Punchbowl Mosque
Sydney AU
Candalepas Associates
2017
Type
Religious
Tags
community infrastructures, domestic spirituality
Visitability
Allowed
Description
The mosque, designed by Candalepas Associates for the Australian Islamic Mission, is located in the Punchbowl suburb. It has a notably solid concrete structure and forms that subtly invoke traditional Islamic architecture.The building has a rectangular layout with two adjoining but separated courtyards, with two entrances on either side for men and women respectively. Men access the building from the entrance on the left, which leads to the male ablutions room, and women access it from the entrance on the right. The main prayer room, presided over by a large wooden dome, is reserved for men. Women are directed to their own ablution room and afterwards to the upper-level galleries, which sit just beneath the dome, in a space elevated just above the centre of the mosque. At the end of the main nave, in front of the women’s galleries, the congregation prays towards a wall facing Mecca. The design features a type of sculpted, stepped wall, with details reminiscent of traditional Islamic decoration. The outdoor spaces - a small courtyard that leads to the main entrance from the exterior and another larger one at the back - connect with the mosque to provide a place for meetings and cultural events.