The 700-square-metre structure is situated in Buyukçekmece, a suburb on the outskirts of Istanbul and is separated from the surrounding gated communities by a busy highway and tall stone walls. The pared-back and unornamented structure is set into a depression in the landscape, with only the stone roof and a tall minaret visible from certain points around the perimeter.

It aims to address the fundamental issues of designing a mosque by distancing itself from the current architectural discussions based on form and focusing solely on the essence of religious space, by distancing itself from discussions on form. Physical and emotional pleasure was at the forefront. The design aimed at representing the purest forms of light and matter, just as a primary inner world, free from all cultural burdens. The disappearance of the building on the slope of the site, anchorage to the ground as if it has always been there, and getting rid of all temporal and cultural engagements were aimed.

Turkish firm Emre Arolat Architects used a combination of light grey stone and reinforced concrete to construct the Sancaklar Mosque, which is set into a plaza made up of shallow terraced steps.

Sancaklar Mosque aims to address the fundamental issues of designing a mosque by distancing itself from the current architectural discussions based on form and focusing solely on the essence of religious space,” said the architects. Pieces of stone set into the sloping terrain create rows of long, earthen steps that lead down to the sunken building. Tufts of grass have sprouted around the stonework, helping to integrate the steps and roof into the landscape.

The interior of the mosque, a simple cave like space, becomes a dramatic and awe-inspiring place to pray and be alone with God. The slits and fractures along the Qiblah wall enhance the directionality of the prayer space and allows daylight to filter into the prayer hall.