Thao Phan
Mount Osmond Reserve is a notable natural area located in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia. Known for its beauty, Mount Osmond Reserve offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, including the city of Adelaide, the coastline, and the Gulf St. Vincent. The reserve is often visited by locals and tourists alike for its scenic vistas. Another selling point of the site is its location. Mount Osmond's location in the Adelaide Hills makes it easily accessible from the city of Adelaide. Its proximity to the urban centre means that people can experience a change in scenery and climate without having to travel far from the city.
The area was first explored by European settlers in the early 19th century. Mount Osmond was named after Osmond Gilles, the first colonial treasurer. However, prior to European settlement, the land around Mount Osmond was inhabited by indigenous Australian communities. One of the prominent dreamtime stories of the Peramangk people depicts how the ancient warrior Gurltatakko Nganno transformed into a giant to avenge the death of his son. In a twist of fate, upon returning to his hometown, Nganno was killed by his own people due to being unrecognisable. His fallen body formed the now well-visited Mount Lofty Range.
The majority of Mount Osmond rainfall falls in the winter months, with July reaching the highest of nearly 150mm. The total annual rainfall could add up to approximately 700mm.
Mount Osmond Reserve has temperate climate with the maximum weather even in summer never exceeds 25 degrees. However, chances of bushfires still need to be considered due to the dry nature of the weather. In winter, the minimum temperature dips to 5 degrees, coinciding with heavy rain and frost.
As shown on the wind roses, wind direction at Mount Osmond Reserve varies greatly depending on the time of the year ,or even during the day, especially in summer. Strongest winter wind usually come from west or north-west.
Summer wind roses
Winter wind roses
The ancient Egyptians are well known for their polytheistic society, in which more than thousands of deities are believed to have been worshipped, each associated with various natural and cosmic forces. These gods and goddesses had distinct roles and attributes, reflecting different aspects of life, nature, and the cosmos, acting as agencies for worshippers to turn to comprehend and respond to the complexity of life around them. Egyptian spirituality was faithbased with the belief in higher beings to protect and aid them to prosperity. With spirituality playing such a primary role in their daily life, it was unavoidable for the ancient Egyptians to incorporate these values into their architectural designs. While there isn't a single definition that encapsulates all aspects of Egyptian spirituality, the hierarchy of gods and goddesses could provide a glimpse into what the ancient Egyptians regarded as the ultimate principles of their spiritual life. The three major deities that were the pillars of the ancient world were Osiris, Isis and Ra, representing Death, Motherhood and the Sun respectively.
The idea of death and the journey beyond that was central to ancient Egyptian spirituality. Osiris was previously the ultimate god ruling over all mortals. However, after being murdered by his vengeful brother Seth, he became the god of the deceased. Osiris’s backstory represents the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth in the natural world. Death was not the end but rather a transformation, therefore, there was no need to fear death but to accept the inevitable and prepare one’s soul for it. Their belief could be interpreted as optimism when applied to the modern psychological sense: one may encounter defeats in life but there are possibilities of more opportunities, metamorphosis and improvement awaiting on the other side.
The idea of death and the journey beyond that was central to ancient Egyptian spirituality. Osiris was previously the ultimate god ruling over all mortals. However, after being murdered by his vengeful brother Seth, he became the god of the deceased. Osiris’s backstory represents the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth in the natural world. Death was not the end but rather a transformation, therefore, there was no need to fear death but to accept the inevitable and prepare one’s soul for it. Their belief could be interpreted as optimism when applied to the modern psychological sense: one may encounter defeats in life but there are possibilities of more opportunities, metamorphosis and improvement awaiting on the other side.
The ancient Egyptians’ perception of death and the afterlife was one of the main explanations for the abundance of tombs on the land. Since it was believed that the afterlife was an extension of earthly life, tombs were filled with various offerings and personal items such as clothes, food and valuables to ensure comforts for the deceased. Tombs also allowed for the expression of architectural and artistic creativity with intricate carvings, paintings, and decorations adorning the walls.
The pyramids are undoubtedly the most iconic example when it comes to ancient Egyptian architecture. The burial chambers where the Pharaohs’ mummies reside usually located deep within the pyramids, which could only be accessed by an intricate system of narrow and inclined passageways, designed to deter tomb raiders. Due to the sacred nature of the site, the pyramids were designed to be sealed and solid, symbolising protection for a smooth transition from the earthly life to eternal afterlife of the deceased. It also explains the lack of windows and openings, which maintains the structural integrity of the pyramid and makes it more challenging for intruders to access the tomb.
Isis – the goddess of Motherhood and Fertility was the embodiment of the Nile River which was and still to this day regarded as the Mother of Egypt. In ancient geographical text, the lower half of the country was referred to as Upper Egypt due to it being where the Nile River started, signifying the concept that the water from the river gave birth to life wherever it travels. In the biblical Book of Exodus, it was on the River Nile that Moses was found brought to court by the Pharaoh’s daughter, consequently leading to the liberation of the enslaved Jewish people in the future. In a more practical sense. the Nile's annual flooding brought nutrient-rich silt to the surrounding land, fertilizing the soil and enabling bountiful crops. Just like the sacred water, goddess Isis displayed motherly nurturing and healing characteristic, playing a major role in reviving her husband Osiris after his death using her magic. Another parallel is the river's function as a natural barrier against potential invaders or hostile forces, which aligned with Isis's attributes of sustenance and protection for her loved ones and her followers.
