ON MAJLISISM • Paulin Paulin Paulin

A “majlis,” a typology in itself, means “sitting room” in Arabic and fundamentally embodies the concept of modest gathering. Its scale ranges from the most basic domestic function—hosting family and entertaining guests—to councils and administrative bodies discussing political and social matters. Over time, the term came to mean a “council” of elders and leaders in many Islamic countries. A majlis is a space for storytelling, poetry, and dialogue, facilitating the transfer of knowledge and learning from elders to children, while observing etiquette and politeness in an oral and auditory setting.

Architecturally, a majlis consists of seating areas—cushioned backs and armrests in a designed environment. It includes a space for sitting on the floor and another shared area in the center. This arrangement can be found in various contexts—from chairs grouped in front of a local shop where people drink tea and share neighborhood news, to a front porch or veranda that is always open, or an apartment in a radical bookstore hosting political discussions open to everyone. The term “majlis” is also a verb, much like the use of the term “salon,” but what differentiates it from its Western counterpart is its integral role in life and the design of spaces where it is practiced. A majlis proposes an act and ritual, requiring minimal spatial markers, yet those markers offer intriguing design ideas.

The wisdom of sitting on the floor is familiar across many cultures—South Asia, Africa, Japan, the Arab world, and beyond—and has been a starting point for Pierre Paulin's work since the 1950s.

Pierre Paulin's prototype for *Le Tapis-Siège* is simply formed by individually supported backrests in the corners, connected by a shared surface, creating a communal area for tea or meals. It is not so different from the centuries-old traditions of Bedouin majlises. It resonates with similar settings I’ve experienced: a dastarkhan with my cousins during childhood; iftar during a protest in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town’s Cape Malay neighborhood; and countless times with friends at a fish shop in Al-Balad.