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Central Mosque of Prishtina
Central Mosque of Prishtina
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Central Mosque of Prishtina
Central Mosque of Prishtina
For us, the design solution for The Central Mosque of
Prishtina has as its foundation the notion that Prishtina is a bridge between
the East and The West. It could not be a
entirely eastern mosque because of Prishtina’s various Western influences, nor
could it be a structure modeled after the latest Western trends in design as
Prishtina has strong roots in Islamic Culture and history, primarily an Eastern
phenomenon. The Central Mosque of
Prishtina thereby becomes a unique response to a particular culture, society
and geography at the macro scale, and its site, district of Dardania, and the
city of Prishtina in a more micro scale.
It is both grand and monumental, and inviting at a human scale. It is grand and monumental in scale as it
relates to Dardania and Prishtina with a minaret height of 83 meters measured
from Bulevardi I Deshmoreve. The main structure in 39 meters high. This height and scale will assure it landmark
status I a city dominated mostly by low to mid-rise residential
structures. The glass enclosed Minaret
will be seen from almost the entire city both during the day and at night when
its glass cage is lighted to the sky, reaching for the god and heavens! At a more human scale, the main prayer hall structure
is very approachable. It sits
singularly, monumentally alone with no other structure touching it. This will allow for free and unrestricted
circulation of large masses of people in the open and semi-open Upper Hayat around the hall and into
the main entrance directly opposite of the Kiblah. Walking around the main Prayer hall, one can
penetrate under the glass cube protecting enclosure to touch the stone faced of
the prayer hall with large scale Koranic modern calligraphy adorning it. The circular motion created around the
octagonal shape of the prayer hall, leaves one no choice but to lead to the
entry point on the opposite side. The
Mens prayer hall has been deliberately sunk one level from the Bulvardi I Deshmoreve level to allow
females to enter the mosque’s Mahfil in
a more direct way, a progressive gesture in line with today’s Islam and
especially Kosovo’s position in the Islamic World. Men descend down a grand stair case into an
interior portico and also enter the Men’s Prayer Hall on the lower level
directly opposite of the Kiblah Axis.
Lower Portico is also directly accessed via the Lower Hayat for those men and women who arrive on foot from the
western side of the property.
The Site has been planned to step with the terrain from east
to west. Lowering the Mens prayer hall
one level, has allowed it direct access from the Lower Hayat. Lower hayat which is surrounded by the
Library, Class Rooms, Restaurant, Multi-purpose rooms, and the conference hall
will be a place of gathering and in times of festivals, it can be used as additional
prayer space. This Lower Hayat is marked with and oriented by a Clock Tower a uniquely Albanian feature which doubles as an
elevator shaft accessing to parking below and library and Imam’s Apartment
above. Again, the concrete Clock Tower
is adorned with verses from Koran. All
the important functions of the complex including the main Prayer Hall can be
easily accessed from this Lower Hayat.
In a way it acts as a social gathering space and an organizer. In the middle of the Lower Hayat is a Fountain
which can be used for Ablution during the good weather as well as a skylight to
the shops on the level below. The lower
Hayat can be accessed from the East (upper Hayat), North and South(Pedestrian
path). From the Lower Hayat, the
monumental mass of the mosque can be seen leaving no doubt as to its presence
and importance!
The main Prayer Hall structure is derived from two distinct
forces of geometry. One is the direction
of the general City Grid and primarily the axis of Bulevardi I Deshmoreve and
the other the direction of Kaba. The
form starts out as a square, a significant form within Islamic Architecture,
and it turns direction to face Kaba while leaving behind its ghost as a cubic
glass enclosure to have a dialogue with the City. Once the square form turns, the limitations
of the site clip its corners and turn it into an octagonal form with its main
axis facing Kaba. Juxtaposition of the
square upon square and its radial movement form the basis of the geometry of
the dome of the Main Prayer Hall. The
Gaps in this three dimensional juxtaposition, form the openings filled with
skylights that fill the main prayer hall with a very high quality of light and
shadow. The main prayer hall floor is
approximately 2,580 M2. The Mihrab
is a direct result of the geometry of the Prayer Hall, a glass wedge which
is clearly identifiable both from interior as well as the exterior of the
mosque. This glass wedge descends into
the lower Men’s Prayer Hall level with back-lit glass. The interior of the prayer hall, is
monumental and mesmerizing. One can look
up at the ceiling and se the beautiful patterns of the beamed structure of the
dome and pendent lights following the pattern.
The walls are adorned with Gold Plated Calligraphy repeating “ In the
name of god the merciful and kind” while the floor is a deep red patterned
carpet, both signifying the richness of Allah.
The Mahfil or Women’s prayer is on the main and second gallery
levels. The main level is accessed
directly at ground level and the second level is accessible via two elevators
and large stairs. These levels look
directly on Men’s Prayer and at the Mihrab.