Water in general and the Nile River in particular was one of the essential factors that influenced the design, construction, and functionality of architectural structures. Many important temples and monuments were strategically located near the Nile River, both for practical reasons and symbolism. Temples were often situated on elevated terraces to protect them from floods while allowing them to overlook the river. The river was also utilised as the primary mean of transportation of materials, contributing to the conveniency in the construction process.
Due to its healing properties, water elements such as pools, canals, fountains and basins were largely incorporated into ancient Egyptian palaces and temple complexes. In private palaces and households, pools were designed to be integrated into the courtyards, enhancing the serene and lush atmosphere of the gardens and providing a cooling effect in the hot climate. Meanwhile, pools in religious sites were strategically placed at the entrances, serving the symbolic role of purifying and cleansing the soul as one enters the gods’ home. There were also sacred ponds and lakes within the temple complexes that held ritual significance.
Ra was the god of Sun, Light and Kingship. Pharaohs- the rulers of Egypt were often referred to as “Sons of Ra”, demonstrating the ultimate power that Ra possessed. Ra, as well as the concept of Light, was regarded as the source of all creations. Mother Nile gave birth to all living beings, but it was Father Sun that gave them to energy to sustain life. Being in the sun was therefore the equivalent of being in the presence of Ra, being under his fatherly judgement as he was also the god of all knowledge. People therefore were encouraged to be virtuous, honest and seek higher purpose in their day to day life as nothing could be hidden under the light - the godly eye of Ra. Those who did not uphold good morals would suffer the punishment of Osiris in the underworld. Light in ancient Egypt therefore was deemed as the divine guidance that deserved the ultimate reverence.
Ra sailed on his boat along the horizon to illuminate the world and watch his creations flourish under the sunlight. In the other 12 hours after he finished his journey in the sky, he went to the underworld to fight demonic creatures that threatened to bring chaos to the mortal world. This brought along the importance of dualism of Light and Darkness. Light represented order, life, and the divine, while darkness symbolized death, and the unknown and the underworld. The balance between these opposing forces was crucial to maintaining the universal harmony. Therefore, shadow held the same significance as light, representing one’s own judgement and reflection of themselves without the influence of others. The nighttime therefore provided a quieter and more contemplative atmosphere for spiritual practices in which one looked inwards and analysed their own characteristics to improve upon themselves.
The iconic pyramids are notorious for having no natural light in the interior despite the significance of sunlight in Egyptian mythology. The lack of openings was not only for security as explained, but also to encapsulate the sense of darkness in the underworld. Ra was the god of all mortals, but Osiris was the ruler of the deceased and the inside of the tombs were meant to be Osiris’s realm, in which no sunlight could penetrate through. In a more tangible aspect, having no access to sunlight also protected the colourful arts from fading and allowed the artifacts to be better maintained thanks to the cool temperature. However, the outside of the pyramids is a different story. On the contrary to their earthy sandy brown modern appearance, the pyramids were originally cast with white limestone, creating the effect of them shining bright and shimmering under the sunlight. In many spaces, polished limestone and other reflective materials like alabaster were also used on walls and surfaces to bounce and amplify natural light within interiors.
It is impossible to discuss ancient Egyptian architecture without mentioning hypostyle halls. The hypostyle hall was a hallmark of Egyptian temple architecture. It was a grand hall with a multitude of columns that supported the roof. These halls created an impressive visual experience for worshippers and visitors, with the columns forming rows that seemed to stretch endlessly. The arrangement of columns also affected the play of light and shadow within the hall. As sunlight entered through doorways and clerestory windows, it interacted with the columns, creating patterns of light and shadow that add to the visual interest and spiritual ambiance.
The ancient Egyptians invented a technique that is still widely used today to allow sunlight in the space, which is the clerestory. A clerestory refers to a section of a building's wall that contains a series of windows placed high above eye level, typically above the roofs of adjoining lower sections of the building. Besides the illuminating purpose, a clerestory also established the hierarchy of space, especially within a temple. The clerestory, situated above the main sanctuary and hypostyle hall, created a hierarchy of spaces that led worshippers' gazes upward toward the divine light. It also reinforced the cosmic symbolism between the earth and the celestial realm.
One recent discovery about the correlation between sunlight and ancient Egyptian architecture was the solar alignment. The orientation of many structures, most notably the Great Sphinx of Giza, was purposefully decided based on the positions of the sun. It is a wellknown fact that the Sphinx faces east, towards the rising sun. The solar alignment argument was further proven due to the recent event in which the sun set on the right shoulder of the Sphinx during the spring equinox. Another point was that during summer solstice, the location of the Sphinx provides the view of the sun setting midway between the silhouettes of the pyramids of Khafre and Khufu. All these factors reinforce the argument that the ancient Egyptians were intentional with the placement of their buildings to coordinate with the sun.
Being one of the oldest civilisations in human history, it is fascinating to unveil the vastness of their extraordinary spiritual life and its connection to the world around them, especially architecture. With constructions that have lasted the test of time for over 5000 years, there are many lessons to learn from the ancient Egyptians that could be utilised in modern day architecture.