THE PROJECT

The project composes of a large square “excavated in the mountain” as the central axis from where a river flows, “meaning of life” and after falling from an upper lake creating a curtain of water, it surrounds the square in a perimeter channel, as a symbol of the sacred Mount Arafat and of the well of Zemzem.

In this central square - and as a part of the same - zones for differentiated uses are established for activities of religious and cultural character, such as:

- A Mosque, as a central element
- The garden of the believers
- Purification area
- The garden of culture
- Koranic school
- Islamic museum
- Conference hall
- Services area

completely integrated with a pure harmony between a sustainable architecture, water and vegetation. It is precisely this harmony one of the pillars which turns it into a small paradise of the senses.

In short, it aims to create a space of life and sensations of such magnitude, that it cannot be exactly described or explained, and that can only be discovered in its entire dimension when it is visited.


Description of the main elements

The Mosque

The mosque is not only the main religious building, but a true creation of the Islamic civilization and an outstanding socio-cultural institution. A place of prayer, and also, a privileged site of meditation, spiritual relief, of communication between men, and teaching.

Taking as a base that a Muslim can pray in any place by virtue of the Prophet’s hadith, "The Earth has been assigned to me as an oratory, and, through me, its ground is pure; also, in whichever place, at the time of prayer, the faithful of my nation must pray", it is architecturally represented by a place excavated under a lake, converting the place into a space of rational geometry arranged in such a way that its functionality and idea, converts that which is human and that which is divine into a paradise of profound feelings, with a clean architecture of Arabic features.

On the inside of the mosque we find a place excavated with a geometric format, broken by a large natural looking rock that is submerged in the interior from the upper part of temple.

The light enters through an Arabic looking large crystal dome and on its upper part, externally, it is surrounded by water and by the rocks which enter into the inside of the mosque. The inner decoration is a continuation of ceramic aspects that form the perimeter channel that surrounds the square.

With an integrating architecture of spaces and forms "born from the Earth", where nature is fused with the traditional and the modern, forming one single entity, they respect each other - fleeing from all lavishness - its more significant elements, such as the prayer room, the courtyard, the mihrab, the mimbar and the qibla.

The gardens are located on both sides of the mosque, on the right hand side the garden of the believers and the area of purification and on the left hand side, the garden of culture, the Koranic school, the Islamic museum and the services area.


The garden of the believers

Located on the right hand side of the mosque and on top of the area of purification, this elevated Arabic style gardened area can be accessed through a gateway which represents the entrance to paradise.

The garden is an aspiration of man that we can find throughout all ages and civilizations. The Arabic garden demonstrates the yearning for the Mahommedan paradise. The life of the Muslim is tied to his idea of paradise, imagined as a garden, a place of delights and pleasures where he can achieve complete satisfaction of his desires. The Prophet announces: "God has promised to all believers, gardens where rivers run. In these they will live eternally: they will have beautiful dwellings in the garden of Eden". It is enough just to contemplate the Alhambra in Granada, to get the sensation that the Arabic ideal was to live in a garden.

Therefore, the garden of the believers envelops all that which can provide pleasure to the five senses of man: for sight, colour, light and shadow; for smell, the aromatic plants or the sweet perfume of the flowers; for hearing, the murmur of the water; for touch, the different textures of the materials and for taste, the taste of the fruits. All the garden is enveloped in a climate of sensuality, peace and quietness.

There are verses sculpted on the walls that mention the beauty of the garden, decorated with abstract floral drawings and coloured with tones that will accentuate the light that penetrates from the outside. The extensive use of brightly coloured tiles constitutes another of its special features.


Water - that in all gardens is the revitalising element, is converted into a living and dynamic essence – ensuring the vegetation a luxuriant exuberance and constituting the main evident decorative element, appearing in fountains, basins, jets and clever devices which make it vibrate in waves or in reflections of light.

A place where we can walk amongst gardens and fountains, a representation of animal sculptures that adorn the different spaces that encircle this nature filled place, transported to the most absolute geometry.

From the gardens we can see the upper part of the Mosque. The interior projection of the same is perceived, reflected in a natural looking lake, that contains a group of landscaped rocks that support the large glass dome, with the intention in its composition being the search for heaven.



Area of purification (hammam)

Situated on the right hand side of the mosque, there is a space set aside for the Arabic baths (hammam), independent for men and women. Muhammad said that heat of hammam (which in Arabic means “spreader of heat") improved fertility and this would make the followers of the faith multiply.

With the system of symbols of a place directed to the purification and personal hygiene in the anteroom of the prayer room (the spirit is purified in the mosque), it is also intended as such so that the users can enjoy the magic of water, not only as a purifying element in a purely Arabic atmosphere, but can also experience bodily sensations that lead to a spiritual well-being which cannot be explained with words even if you experienced it.



The garden of culture

This garden is a space open to all people no matter what their beliefs, and is situated on the right hand side of the square, which is also accessed through a gateway, that represents the human aspect of Islamic history and its present, the encounter of man with himself, his evolution, the reason for architecture, the significance of art in respect to beliefs, the profound feeling of life in the evolutionary aspects of its path, its learning, the respecting of life and the nature in all senses based on our existence.

Just after walking through the porch, we discover a fountain of jets which support an enormous sculpture of two doves, one black and one white. The meaning is powerful, we are entering into a place where all men are equal, there are no races, it is one place for all.

It is a place that submerges us in the teaching of respect and interest for a determined culture and religion, the way to understand Islam in all its historic splendour, the reason behind its fight in history. This is a place of historical fragments in a journey surrounded by gardens, waterfalls and lakes with features from different historic times and ages. It is a place where we can sit down, to talk and to get to know the more interesting aspects of a culture and a religion set in history, in a completely natural environment that draws us near to the Earth in peace and harmony.

Under the garden of culture, there is a multimedia museum of Islamic history and art, a Koranic school for non-Muslims with voluntary teaching staff (any Muslim can preach Islam), and a conference hall.

The project contemplates a services area located on the exterior perimeter of the garden of the believers and the garden of culture (on both sides of the outside of the square), where an area of restaurants, car parks, toilets and leisure areas will be located, mainly for family enjoyment.