. Ultimately, both arts converge in creating holistic experiences.
Rhythm in Music and Architecture
Rhythm in music is a function of time and manifests visually and aurally, analogous to the significance of words in language or light in flame. Rhythm is fundamental, animating artistic works and organizing their internal structure. In music, composers combine sounds according to specific rules, establishing rhythm as a core element. The rhythm often defines the music more recognizably than the individual notes themselves, profoundly affecting perception and emotional response.
In architecture, rhythm appears as the regular repetition of elements along a line. Pauses and stillness, as in stair landings or urban squares, have practical and aesthetic implications. The understanding of architectural geometry, spatial forms, and their assembly parallels the mathematical and physical foundations of musical structures. Architecture can be seen as the geometry of space, and music as the mathematics of time; conversely, architecture is the mathematics of space, and music the geometry of time. Unlike music, architecture is static, though both share conceptual foundations in nature-derived geometry and mathematics.
Shared Aspects of Architecture and Music
The tools and conceptual instruments of architecture and music can be distinguished into functional and conceptual categories. The common aspects of these arts can be summarized as:
a) Both reflect and shape the cultural values of society
b) Both share conceptual and structural elements
c) As pillars of culture, architecture and music are influenced by and simultaneously influence societal beliefs and collective consciousness
Conclusion
From the past to the present, conceptual links between music and architecture have persisted, though modernity has altered their structural expression. In pre-modern periods, a central conceptual axis guided both arts: the Renaissance emphasized human-centric spatial perception, the Baroque highlighted dynamism, Rococo prioritized ornamentation, the Classical era relied on ancient spatial patterns, and Romanticism foregrounded emotional expression and artistic inspiration. These periods illustrate a close alignment between spatial experiences in architecture and music, such that entering a Baroque church or listening to ornate polyphonic works by Bach evoked comparable responses.
In postmodern periods, the shared spatial concepts evolved, marked by the absence of a singular central principle, multiplicity of meanings, and an abundance of interpretive messages. Understanding how past artists constructed space can inform contemporary practices. Future research could examine specific historical periods individually, compare architectural and musical space in Eastern traditions, and analyze architectural space in relation to other arts across historical epochs.
