Barcelona-based ZEST Architecture shared with us their proposal for the Dubai Mosque Competition organized by Via Traffic. The mosque, called Ray of Light, has a groundbreaking concept allowing equal access to the prayer room for men and women with a metaphysical separation by means of light. See more images and architect’s description after the break.
With the Ray of Light Mosque, ZEST architecture has sought to design a modern mosque where men and women can pray together in one space, while respecting the need for a certain degree of separation. The prayer hall has a flowing dome-like geometry which is separated into two halves by a strip of glass (the “Ray of Light”), through which sunlight streams in to form a metaphysical separation between the sexes. At night this effect is achieved with artificial lighting. One half of the dome folds upwards to form an integrated minaret.
