Memory Spaces: from the Design principles to the Intellectual MessageA Critical Study of Three Particular Examples

Abstract

Staring from the definition of Memory Spaces, this article aims to identify the design principles of monuments presenting this definition. That will act

through an analysis of three particular examples.

The oldest example is Deir el-Bahri in Thebes, the funerary temple of the Egyptian queen “Hatshepsut”. The second monument is the Parthenon in Athens, a temple dedicated to Goddess “Athena”. Whereas the most recent monuments are the Lincoln’s Memorial constructed in Washington D.C..

The common points between theses monuments is the peristyle as a design element on one hand, and the date of construction related to an articulate period on the other hand. The examples cover a long period extending from 15^th century B.D. to the early decades or 20^th century. And they cover also a wide geography that relates three continents: Africa, Europe, and America.

The article adopts the critical study on two levels. The first level looks for the design principles following the descriptive criticism in analyzing: the context of construction, the historic background and the architectural concept. Whereas the second level goes deeply forward the intellectual message related to memory spaces, by following the impressionistic method in criticizing: the architectural elements, the artistic techniques and the accessories.