RIYADH MOSQUE
Location: Riyadh village, Abu Kabir, Sharqia Governorate, Egypt.
Project typology: Conceptual: Institutional (Mosque).
Project Year: 2022.
Site area: 400 sqm
The Riyadh Mosque is in northeast Egypt near the town of Abu Kabir in the Sharqia Governorate.
For more than a hundred years, the Old Mosque of Riyadh occupied the plot serving the community of the village. The original mosque was demolished and rebuilt several times and witnessed several additions and extensions over the years. As the village has experienced an increase in population during the past fifty years, the village community affectionately donated an adjoining plot for the mosque to be expanded and rebuilt.
For more than a hundred years, the Old Mosque of Riyadh occupied the plot serving the community of the village. The original mosque was demolished and rebuilt several times and witnessed several additions and extensions over the years. As the village has experienced an increase in population during the past fifty years, the village community affectionately donated an adjoining plot for the mosque to be expanded and rebuilt.
DESIGN VISION
Situated within the Nile Delta’s dense landscape, the new mosque is envisioned to be harmonious with its context. Standing as a physical embodiment of simplicity, spirituality, tranquility, and community, the concept of the mosque is designed to re-imagine the role of the old mosque in relation to the village.
A straightforward design process started by correcting the direction of the “qibla” wall as the old one had a 10-degree difference from the correct inclination. This prescribed the four sides of the main prayer hall. The next step was to add an outer shell this time aligned with the main streets around the plot in accord with the urban context. This outer shell wraps the prayer hall creating two ‘Riwaqs’ in between one at each side. A series of gateways are introduced to the ‘Riwaqs’ to attract people and worshipers from all directions for the main idea was to make the mosque work as an anchor for the village.
Following the main entrance leading to the prayer hall, a transitional space separates the large prayer hall from areas intended for ablution and footwear storage. This space forms a symbolic courtyard or ‘Sahn’. A palm tree inside the ‘Sahn’ leads to the main doors of the prayer hall where adjacent sitting benches suggest a place that is friendly and tranquil.
From within the prayer hall, on either side, the two ‘Riwaqs’ are open to the sky. The ‘Riwaqs’ serve not only as courtyards that help circulate fresh air and gather daylight, but they also provide worshipers with an additional place where they can read, reflect, and gather. The mosque relies on vertical openings in the ceiling which allow indirect lighting to enter through vertical glass panels that also let the fresh northern breeze filter into the mosque as well as indirect glare-less sunlight to naturally illuminate the prayer hall.
The minaret’s location was positioned on the right corner of the “qibla” wall. This location allows the minaret to form a visual mark that appears from both directions of the main village road, at the same time this maintains the original village skyline preserving the memory-of-place of this significant and beloved spot of the village.
Following the main entrance leading to the prayer hall, a transitional space separates the large prayer hall from areas intended for ablution and footwear storage. This space forms a symbolic courtyard or ‘Sahn’. A palm tree inside the ‘Sahn’ leads to the main doors of the prayer hall where adjacent sitting benches suggest a place that is friendly and tranquil.
From within the prayer hall, on either side, the two ‘Riwaqs’ are open to the sky. The ‘Riwaqs’ serve not only as courtyards that help circulate fresh air and gather daylight, but they also provide worshipers with an additional place where they can read, reflect, and gather. The mosque relies on vertical openings in the ceiling which allow indirect lighting to enter through vertical glass panels that also let the fresh northern breeze filter into the mosque as well as indirect glare-less sunlight to naturally illuminate the prayer hall.
The minaret’s location was positioned on the right corner of the “qibla” wall. This location allows the minaret to form a visual mark that appears from both directions of the main village road, at the same time this maintains the original village skyline preserving the memory-of-place of this significant and beloved spot of the village.
DESIGN APPROACH
With a deep inspiration from the early mosque’s typology in addition to the narratives of the village’s community, the mosque reframes the spaces to encourage community use alongside its purpose as a sacred space of worship. The mosque serves some additional activities besides the main prayer hall, such as a small library and a “Kuttab” for teaching Quran.
From within the prayer hall, on either side, the two ‘Riwaqs’ are open to the sky. The ‘Riwaqs’ serve not only as courtyards that help circulate fresh air and gather daylight, but they also provide worshipers with an additional place where they can read, reflect, and gather.
THANK YOU!
