Islamic tradition in a coastal context

Set within the island’s masterplan, the mosque is designed to reinterpret time-honored architectural principles through a contemporary lens, creating a serene sanctuary that belongs unmistakably to its place. Designed to support both daily worship and community life, the mosque is planned to accommodate up to 1,000 worshippers and to function as a walkable, community-focused destination woven into the rhythm of island life.

The design draws deeply from Islamic architectural typologies and regional vernacular forms that evolved in response to climate, light, and social life. References to tents, maritime structures, and shaded gathering spaces inform an architecture intended to be open, breathable, and responsive to sea breezes and shifting daylight. Rigorous geometry anchors the proposal, mediating between the ordered grid of the island and the sacred orientation toward Mecca.

The courtyard as threshold

At the center of the design is a reimagined sahn, or courtyard, conceived as an open, yet shaded, threshold between the public realm and the prayer hall. This courtyard is designed to serve as the mosque’s social and spiritual forecourt, welcoming worshippers while offering moments of pause and reflection.

Water features are intended to provide acoustic buffering and evaporative cooling, enhancing comfort while reinforcing the symbolic transition from secular space to sacred alignment.

A defining canopy

Suspended above the courtyard, a woven chainmail canopy is envisioned as the project’s defining architectural gesture. Referenced in the Quran and historically associated with protection and craftsmanship, the chainmail is reinterpreted here as a contemporary environmental system.

Calibrated through environmental simulations, the canopy is designed to filter light, moderate heat, and create a dynamic microclimate. Its gently responsive structure is intended to introduce subtle movement and sound, animating the space below.

Form, permanence, and orientation

The proposed mosque is organized through a clear hierarchy of volumes. A cubic prayer hall is designed to rise from a raised plaza, flanked by lower volumes housing ablution and support spaces. This sequence is intended to choreograph the journey from arrival to prayer with clarity and calm.

The minaret extends the project’s geometric logic, emerging from the same interplay of sacred and secular grids. Its form is designed to subtly twist toward Mecca, acting as both spiritual marker and future landmark within the island skyline.

The choreography of light

Light is intended to act as the primary organizing element of the interior. Entry spaces and secondary prayer areas are designed to remain intentionally subdued, heightening the transition into the luminous main prayer hall.

Here, a chainmail curtain is proposed to line the Qibla wall, parting at its center to reveal a skylit aperture that marks the mihrab and the imam’s position. Interior finishes are conceived to be restrained and refined, allowing light to carry symbolic and spatial meaning throughout the space.

Women’s journey to prayer

The mosque is designed to accommodate women’s participation in communal prayer through a dedicated and carefully considered sequence. A discreet landscaped approach leads to a triple-height entry space and a prayer balcony overlooking the main hall, allowing shared participation while maintaining privacy and cultural norms.

Purpose-built amenities, including ablution facilities and a children’s room, are planned to support a welcoming and dignified experience.

Devotional calligraphy

A bespoke devotional calligraphy program, developed in collaboration with Morcos Key, is proposed to integrate Quranic verses focused on light and the 99 Names of God. Designed specifically for the mosque, a custom Kufi script is intended to be inscribed into the facade and to frame key thresholds, becoming an integral architectural element rather than applied ornament.

Integrated and sustainable design

Environmental performance is embedded throughout the design. Shaded outdoor spaces and an open perimeter are intended to encourage natural ventilation from prevailing sea breezes, reducing heat gain and enhancing comfort. Photovoltaic panels are proposed to be integrated into the roof, generating on-site energy while concealing mechanical systems and extending the formal logic of the canopy.

Landscape design is conceived to mitigate noise, frame views, and support pedestrian and cycling access, reinforcing the mosque’s role as both destination and connector. Architecture, structure, interiors, landscape, and signage are envisioned as a fully integrated whole.