Mosque - Dubai, UAE

Designing a mosque entails very specific challenges: the strict and detailed requirements for the typology were established centuries ago and remain paramount in creating a place of worship. Consequently, these buildings have long been associated with conservative styles employing well-recognized traditional forms and aesthetic details. Even so, Lacasa has set out to prove that it is possible to design a moern mosque that speaks to the younger Islamic generation while respecting those age-old traditions. Lacasa proposed a contemporary mosque design, using geometric forms to sculpt light as the central element of the building. The modern forms and minimalist detailing form an abstract interpretation of traditional Arabic architecture, the Mosque proposal features a multi-layered form clad in parts with mashrabiya screens to filter daylight into the interiors of the prayer hall. Its triangular geometry, inspired by leaves in nature, is a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Islamic motif. Light is bounced off diferent surfaces of the mosque and filtered through the mashrabiya apertures. Additionally, the architectural system protects visitors from the intense sunlight while providing a cooling environment. Our mosque design is essentially the search for balance between open and closed areas, modesty and expression, identity and convention as well as modernity and tradition.