The Mosque of Light

The enhancement of the act of worship is at the heart of the design approach. Prayer is a devotional act. It requires the worshipper to be totally present. It is a meditative practice. In the Muslim faith it is performed a number of times throughout the day. With all the distractions in our modern busy lives it can be challenging to quieten the mind and find an inner calm to allow for full immersion into prayer. Through the design, a series of spaces are created that allow the worshipper to transition from the busy outer world and prepare for an inner experience. This is achieved through form, materiality and the use of controlled natural light. The journey starts at the outdoor entrance. The softening of the strong natural light through the perforated shading creates a threshold, taking us to the ablution area where physical cleansing will invite mental clearing. The route continues through a lobby space. This is also an essential part of the preparation where further shedding of the material world takes place, through the act of removing one’s shoes. Once inside the prayer hall, there is another transition via a contained space were Quranic reading may take place before prayer. The quality of light from one space to another changes to enhance the preparation process, so that when the worshipper finally enters the main hall, they are ready for prayer. On another level, Muslim prayer is performed through-out the day at prescribed timings. At dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset and then at night. This discipline creates a human connection with the natural day and night rhythm. The experience created through the design seeks to enhance this connection. The controlled approach adopted with regards to the introduction of natural lighting is three-fold: Vertically via the perforated dome to enhance the spiritual connection to the Heavens: Indirectly behind the Mihrab to highlight the point of focus in the prayer hall facing the direction of prayer, and finally through a series of small opening in the façade creating a play of light that follows a decorative patterns of the interior. The Mosque of Light takes the essential elements of a traditional Mosque, Dome, Minarat and decorative patterns and strips them down to their essence to create a modern place of worship that is relevant to current day contemporary living. Its ultimate goal is to create a sacred experience of prayer.