BK-M : Penrose

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BK-M : Penrose

Firm

form-ula

Type

Cultural › Religious

SIZE

10,000 sqft - 25,000 sqft

The premise for a Mosque in the 21st century are deeply rooted in the idea of transparency. The conversation began with seeking an architectural solution to reveal both the cultural connections and the spatial complexities of religious institutions within this given community. Through site and programmatic extension, The Penrose Project is able to function both as a contemporary religious facility and as a extended community center.The site is situated in a Brooklyn neighborhood of Coney Island. Directly adjacent from a typical corner lot is a triangular park space produced by the intersections of 3 adjacent streets. In an attempt to bleed the program of the park/public space back into the mosque, we proposed an east facing opening using a 20’ entry canopy at the ground level, to allow for the prayer space to extend out into the park when needed. To insure an open at the ground level prayer space, we interlocked 6 variance scale paraboloids skinned with a traditional folded Islamic star pattern. This bridged and elevated the space with an uninterrupted structure to maximize the total footprint for the prayer session. When occupancies reach above capacity, the canopy door opens to extend the prayer landscape out into the park.In addition to the main prayer space, the program called for female prayer space, kitchen and dining for social events, a library, children’s recreation / learning, and a living quarter for the resident Imam. These spaces are serviced by a northern staircase, positioned again to maximise the prayer space footprint. The children/learning space is punctured through with 2 massive skylights that are accessible from the 5th floor exterior.The entire volume is then wrapped in a large scale glass block and skinned w/ a Corian facade system. This serves two end goals: 1st. There is a controlled defused light that permeates through all of the facades on all sides of the building allowing for a drastic elimination of artificial light and an overall general soothing atmosphere. The 2nd are the insulation capacities. Each floor is seen as its own independent tray of program. The combination of the tray segregation and a skin that has a geometrical configuration that produces a low pressure zone between the exterior membrane of the glass block and the inner Corian skin.