New Mosque / Design competition
Dubai Creek Mosque
Dubai, UAE
Architecture, Interior design, and Landscape architecture
Commencement
Scale
Status
2018
Approx. 20000 square-meter lot area
Concept
The concept is to reflect the phenomenal meaning of Islam, “the God is the all-mighty creator of the universe” and all human beings on earth should worship, praise and give thanks to his goodness. Therefore the design fuses Modernism in the spiritual sense that arts and architecture represent God’s presence through the creative use of light, and the ambience rendered with an arrangement of volumes and spaces, by lights.
The form of the building is basically dictated by site constraints where the Mosque placed in line with the Creek Tower and Linear park axis and the orientation of the Qibla wall. However, the site has been the main focal point of vista on the Dubai creek tower plaza axis, the main entry gateway created to add symbolic and iconic sight to the mosque. Shading devices, natural ventilation and water have been incorporate to create environments for prayer. The design reflects the key principles of Islamic art and architecture - simplicity, functionality, spirituality, light, pattern, geometry and water.
The plan form of the main prayer hall is basically rectangular as requested on the design brief and engineering of the structure placed four concrete arches on the prayer hall and sculptural moulded steel-framed dome on top. The general form of the mosque simply follows classical Islamic precedent, as does the use of geometric patterns and designs, creating an elegant space with perfect proportions, with pierced roof screens creating patterns of dappled light and shade.
Most of the building perimeter walls are to create with white stone. Metal Islamic patterned screens adding privacy to internal spaces. Colonnade provides shade to Middle Eastern harsh sunlight and also direct people to the relevant spaces from the Entrance Pavilion. Within the prayer hall perforated, patterned screens allow dappled natural light to illuminate the prayer hall, providing a contemplative space for prayer. In situ concrete palm tree-shaped colonnade wraps the courtyard framing to its perfect geometry.
Sustainable Design The Mosque has been constructed using an in situ concrete frame with blockwork infill. Regional limestone is used as cladding and stone used as accent banding to the courtyard floor. Screens are cast bronze to create richness and depth. The Mosque has been designed to ‘LEED’ gold standard and utilizes passive and active sustainable techniques including photovoltaics and solar hot water heaters. The prayer hall is designed so that no artificial lighting is needed during daylight hours.