On all three levels, the relief calligraphy in certain zones turns into
bookshelves for Korans.
The Cubic Glass
enclosure around the main Prayer hall has practical, urbanistic and
symbolic significance. From a practical
point of view, it protects the main structure from severe winds during the
winter months, it also, has within its glass panels solar cells that absorb the
suns energy and help in the entire structure’s energy program. It also, has Koranic verses on the glass
panels which convey different messages from afar (The religion before Allah is Islam) and close up (There is no compulsion in Religion) as symbolic representation of Islamic Identity. Urbanistically, the Glass cube follows the
city grid and aligns itself with Bulevardi I Deshmoreve, giving the Mosque its
proper place within the city fabric while the structure within turns to Kaba. Symbolically, it’s a gesture toward the
Kaba’s cubic structure while protecting the sacred mosque much like a jewel in
a jewel box. Additionally, at night, the
entire glass cube becomes a digital LED surface glowing and conveying messages
at micro and macro scale signifying the acknowledgement of Man’s technological
progress in Islam.
The areas around the men’s Prayer hall are clearly
segregated to male and female. The Men’s
and women’s Ablution , showers and
toilets are in a completely separate wings.
Women are able to enter these areas directly without mixing with men
through stair and elevators from the main level or from the Lower Hayat. Imam’s room is directly behind the Mihrab
with a door to the Men’s Prayer Hall giving him direct access. Imam is also provided with an office within
the administrative wing along with other accounting and administrative
offices. The Conference hall with a
capacity of 500 opens directly into the lower Hayat. It also has the ability to be divided into 3 separately
functioning rooms. There are two
elevators which directly access the Prayer Hall from the parking and shops
below making it convenient to access the main mosque without navigating through
other functions. The shops are organized
along the southern pedestrian path, the north and western boundaries of the
site. Additional shops are provided in
the level below the Lower Hayat in a Bazaar format accessed from a western
entry and via elevators from the parking below making it more convenient to shop
during winter months.
The buildings are designed for low cost of maintenance. All the structures are to be built in
Reinforced cast in place smooth finish concrete. The main Prayer hall will be cladded in large
stone slab veneer and the dome beams will be cladded in stainless steel panels
for low cost of maintenance and long life.
The will be zones of landscaping provided in the Upper Hayat and the
Lower Hayat with indigenous trees providing shade in the summer months. CREDITS:Mark Vaghei, AIA Designer/PrincipalElise McCurley, Junior Designer/3D Artist
For us, the design solution for The Central Mosque of
Prishtina has as its foundation the notion that Prishtina is a bridge between
the East and The West. It could not be a
entirely eastern mosque because of Prishtina’s various Western influences, nor
could it be a structure modeled after the latest Western trends in design as
Prishtina has strong roots in Islamic Culture and history, primarily an Eastern
phenomenon. The Central Mosque of
Prishtina thereby becomes a unique response to a particular culture, society
and geography at the macro scale, and its site, district of Dardania, and the
city of Prishtina in a more micro scale.
It is both grand and monumental, and inviting at a human scale. It is grand and monumental in scale as it
relates to Dardania and Prishtina with a minaret height of 83 meters measured
from Bulevardi I Deshmoreve. The main structure in 39 meters high. This height and scale will assure it landmark
status I a city dominated mostly by low to mid-rise residential
structures. The glass enclosed Minaret
will be seen from almost the entire city both during the day and at night when
its glass cage is lighted to the sky, reaching for the god and heavens! At a more human scale, the main prayer hall structure
is very approachable. It sits
singularly, monumentally alone with no other structure touching it. This will allow for free and unrestricted
circulation of large masses of people in the open and semi-open Upper Hayat around the hall and into
the main entrance directly opposite of the Kiblah. Walking around the main Prayer hall, one can
penetrate under the glass cube protecting enclosure to touch the stone faced of
the prayer hall with large scale Koranic modern calligraphy adorning it. The circular motion created around the
octagonal shape of the prayer hall, leaves one no choice but to lead to the
entry point on the opposite side. The
Mens prayer hall has been deliberately sunk one level from the Bulvardi I Deshmoreve level to allow
females to enter the mosque’s Mahfil in
a more direct way, a progressive gesture in line with today’s Islam and
especially Kosovo’s position in the Islamic World. Men descend down a grand stair case into an
interior portico and also enter the Men’s Prayer Hall on the lower level
directly opposite of the Kiblah Axis.
Lower Portico is also directly accessed via the Lower Hayat for those men and women who arrive on foot from the
western side of the property.
