Photographers: Andrew Beck, Yungui Cai

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Part 1: Dakota Carlson

The first encounter with the morning air was surprisingly chilly but still delightful. We were lead by a fellow classmate for a few blocks until we reached Puerta de las Granadas the large arch that lead us up a slightly uncomfortable slope for at least half a mile. The saving grace of the tortuous hill was the magic brought by the rushing water on either side of the road through small runnels. This was the beginning of my interest in how the Alhambra dealt with water.

When we entered we first went through the Generalife section which translates in Arabic to Architects garden and was outside of the Alhambra walls. Generalife was were the Nasrid rulers would reside during the summer due to its meticulous design to provide cooler temperatures through moving water and wind from the mountains. Some of us started to draw the Jardines Bajos the garden space added on as a public garden right before the Generalife palace. Within the Jardines Bajos some of us got to see the maintenance crew water the beds in historic fashion. The release of water from a runnel uphill and unplugging runnels that lead into the beds. The ingenuity of moving water through these spaces was more beautiful than the plants.

Back tracking towards the entrance and through the hall of 50 foot high cypress I made my way uphill through a unmaintained part of the Alhambra. I knew something was not right but before checking my map I thought I would further explore and enjoy the unprogrammed hillside. I eventually reached these large pools of water that were fenced off assuming that this was a water tower built in the side of the mountain to provide pressure to the system.

I made my way back to the Generalife palace were I stopped for sometime to enjoy the water stairway that leads up to the highest point in Alhambra called Mirador Romantico or Romantic observation point. The water stairway had water runnels along the stairs were you would put a handrail. The stairs were surrounded by dense shrubbery that provided ample amount of shade. Along with the movement of water these stairs provided a cool retreat.

The complex movement of water and mathematical design of space within the Alhambra left me with questions and a feeling of astonishment.    

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Part 2: Alexis Kautzman

Our group visited the Alhambra again today but roamed around the gardens outside of the walls around a building previously used for recreation and agriculture called Generalife. The area includes the Jardines Bajos, Palacio del Generalife, Patio de la Sultana, Escalera del Agua Mirador Romántico, Patio de la Acequia, Casa de los Amigos and Jardines Altos. The days objective was to draw a series of section cuts through the space at spots that we were drawn to in a Japanese folio. We were exploring space in new ways using the curious methods approach of probing not proving. I was interested in looking at how space is treated at changing elevations, how water traveled through those spaces and what characteristics defined the perception of an area. What stood out to me was the constant sound of water and how it was softened by surrounding vegetation to create a feeling of calm and awareness. Water is the element that slowly guides you through your path and when it is not present, the ground plan is treated in the same manor. The dynamic of the waters sound also fluctuates in volume through the space reminding you of the passing of time. There are several areas where it seems to crescendo including the center fountain of Jardines Bajos, the Patio de la Acequia, the Patio de la Sultana and reaching is climax at the Escalera del Agua (Steps of Water). The landscaping is a very formal affair where control of both vegetation and water is mastered to the point of surrealism. Originally designed as a representation of paradise, these gardens and spaces truly feel part of a world outside our own.