Location : Preston / UK
Type : Religious
Project Area : 1125 sqm
Preston Mosque
Project Overview
This mosque proposal seeks to reimagine a sacred space defined not by formality or grandeur, but by humility, clarity, and deep spiritual resonance. From the earliest days of Islam, the mosque has served both as a place of individual devotion and collective faith—a sanctuary that nurtures belief and belonging. Our design returns to this essence.
Set atop a natural hill, the mosque emerges as a gentle intervention. Guided by the principle that worship requires only “a clean place,” the architecture becomes a shelter, not a spectacle. A singular, cloaked structure covers a series of spaces nestled beneath, creating an atmosphere of protection, calm, and contemplation.
Design Philosophy
The concept is grounded in Islamic values of simplicity and modesty. Rather than imposing on the landscape, the mosque grows from it—an elevated hill becomes a sanctuary, lightly veiled by a perforated roof. This cloak, fragmented into “pixels,” forms a protective canopy that filters light and shadows across the internal spaces.
Each “pixel” is expressed through Islamic motifs cast in precast concrete, allowing daylight to enter softly and guide worshippers through a sensory journey. Here, ornamentation is replaced by honesty—natural materials, elemental forms, and the quiet drama of light.
Spatial Composition
The plan centres around a covered courtyard, forming the heart of communal activity. Functions are arranged in distinct volumes, offering clarity of purpose and a sense of serene order:
Separate entrances lead worshippers to their respective prayer halls, designed with equal dignity.
The janazah space, libraries, and meeting rooms all open directly to the outdoors.
Shallow pools and greenery—symbolising purity and renewal—frame the mosque and enhance the meditative experience.
Cypress trees rise along the edges, both shielding and elevating, their verticality echoing the call to prayer.
Redefining the Prayer Space
Traditionally, domes and ornamented arches define mosque interiors. In contrast, this proposal offers a more introspective experience—high ceilings and sculpted geometry channel natural light into the prayer halls, evoking awe through spatial purity.
A perforated mashrabiya subtly separates male and female spaces, allowing both visibility and privacy. The mihrab is not a niche but a beam of light, precisely cast to illuminate the imam’s place of prayer—reminding worshippers that divinity needs no embellishment.
A single, minimalist minaret stands as a vertical marker, its form inspired by the elegant silhouette of the cypress tree. It becomes a symbol not of power, but of surrender.
A Sanctuary for All
This project is not an exercise in formal architecture, but a search for spiritual clarity. Rather than relying on conventional symbolism or monumental gestures, it embraces restraint—letting light, material, and space carry the weight of meaning.
The mosque is conceived as an inclusive and welcoming refuge—open to all who seek stillness, contemplation, and connection. It recognises the mosque’s role not just as a religious centre, but as a social and emotional anchor in the lives of its users. By fostering equality in spatial experience—between genders, between individual and collective—the architecture reinforces the core Islamic values of unity, humility, and compassion.
Here, architectural decisions serve a higher purpose: to create an atmosphere that awakens the soul rather than distracts it. The interplay of filtered sunlight, natural materials, quiet geometry, and open courtyards evokes a profound sense of presence—reminding us that sacredness can be found in simplicity, and belonging in silence.
In this sense, the mosque becomes more than a building. It becomes a living, breathing sanctuary—part of the land, shaped by faith, and shared by all.