The Site has been planned to step with the terrain from east
to west. Lowering the Mens prayer hall
one level, has allowed it direct access from the Lower Hayat. Lower hayat which is surrounded by the
Library, Class Rooms, Restaurant, Multi-purpose rooms, and the conference hall
will be a place of gathering and in times of festivals, it can be used as additional
prayer space. This Lower Hayat is marked with and oriented by a Clock Tower a uniquely Albanian feature which doubles as an
elevator shaft accessing to parking below and library and Imam’s Apartment
above. Again, the concrete Clock Tower
is adorned with verses from Koran. All
the important functions of the complex including the main Prayer Hall can be
easily accessed from this Lower Hayat.
In a way it acts as a social gathering space and an organizer. In the middle of the Lower Hayat is a Fountain
which can be used for Ablution during the good weather as well as a skylight to
the shops on the level below. The lower
Hayat can be accessed from the East (upper Hayat), North and South(Pedestrian
path). From the Lower Hayat, the
monumental mass of the mosque can be seen leaving no doubt as to its presence
and importance!
The main Prayer Hall structure is derived from two distinct
forces of geometry. One is the direction
of the general City Grid and primarily the axis of Bulevardi I Deshmoreve and
the other the direction of Kaba. The
form starts out as a square, a significant form within Islamic Architecture,
and it turns direction to face Kaba while leaving behind its ghost as a cubic
glass enclosure to have a dialogue with the City. Once the square form turns, the limitations
of the site clip its corners and turn it into an octagonal form with its main
axis facing Kaba. Juxtaposition of the
square upon square and its radial movement form the basis of the geometry of
the dome of the Main Prayer Hall. The
Gaps in this three dimensional juxtaposition, form the openings filled with
skylights that fill the main prayer hall with a very high quality of light and
shadow. The main prayer hall floor is
approximately 2,580 M2. The Mihrab
is a direct result of the geometry of the Prayer Hall, a glass wedge which
is clearly identifiable both from interior as well as the exterior of the
mosque. This glass wedge descends into
the lower Men’s Prayer Hall level with back-lit glass. The interior of the prayer hall, is
monumental and mesmerizing. One can look
up at the ceiling and se the beautiful patterns of the beamed structure of the
dome and pendent lights following the pattern.
The walls are adorned with Gold Plated Calligraphy repeating “ In the
name of god the merciful and kind” while the floor is a deep red patterned
carpet, both signifying the richness of Allah.
The Mahfil or Women’s prayer is on the main and second gallery
levels. The main level is accessed
directly at ground level and the second level is accessible via two elevators
and large stairs. These levels look
directly on Men’s Prayer and at the Mihrab.
On all three levels, the relief calligraphy in certain zones turns into
bookshelves for Korans.
The Cubic Glass
enclosure around the main Prayer hall has practical, urbanistic and
symbolic significance. From a practical
point of view, it protects the main structure from severe winds during the
winter months, it also, has within its glass panels solar cells that absorb the
suns energy and help in the entire structure’s energy program. It also, has Koranic verses on the glass
panels which convey different messages from afar (The religion before Allah is Islam) and close up (There is no compulsion in Religion) as symbolic representation of Islamic Identity. Urbanistically, the Glass cube follows the
city grid and aligns itself with Bulevardi I Deshmoreve, giving the Mosque its
proper place within the city fabric while the structure within turns to Kaba. Symbolically, it’s a gesture toward the
Kaba’s cubic structure while protecting the sacred mosque much like a jewel in
a jewel box. Additionally, at night, the
entire glass cube becomes a digital LED surface glowing and conveying messages
at micro and macro scale signifying the acknowledgement of Man’s technological
progress in Islam.
The areas around the men’s Prayer hall are clearly
segregated to male and female. The Men’s
and women’s Ablution , showers and
toilets are in a completely separate wings.
Women are able to enter these areas directly without mixing with men
through stair and elevators from the main level or from the Lower Hayat. Imam’s room is directly behind the Mihrab
with a door to the Men’s Prayer Hall giving him direct access. Imam is also provided with an office within
the administrative wing along with other accounting and administrative
offices. The Conference hall with a
capacity of 500 opens directly into the lower Hayat. It also has the ability to be divided into 3 separately
functioning rooms. There are two
elevators which directly access the Prayer Hall from the parking and shops
below making it convenient to access the main mosque without navigating through
other functions. The shops are organized
along the southern pedestrian path, the north and western boundaries of the
site. Additional shops are provided in
the level below the Lower Hayat in a Bazaar format accessed from a western
entry and via elevators from the parking below making it more convenient to shop
during winter months.
The buildings are designed for low cost of maintenance. All the structures are to be built in
Reinforced cast in place smooth finish concrete. The main Prayer hall will be cladded in large
stone slab veneer and the dome beams will be cladded in stainless steel panels
for low cost of maintenance and long life.
The will be zones of landscaping provided in the Upper Hayat and the
Lower Hayat with indigenous trees providing shade in the summer months. CREDITS:Mark Vaghei, AIA Designer/PrincipalElise McCurley, Junior Designer/3D Artist
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