Architecture of the Contemporary Mosque

This book is an eclectic collection o f essays, project reviews and
personal perspectives about a complex and challenging subject: the
architecture o f the contemporary mosque. The subject is complex
because it involves an understanding of the societal context in which the building is situated. It is also the most challenging
building type for any architect practicing in the Muslim world
today. No other building is so charged with symbolism, so
hem m ed in by established architectural convention, and so likely
to be scrutinized in the minutest detail by friend and critic alike.
Above all it is a building that has to answer the spiritual as well as
the functional needs o f a com m unity, while also making an
eloquent statement about that community.
Realizing the complexity of the subject, and the diversity of the
cultural and architectural expressions of the societies of the
Muslim world, this book does not seek to be historically or geographically comprehensive. (An excellent start has already been
made at this by Martin Frishman and Hassan-Uddin Khan.) Nor is
it intended to be encyclopedic in coverage. Rather it presents a
number o f contemporary mosques, intended to provide a palimpsest for interested scholars and to engage the attention of practicing
architects and students.In keeping with this aim, Architecture of the Contemporary Mosque
opens with a background study and introduction which places the
subject in its historical context, offering a brief synopsis o f the development of the mosque, its forms, styles and place in the urban fabric.
The many Islamic terms which will be new to those unfamiliar with
mosque architecture are explained here and in a comprehensive
glossary at the end o f the book. A second introductory essay sets
out a framework and critical approach to the architecture of the
contemporary mosque. This is intended to provide a conceptual
matrix into which the individual project can be mapped, to provide
context while also advocating a multi-layered critique to enrich
our understanding of the significance of the buildings examined.
The book is then divided according to broad national or geographic areas, though the emphasis within each section is upon
specific examples and case studies. Individual buildings are singled
out for special coverage in order to reinforce particular points.
Thus the ‘browsers’ will be able to access information as effectively
as those w ho wish to read the volume from cover to cover.
The geographic regions covered include Saudi Arabia, Egypt,
the Maghreb, Turkey and Iran. Inevitably, given the strong views
on the influence o f the West on these societies, it makes sense to
round off the book with a discussion o f a few examples of mosques
built in the West.
In Architecture of the Contemporary Mosque there is no unanimity
o f views among the authors, nor is there any effort to homogenize
their differences. Ultimately, the buildings will speak most eloquently to the reader in their own inimitable way.