Wonders of the World
By John W. Healy

Kiran (left) and her sister in front of the Taj Mahal; her artistic tribute to the Taj.

The Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Great Pyramids of Gaza and the Great Wall of China – all are architectural symbols of a national, proudly shared identity of the people who live near these structures. An architectural triumph gives its citizens an identity that is unique.

Buildings as art pieces
When I show my class pictures of architecture around the world, the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, evokes a great deal of interest. Many of the children we work with have seen so little of the world. How excited they become when they experience images, hold artifacts and listen to music from faraway places. The Taj Mahal is an ideal subject to mix world history and art to transport a child's mind to distant horizons and cultures.

What can it be?
Showing your students pictures of the Taj Mahal while playing Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov will command their immediate attention. How different, how beautiful…but what can it be? Responses may range from a castle of the Arabian Nights, a home of the wealthy, a palace or a religious institution. The answer is a mausoleum for a princess, Muntaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. Mahal means "chosen of the palace." Her husband, the Mogul Emperor Shah Jehan of India, was heartbroken by her death and commissioned in her memory a great mausoleum like none the world had ever seen.

The Taj Mahal took 17 years to build, from 1612 to 1629 AD. Muntaz's sarcophagus was placed directly in the center of the perfectly symmetrical structure.

While over 75% of the people of India are Hindu, the Mogul period of rule was Muslim. There are significant differences between these two religious groups. The Taj Mahal is clearly an example of bringing a country's people together under a common symbol that is great art. Memorable architecture can become so much more than its original function.

Architecture around the world
In part one of this activity, ask these questions to establish a broad understanding of the particular architecture chosen by students.

1. Name a famous architectural structure of the world and its location. A distant place is of a particular interest. Is there someone in your family who has been to a faraway location who can help you answer this question?
2. When was the structure created, and for what purpose?
3. What is the meaning of the structure's name?
4. Name any distinctive building techniques and materials used.
5. Define five or more new vocabulary words associated with this structure.
6. Is there a musical composition that can in some way be associated with this architecture and its people?
7. Write a paragraph on the most memorable aspects of this structure. If you have visited this place, let your five senses reflect your direct experience.

In part two, your students create a piece of art based on this world-famous architectural structure.

1. Obtain an image of a famous architectural structure. Photographs, postcards and magazine tear-outs are all useful, as are images downloaded from the Internet.
2. Position this image on a sheet of illustration board or paper using an adhesive. Spray photo adhesives are ideal for this purpose and don't create unnecessary buildup.
3. The name of the structure, along with its location, should appear clearly.
4. Position the fact sheet and brief composition on this paper so that it compliments the image of the structure and does not compete with it. The structure should be clear from a distance.
5. Decorative borders that reflect the subject's theme and culture are encouraged. Consider the following art materials to accentuate this project.
• Silver and gold stick-on stars to capture the extraterrestrial
• Cotton for clouds, smoke and an ethereal quality
• Glitter to create dream-like impressions
• Plastic templates in a variety of shapes. Circles, squares and French curves can create precise, repetitive designs. When templates are used in an overlapping pattern that gradually separates and contracts, an appearance of motion is created.

Conclusion
All student-selected architectural triumphs ought to be displayed collectively in a prominent space. An exhibition in one's school is an obvious choice; consider also a local government building. What could be a more appropriate option than your local building department, the employees of which are charged with the responsibility of assuring that both the practical as well as the creative structures in your community are safe and useful? Ultimately, great architecture serves the needs of its people and is a partnership of aesthetics and the practical.

Dr. John W. Healy teaches art at Woodland Middle School, East Meadow, NY.