Bridges 2012 Short Paper

The aim of this study is to offer a closer view of pointed domes as the most outstanding and significant cultural features of domes in Iran and nearby areas. This study addresses the better comprehension of such domes, including their brief morphological features, three sub-typologies, and geometrical constitutions based on their shells' geometrical designs. Using the al-Kashi geometrical essences, a four-centered profile as an initial pattern is geometrically developed using new parameters to deduce the formal geometrical commonality of such domes. Despite various forms and configurations of Islamic domes, the research put forward some recurring features and shared traits that are incorporated into a specific style, that is, 'pointed domes' in Iran and surrounding areas. It can also be a basic geometrical approach for the derivation of the formal geometrical language of Eastern domes.