About
Moaqeli is a decorative technique that uses rectangular bricks and glazed tiles to ornament the inner and outer surfaces of buildings. This method is widely seen in Iran and Central Asia. It became especially popular in the 14th century and during the Timurid era, with some of the finest examples found in the Greater Khorasan region, particularly in cities such as Samarkand and Mashhad. Moaqeli remains a common technique for embellishing both religious and secular architecture.
Moaqeli patterns are also known as Bannaie or masonry patterns. They can consist of simple repeating motifs, geometric compositions, and even calligraphic designs. The calligraphic form is referred to as Bannaie Kufic or square script.
In this course, we will explore the origins of Moaqeli patterns, learn how to draw and construct several types of these patterns, and develop our own designs. We will also discuss how these patterns can be applied through different artistic and architectural techniques.
Please note that calligraphy and Bannaie Kufic will not be covered in this course.
Key Information
Who is this course for?
All levels of ability and experience are welcome. You must be aged 18 or over to participate in our programmes.
When will the workshop take place?
This workshop will take place on 16, 17 March and 20, 21 April 2026, 15:00 – 18:00.
Please note that the UK will switch from Greenwich Mean Time to British Summer Time (GMT+1) on 29 March.
What materials do I need?
You will need:
- A pack of graph paper, 5×5 mm squares, A4 size. We may also need A3. You can print your own graph paper or buy pre-printed packs.
- a pad of tracing paper, A3
- a pad of drawing/cartridge paper, A3
- Pencils, 1 x HB, 1 x 2B
- sharpener, eraser
- selection of colour pencils and/or coloured fineliner pens
- a ruler, at least 30 cm
Online Learning
How do I attend the online class?
This class will take place on Zoom, an online meeting platform. A link for joining the Zoom meeting will be sent before the start date.
Handouts and recordings of sessions will be made available via Thinkific, our online learning platform, for a period of 3 months after the end of the workshop.
What if I have questions during the workshop?
Students will be able to ask questions via chat or unmuting themselves. Students will also have access to our online learning platform, Thinkific, where we share supplementary content.
I live in a different time zone, can I still attend?
We encourage you to attend the course in real time to really benefit from instruction; however, if you are unable to attend live due to the difference in time you can catch up via recordings on our online learning platform, Thinkific. These recordings are available for a limited time after the course.
Recordings cannot be purchased separately if the course is fully booked or if the course has already started.
Tips:
You must download the Zoom app and create a free account before the class begins, so that you can use the full range of features:
- You can create your free account here
- You can download the Zoom app onto your computer or device here
FAQs
Do you offer concessions?
Yes, we offer concessions for Seniors/60+, full-time students and people who are unemployed/in receipt of benefits.
Concessions cannot be applied in retrospect. To receive a concession, please apply via our online form. We will then send you a discount code to use when booking your space.
What if I need to change or cancel my booking?
No refunds, unless cancelled by the School. If you cancel up to 1 week before the workshop starts, we can offer a transfer to another workshop of equivalent value, subject to availability.
Tutor Biography
Marzieh Kaviani is an artist who was born and brought up in Shiraz, Iran, in a culture where crafts and traditions are still part of daily life. Since very early childhood she showed interest and talent in art by imitating the crafts that were practiced by her parents and learned many basic techniques before going to school. She pursued science as it seemed to have the answer for her curiosity about how the world works. In 2016 she was awarded a Msc. in Biotechnology. However, creative activities and making crafts never stopped during these years of studying science. About seven years ago she started to practice geometry as a hobby and gradually had the chance to meet other geometers from all around the world via online classes and was recognized as a promising artist to the online community of artists. In 2021 Marzieh became a member of Fars Masters of Handicraft Society and started a small business making ornamented wooden boxes.
In 2023 she moved to London to do an MA in Traditional Arts in the King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts and graduated with a Distinction in 2025. In her research at the KFSTA she was looking for connections and overlaps of geometric patterns and patterns in the living world and she found similar patterns in pattern formation and cell division.
