Eco Factor: Modern mosque divides prayer hall by a strip of glass and uses LED lighting.
The world is quite aware of the extent to which the Islamic community advocates the need for a certain degree of separation between men and women, and respecting that Barcelona-based ZEST Architecture has proposed a design of a mosque that allows equal access to the prayer room for both the sexes. Dubbed the “Ray of Light,” this entry for the Dubai Mosque Competition organized by Via Traffic proposes a common praying space for men and women with a metaphysical separation by means of light.
The prayer hall has a flowing dome-like geometry, which is separated into two halves by a strip of glass (the “Ray of Light”), through which sunlight streams in to form a metaphysical separation between the sexes. Inspired by Islamic motifs which lights up at night like a jewel, the underground area are illuminated using LEDs. The dome-shaped building has been designed to minimize energy use.
The structure reflects maximum sunlight during the day and offers maximum nighttime cooling. The strip of glass between the two halves has operable windows in order to allow cross ventilation. Following the custom of the open air mosques where female believers are situated behind male believers, the Ray of Light Mosque achieves the same by rotating the prayer hall by 45 degrees, resulting in pointing the entire shape toward the Kaaba. The entrances to other functions of the building have been placed on the other sides, so as not to disturb this purifying path.
Via: ArchDaily
