Mosque

PRAYER HALL

This empty commercial unit was converted into a mosque. Of primary concern was the prayer roomThis is the most important part of the mosque, known as the Musalla, or Prayer Hall. Also visible is the Mihrab, the ornamental, semi-circular indentation in the wall of the prayer room.

The Mihrab faces the direction of the Qiblah, the direction of MeccaTheMihrab was decorated in geometric patterns of black and white tile. These represent the human state before being polluted by worldly pleasures contrasting the purified path of righteousness. The smaller niches are extensions of the Mihrab, filling in the portions of blank space. The upper walls were painted in gold color, representing the Prophet’s divine status and the divinity and ascendancy of Allah.

The geometric pattern also follows the Mihrab. The geometric design is a common feature in Islamic art. It is thought to reflect the universe’s language and help the believer reflect on life and the greatness of creation. This particular pattern alternates between small and large and is suggested to symbolize the physical world’s impermanence to Muslim believers. A central tenant in Islam is the concept of Tawhid or Devine Unity. The use of patterns creates a sense of infinity. Islamic artists here are expressing the fathomless nature of God, not just everywhere, but that He is unknowable. Islamic art uses patterns to soften our mental reflections of the temporal world so the believer can reflect on the divine. The nature of Geometry is also mathematical. The Islamic thought, that reality was unitary and singular and could be found in numbers, was influenced by Neoplatonists. This provided the foundation of curiosity for ratios, proportions, and geometry reflected in Islamic art’s intricate architectural design features.

Prayer Hall

LOBBY

 The lobby had to be redesigned to fit the needs of a worship center. The style that was decided upon was modern and minimalist with elements of maroon. In Islamic dream interpretation, maroon means dignity, nobility, power. Two renderings were supplied for appraisal. There are cubby holes to the left of the center figure image for shoes.

A wall-mounted monitor is for announcements and new community information. LED spotlights dot the ceiling around the perimeter. A small chandelier hovers over a mosaic creating a focal point. The door finishes can be seen in this example. The doors are 3070 Oregon Door Rotary Natural Birch with a merlot stain.  

Mosque Lobby

ABLUTION ROOM/ RESTROOM

Being a place of worship, they needed a feature common to Islamic Holy Sites: An ablution room. This room is a place for cleansing prior to prayer and is a common feature in Islamic Holy Sites. The ritual is called Wudu, or ablution, and is a traditional ritual that refers to the mental preparation and physical cleanliness before prayer. Ablution rooms are typically a minimalist style, so the color choices for this were more monochromatic. Included in this room is seating for removing shoes and washing feet.

Also included are a water faucet and a runoff. The floor tile was Strands 12 x 24 color Olive, Matt Finish. The top of the seats was Marble ST Cygnus. The Wainscotting was Strands 12×12 Olive, Polished. The wall color was Kelly Moore 26 Oyster.

Ablution Centre

CLASSROOM

 This mosque was a converted commercial siteAs part of the tenant’s improvement, they needed a children’s educational room. This space was modeled in a 3D design software and then rendered to be photo-realistic.

The rendering closely recreated in the scene the materials that would be used in the design. The rendering was sent to a committee for approval. After it was approved, the materials list was sent to the architect to put into a plan for the contractor and installers. Here, the color choices were significant, as green and gold have a special symbolism in Islamic culture. Green symbolizes life, freshness, and luxury like the color garments in Heaven, and gold represents the prophet’s divine status. Often banners were in green and gold, with verses from the Koran. For these reasons, the room was painted in greens and golds with an added scripture on a wall.

Mosque Class room