Bait Ur Rouf Mosque

Description

A Mosque is essentially a place of congregation of devoted Muslims, gathered in brotherhood facing qibla in submission to one God, Omni present. Clarity of space is prerequisite as there is no expression of mystic myth, no hierarchy. A carefully scaled and proportioned volume that is contemplative in nature is evenly lit to enhance the feeling of all as equal. Light remains at the core of design.To be in communion with God requires a space that must span the distance between earth and beyond, between here and infinity between today and eternity. And it did so marvelously well in the domed structures of Istanbul that spread so successfully all over the Turkish Empire and far beyond and in the arched colonnade mosques of Maghreb and Andalusia, with the Great mosque of Cordoba, with its miracle of repetitive, almost infinite space.In Bengal, a glorious legacy of Mosque architecture began with the advent of Islam in the thirteenth century. The mosques were not influenced by foreign style but combined and adapted elements found in local tradition. Built in brick with several small domes to span the roof, these mosques essentially embody a style that is unique to Bengal. The Choto Shona Mosque of Rajshahi, Shat Gombuj Mosque ofBagerhat are great examples of Bengali style.In contemporary times in architecture the very personal approach to design, the overwhelming attitude to speak one’s own language, denies these roots and basis that has formed and stabilized public response to what is conceived as a mosque a priori, ‘the continuity that loves and recalls the old to embody it in something new is ignored’ or has passed away.Bait ur Rouf Mosque is an attempt to trace the lost glory of Bengal yet representing the very essence of contemporary expression. The project is located in the northern expansion of Dhaka, a fast-growing community of lower middle-income neighborhood. 7200sft of area donated by Sufia Khatun for the mosque is flanked by roads on west and south. The site axis creates a 13-degree angle with the axis of qibla* which called for an innovation in the layout.Three volumes were introduced, one inserted within the other to create sequence of spaces. The outer most volume is a 75’x75’ square of 25’ height that is situated parallel to the road that creates the main façade of the mosque. A cylindrical volume is then inserted into it that facilitates the rotation of the prayer hall simultaneously formulating light courts on four sides. All ancillary functions such as the entrance courts, ablution and toilet facilities, Imam’s office and stair are located within the space created by the outer square and cylindrical volume. This part of the design is conceived as load bearing brick construction; whereas, the prayer hall is in concrete. The main prayer hall, raised on eight peripheral columns, an open space, 50’x50’ in square and 35’ in height, is essentially a pavilion form. Materials used are very basic and raw due to low budget. Brick, as load bearing walls form the outer envelope of the mosque housing the entrance, ablution etc; the prayer hall is a pavilion in concrete wrapped around with brick façade. The porosity created by the laying of brick allows natural ventilation into the space as well as ornate the façade giving essence of the rich legacy of mosque architecture in Bengal with a contemporary expression.The floor of the prayer hall is finished with terrazzo of white stone dust, creating a contrast with the unadorned rough surfaces of raw construction.Day light is abundant in subtropic and a major design element in the mosque. The rapidly urbanising location of the project site demanded an internalised planning that also enhances the use of light as a spiritual element. Light ornate the prayer hall crafted through the ceiling and by the volumes. (Description provided by Marina Tabassum)