This is a BBC Radio 4 programme which was broadcast on Friday, which discusses the debates among architects involved in British mosque design, which actually has practices dedicated to it. On one side are those who favour traditional features such as minarets, while others say a building can have a much more modernist approach and still be perfectly valid as mosque architecture. There is an interview with Yusuf Mangera, who belongs to the latter school and is involved in the Abbey Mills "Olympic" mosque project. (The programme avoids the political aspects of that project.)
(See this earlier entry for more on the Abbey Mills project and the objections to it.)
Masha'Allah that is really interesting. Isn't there a way they can do both though?
I can see both sides.
For the traditionalist side: I'd want to say I'd prefer a traditional architecture for the main reason that Westerners though that *that* is a mosque. The minerets are symbolic of a mosque in many parts of the Muslim world. On the other hand, I guess if there is some sort of other indication like a crescent, then I guess that problem goes away.
But I'd favor the latter opinion too because I feel as though Muslims in the West should be making their own tracks here. We should synthesize our tradition with where (and when) we are in a way that is hormonious and beautiful.
Interesting I haven't heard such a debate in the States (yet).
I'd prefer if we went with modern architecture, it's probably better for us to ease tensions over multi-culturalism that way. Spiritually it is of similar value anyway.
I also have reservations over the mega-mosque, we already have plenty of mosques and a huge controversial one in London will do not for our community.
While most of the masajid in S'pore are very old and very traditional in their architecture, some of the more recently built masajid combine modern architecture with traditional features. They're really quite attractive. The most interesting masjid I've been to here is located at one of the bank towers and is completely underground. While there's no "exterior architecture" (obviously), the interior design has elements of both the traditional and the modern.
assalamu alaykum
Isn't the architect's name Ali Mangera?
Isn't Yusuf Mangera one of the names of the teachers at Sunnipath?
wasalam