Native structure workplace Studio Morphogenesis has used dusty pink colored concrete to construct a waterside mosque that sits on a sloping website in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Named after the land proprietor’s late mom, the Zebun Nessa Mosque is located within the quickly rising industrial outskirts of Dhaka. It was constructed to function a non secular sanctuary and communal house for native employees.
“We needed to border the view in direction of the water,” Studio Morphogenesis accomplice Saiqa Iqbal Meghna instructed Dezeen.
“This creates a way of calmness for the devotees as they enter the house from a busy industrial surrounding to a serene ambiance merged with the physique of water.”
Perched on a steadily sloping panorama, the studio adopted vernacular development strategies used to construct residential constructions within the area.
The method concerned utilizing a “dig and mound” strategy, the place constructions are elevated on excessive plinths to discourage overflow throughout heavy monsoon rains.
The mosque was constructed utilizing pink concrete to melt the tough industrial environment. The dusty pink hue references the earthy pink and crimson tones of historic Mughal, Sultanate and Indo-Saracenic architectures.
In the course of the pouring course of, vibrant pink pigments had been blended into the concrete. The choice to retain the as-cast concrete end aimed to replicate the economic atmosphere surrounding the constructing, preserving the uncooked aesthetic of the fabric.
The nice and cozy hue of the rusted pink concrete contrasts the inside, which contains a cooler turquoise palette for the flooring.
In distinction to standard mosques that function enclosed prayer areas, the qibla – which marks the course Muslims face throughout prayer – is outlined by a big, arched opening that enables a transparent view of the encompassing waterbody.
In response to Meghna, the mosque was designed as a “respiratory pavilion” to optimise pure mild and airflow. Its thick concrete partitions are perforated with small rectangular voids to offer air flow and permit mild to softly emanate by way of to the inside.
“The perforations create an interaction of sunshine seen in outdated Islamic architectures which might be adorned with intricate ‘jali’ works,” mentioned Meghna.
“The filtered mild that seeps by way of the small perforations additionally resembles hanging lanterns of outdated mosques.”
The prayer corridor’s semi-open configuration was designed to additional improve pure air flow, whereas offering shade from direct daylight.
“[The building] celebrates the seasonal attributes of the tropical local weather,” Meghna mentioned. “Wind circulate turns into a delicate breeze, whereas rainfall soothes and heals the ambiance.”
The mosque is devoid of glass surfaces except the translucent glass mihrab – a distinct segment indicating the qibla course, which is the focus of prayer halls in mosques.
In response to the studio, the constructing’s plan advanced from easy geometric shapes, with a sq. outer wall that envelops a central round quantity to create 4 enclosed courtyards on both sides.
The courtyards function endemic crops and tree species, together with Shimul bushes and Chhatim bushes, which had been chosen for his or her revered standing in Bangladesh.
The constructing was topped with a shallow, skinny shell dome that shelters the prayer corridor and is supported by a single peripheral beam.
“The floating dome evokes the structural ingenuity of overlaying giant areas with out intermediate helps, seen in mosque structure within the Islamic world,” Meghna mentioned.
A vital side of the challenge’s targets was to interact feminine employees by offering designated areas for prayer and communal actions.
Accessed by way of an exterior metal staircase, the mosque contains a crescent-shaped higher flooring that serves as a gathering house and prayer space particularly for girls, fostering a way of belonging and empowerment amongst ladies employees.
“I really feel blessed as lead architect to design a mosque named after a pious lady, the place ladies employees are addressed equally with significance and care,” mentioned Meghna.
Exterior, crimson cement and regionally sourced damaged brick items had been rigorously laid to create the mosaic-style flooring and ramps, which references conventional craftsmanship of the native space.
The out of doors ablution space transitions right into a turquoise mosaic flooring to evoke a way of purification throughout the act of cleaning earlier than prayer.
Studio Morphogenesis was co-founded by Meghna, Shahla Karim Kabir, Suvro Sovon Chowdhury and Minhaz Bin Gaffar in 2014.
Its tasks embody locations of worship, residential towers and workplaces that mix native conventional crafts with up to date design and expertise.
Different mosques in Dhaka embody the Mayor Mohammad Hanif Jame Mosque, which options an open-air prayer house, in addition to the Bait Ur Rouf Mosque, distinguished by its perforated brickwork and lightweight wells.
Images is by Asif Salman.
Challenge credit:
Architect: Studio Morphogenesis
Lead architect: Saiqa Iqbal Meghna
Companion in cost and design staff member: Suvro Sovon Chowdhury
Affiliate challenge architect: Muntasir Hakim
Different staff members: Shahla Karim Kabir and Minhaz Bin Gaffar
Building: IDS Adress Maker
Structural marketing consultant: TDM
Steel stair structural marketing consultant: Faysal Anwar
Electrical marketing consultant: Eyashin Ahamad
Plumbing consultants: Shafiqul Bari and Shah Newaz Kabir
Glass mihrab artist: Wakilur Rahman
