Three Projects Recovering the Mudéjar Carpentry Tradition in Andalusia

Abstract

Peculiar to the Iberian Peninsula, what is known as Mudéjar art, and in particular the carpentry developed in that tradition, has a set of features that give it a unique character. Although my main business is designing and building new roof structures, chiefly for private houses and historic buildings, the work I most enjoy, because of the continual learning involved, is the rebuilding or recreation of Mudéjar wooden ceilings. This paper presents a selection of three of the many such ceilings I have had the opportunity to build in my time, chosen in this instance for their beauty, uniqueness and structural interest.