Architectural Practice

I. Tomb of Muhammadjon Shakuri

Figure 1
Tomb entrance

Figure 2
Tomb interior

Figure 3
Chor Bakr walled passage

Figure 4
Chor Bakr burials (looking South)

The tomb was built in 2013-15 to mark the burial of Muhammadjon Shakuri (1925/6-2012) and provide a place to commemorate his life and work. Shakuri was a prominent Tajik scholar and literary critic, author of numerous books and articles. His most significant works include the Dictionary of Tajik Language, a descriptive dictionary of classical Persian in two volumes (1957-69), and the preparation of state Law No. 150 of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic "On Language" (voted, passed and signed on 22 July 1989), which designated Tajik Persian as the state language of Tajikistan.

Shakuri's sons, Sharif, Anvar and Rustam, approached me, his grandson, to design the tomb for the Luchob Cemetery in Dushanbe after Shakuri's passing in 2012. Inspiration struck quickly, and I drafted the first sketch whilst sitting in a carriage on the Moscow Metro. After project development and approval, construction was carried out under Rustam Shukurov's management in three phases (structure, cladding and vegetation) over two years.

The tomb has a rectangular plan with a semi-interior square space and an entry area. The latter employs local symmetry to marry the footprint that should have been covered with the main space's static square proportions. The main space of the tomb comprises half of the area elevated above the passage with an inscribed stone atop, under which the body is buried, the passage and a bench to accommodate four persons. Although not obligatory, the bench is oriented towards Mecca to facilitate Muslim visitors' potential prayers.

The tomb is entirely open to the sky, without any roof, canopy, or overhead covering, as such a structure would not be appropriate in relation to other burials and would be too pompous.

However, the tomb's walls double as flowerbeds, with perimeter ligustrum shrubs providing seclusion for visitors. The entrance is flanked by rose bushes. The walls and floors are clad in Iranian brick, while wall copings, bench seat and the tombstone are made of subtle off-white Vanj marble.

Ten years after completing the tomb, I found myself west of Bukhara, the city where Shakuri was born. Some 3 miles outside the city by the road M37 stands the Chor Bakr memorial ensemble, dating back to the 16th century. When I entered the furthest north-western part of the ensemble, I was overwhelmed, as what I saw seemed to be an inspiration for what I had designed for Shakuri. Yet it was the first time I had encountered something like this spatially and atmospherically. This led me to believe that my design was relatively suitable in terms of contextuality and conceptual continuity.

The tomb's construction was made possible through the contributions of the following individuals.

Family and friends: Rustam Shukurov, Anvar Shukurov, Sharif Shukurov, Muhammad Yusuf Imomov, Abdujabbor Rahmonov, Shodi Muhammad Sufizoda, Abdukhalil Kholiqzoda, Abdujobir Kholiqzoda, Komron Hamroev, Khol Muhammad Rajabov, Shamsiddin Solehov, Hasan Qaribi, Nadja Korbut

Structural consultant: Fakhriddin Nazirov

Builders: Olim Olimov, Muhammad Iqbal Davlatov

Dendrologist: Firuza Zoirova (Botanical Garden)

Calligrapher (Perso-Arabic inscription): Anonymous via Dr Ashraf Ali Mojtahed Shabestari

Oyat Shukurov

Architectural Practice

I. Tomb of Muhammadjon Shakuri