Muslims are the fastest growing population in Britain, and mosque building has expanded exponentially over the last two decades to reflect this this trend. With debate raging on how Muslims position themselves in modern Britain, we think the buildings they build can positively contribute to an emerging and confident British Islamic culture.
Makespacearchitects have been working on a series of mosque designs in and around London, and in each have been developing a contemporary language of Islamic architecture that could be considered as a British evolution of the Islamic tradition.
A key aspect of mosque design lies in the close working relationship the architect has with the mosque committee and local community. Mosques are mostly small and local, set up and supported by the local muslim community, and therefore above all it must have a resonance for these users and meet their practical and symbolic needs.
Each mosque is therefore a negotiation between the communities expectations, the requirements of local planning policies, and the architect's aesthetic and cultural vision.
Mosque committees often have particular expectations of what a mosque should look like. These ideas are often rooted in certain interpretations of Islamic history, which centre on the architectural elements of the dome and minaret. The form of these elements and the style of their decoration has varied throughout Islamic history, depending on which culture implemented them.
We believe that an indigenous British Islamic architecture is a continuation of this process of interpretation and reference to tradition. As there are no actual requirements of what a mosque needs to be, other than the prayer being oriented towards Makkah, the formal responses are open to interpretation and suggestion. It is important to refer to elements that people perceive as traditional, as the mosque must have meaning for the people that use it as well as being a symbol for the ongoing evolution of the Muslim world, of Islamic tradition and of the diversification of British society.
Mosque building in London is a sensitive and intricate process. As architects we are negotiating the complexities of London's urban fabric, the desires and politics of a mosque community, the weight of Islamic architectural history, and demands of rapid cultural change.
London Mosque Design Images / information from Makespacearchitects 240409,or go to this url site on English Mosque.
Makespacearchitects have been working on a series of mosque designs in and around London, and in each have been developing a contemporary language of Islamic architecture that could be considered as a British evolution of the Islamic tradition.
A key aspect of mosque design lies in the close working relationship the architect has with the mosque committee and local community. Mosques are mostly small and local, set up and supported by the local muslim community, and therefore above all it must have a resonance for these users and meet their practical and symbolic needs.
Each mosque is therefore a negotiation between the communities expectations, the requirements of local planning policies, and the architect's aesthetic and cultural vision.
Mosque committees often have particular expectations of what a mosque should look like. These ideas are often rooted in certain interpretations of Islamic history, which centre on the architectural elements of the dome and minaret. The form of these elements and the style of their decoration has varied throughout Islamic history, depending on which culture implemented them.
We believe that an indigenous British Islamic architecture is a continuation of this process of interpretation and reference to tradition. As there are no actual requirements of what a mosque needs to be, other than the prayer being oriented towards Makkah, the formal responses are open to interpretation and suggestion. It is important to refer to elements that people perceive as traditional, as the mosque must have meaning for the people that use it as well as being a symbol for the ongoing evolution of the Muslim world, of Islamic tradition and of the diversification of British society.
Mosque building in London is a sensitive and intricate process. As architects we are negotiating the complexities of London's urban fabric, the desires and politics of a mosque community, the weight of Islamic architectural history, and demands of rapid cultural change.
London Mosque Design Images / information from Makespacearchitects 240409,or go to this url site on English Mosque.
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