A New Mosque
Location: Preston, Lancashire. England
Status: RIBA Competition Entry
Size: 40,000 SF
This design for a New Mosque aims to become a significant gathering place for the local Muslim community and the broader residents of Preston. The sahn, or courtyard, is the archetype—a physical expression of the collective sense of belonging. It is a public space that welcomes everyone, whether they have come to pray or for a moment of reprieve from the bustle of daily life. While the prayer hall anchors this project, it is the courtyards on each of the three levels that create the potential for community engagement, contemplation, and inclusivity.
Site
The layout of the site and building is generated by using a series of intersecting organizational lines. One set is oriented towards the city of Preston while the second is oriented towards the Qibla. The resultant triangular form is demarcated with an arcade that is reminiscent of a historical sahn and encompasses the perimeter of the prayer hall and mihrab.
Historic Precedent
The strong repetition of columns and numerous arcades throughout the project evoke notable mosques of the past. In this Mosque, the arcades reveal courtyards located on each level and help guide visitors throughout the building.
Floor Plans
SITE STRATEGY
The layout of the site is created by overlaying geometry oriented towards the city of Preston with geometry oriented towards Qibla.
BUILDING FORM
The resultant triangular form is demarcated by an arcade that encompasses the perimeter, wrapping the prayer hall.
STACKED COURTYARDS
Stacked atop the main sahn, each floor includes smaller courtyards for more private gathering or views out to the city beyond.
INTERIOR DAYLIGHT
Two large skylights accentuate triple height spaces, creating bright, courtyard-like spaces inside the mosque.
Interiors
The spaces within the Mosque create a sense of monumentality and permanence found in historic precedents while remaining open and contemporary. The utilization of brick throughout the Mosque, both inside and out, is intended to reinforce the timeless nature of the project and will bring durability to stand for centuries as its predecessors have done.
