mong the 20th-century architectural elements Doris Duke commissioned for Shangri La, some were made abroad in India, Syria, Iran, Pakistan and Morocco. Others, however, were made in Hawaii to resemble Islamic forms. The Playhouse, for example, was modeled on the Chihil Sutun, a royal pavilion built in 1647 in Isfahan, Iran. The Chihil Sutun is a fusion of internal and external spaces, a fusion which is evident in the architecture of the Playhouse as well as the architecture of Shangri La in general. Environmentally, this type of design is well suited to the tropical climate of Hawaii.
The Playhouse consists of three rooms: two guest bedrooms and a large living room with a small kitchenette. Housed within the rooms are a number of important works of art made in Iran during the Zand and Qajar dynasties (1750-1925) including oil paintings, tile panels, and a ceiling. The Qajar period is known for its oil paintings whereas Persian painters of earlier eras used watercolor (gouache) on paper. While the tradition of large-scale oil painting came from Europe, the subject matter of Qajar paintings--youthful beauty, patterned textiles, and court life--was quintessentially Persian.
In Doris Duke's lifetime, the Playhouse served as a guest house. Today, Shangri La serves as a center for Islamic arts and cultures and the Playhouse is a venue for special events such as performances, lectures, and conferences.
Images of the Chihil Sutun on ArchNet History of the Qajar dynasty at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Qajar art in the Shangri La collection
Figural representation in Islamic art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Preservation Project a report on recent efforts to preserve the Playhouse