rux: the vanishing mosque

I really like it. I really mean it. Especially when it becomes a part of the city plan.

Onur   07.16.10

it's showing that the designer didn't know anything about muslems and their praying!!!!!
This isn't they want!!!!!

Yanon   07.16.10

i wonder how they want to pray if its extremely hot weather or raining or sand storm?

vibenade   07.16.10

This is a strong idea and absolutely beautiful to "feel" the mosque. I am very impacted by this.

Dirk van der Kraan   07.16.10

The aim of this competition was to rethink the traditional mosque. This concept is very controversial and a well deserved winner!

daniel   07.16.10

I'm questionning this actually works. I've never seen a pool for ablutions, what about the hygienic aspect? Outdoor praying at 45 degrees and a flexible gender barrier? I'm not sure this would get accepted.

Peter   07.16.10

a mosque has certain elements that go with the rituals that take place in a mosque. the fact that its opened to the outside , the concept it self is not applicable in the gulf area. weather, privacy, solitude and the fact that the people who dont ENTER the mosque shall not be part of any ritual taking place. nice try but really lacks reality, research and study.

sara   07.16.10

I don't know Sara. There are plenty of mosques where you can have a "traditional" experience. This one is trying to offer something new. And it is incredibly beautiful and inspiring in addition!!! The whole point of the competition was to reinvent the mosque, and RUX was bold enough to give us something that is sure to inspire great debate.

Rement   07.16.10

Genius!

kg   07.16.10

really a catchy perspective...as a strong image it works, but lets accept it, such a concept cannot work under the gulf sun....so simple...it is written that rux is from ny. i doubt if it works even under ny sun...

emre   07.16.10

Prayers area should be on flat land. It can't be on a slope or on stairs. It's like hanging cross upside down in a church!

Soroosh   07.16.10

well is impossible weather in dubai! so doesn't work at all! go there and see.

francesco   07.16.10

i don't think is going to be built in that enviroment.

marcos   07.16.10

Actually I encourage new concepts and ideas of mosques, that introduces new forms and elements may be like the slope.... also about the hot weather, a light structure like a tent will solve the weather problems...
But : the idea of opening the mosque to the shopping arcades is not quite right. because it is considered some kind of distraction as the activities and shopping facades will draw the prayers' attention which is against praying values and rules.

other than that it is new and good concept
bahlool16@hotmail.com

Waleed Tarek   07.17.10

I appreciate the idea and like it very much...there might be a lot of extremist who would go against the concept of this mosque, but i think it will work wihtout hampering the values and the philosophy of Islam

dfshuvra   07.17.10

the idea about the space being formed with vanishing point seems good, but practically will not hold good for any praying center just not mosque, as the inclination may lead to problems to people attending there...

asad   07.17.10

The flexible barrier is actually right and this is how they used to pray back during our Prophet's days; it's wrong to separate the men and the women area with a wall. The heat is one problem, I dont know what kind of marble they're going to use or if there's a cooling system that will be applied. Distraction, as some of your mentioned, is one thing. Perhaps a landscape that will apart the building from the prayer area will work. But over all, it isn't bad. Its new. I'd rather a Muslim design a Masjed (mosque) who knows what praying is all about because it's a sensitive religious matter but again it's not bad.

Maryam   07.17.10

it think that the ablution space is not placed correctly, one have to go a long way down then came back under the scorching sun,

AND THE BIG ISSUE
" theres no shade"

come on guys be practical,
the other this that i totally disagree with is that the designers say
"the vanishing mosque', plays with the idea of liberating the mosque from a building form
and incorporating it directly into the fabric of the city, making it more visible, connected,
and integral to the spiritual and cultural workings of a community. "

its a sweeping statement here, if they really wanna do something like that then they should study about the Muslim cities of herat, Samarkand, Bukhara, Isfahan and many more where mosque actually act as the city center, the whole city is developed around it giving the mosque the utmost importance, the way they have done this, its a very informal mosque, and theres nothing new except the steps , and one can find so many informal kinda mosques here in Karachi, so nothing new n nothing exciting.
by the way i really doubt the perspective views, they seems quite unrealistic to me, because of the scale of the sight, and the perspective its not coordinating, and from where the perspective is taken i cant barely see the imam and could hardly connect with him while hes giving the sermon

owais hasan   07.17.10

I checked out the rux design website because i was hoping to find drawings of a shading system for this mosque. i didn't find a drawing, but they do mention that "retractable cloth awnings filter out harsh afternoon sun on the prayer floor". that will definitely help with the heat problem. I'm sure as they develop the design we will get to see how this shading system works.

Kent   07.17.10

Off the topic but I just wanted to say it's very refreshing to read people debating something concerning the Muslim religion in a constructive manner.

Over-all from a Muslim's point of view, this concept is not at all practical and yes it lacks a lot of research and study.
A person who goes to ANY place of worship will tell you that peace and quiet are amongst the most important things. To add to that, this idea being an open space also loses on the importance of cleanliness and hygiene of the ablution water.

That being said, from an aesthetic-al and design point of view, I really appreciate the thought and concept that went into this. I like the fact that an idea of integrating a/any 'building' within the city was considered and how the space was so open it had a serene energy to it.

To put the atmosphere/temperature argument to rest, I have lived (for 20 years) and still live in Dubai and let me tell you the weather here in the summer is unbearable. Imagine every time you open the door of your home it's like opening an oven door, no exaggeration. Temperatures reach 50 degrees and having a tent cover is really not something smart. In addition we have sand storms, rain, and thunderstorms.

This is kind of like a Dubai based architecture firm, with no proper knowledge or research, has entered a competition for building a new baseball stadium in NY. Nobody plays baseball here, there are no fields to begin with so imagine what the outcome would be. But thanks for the efforts.

Maya   07.19.10

It is a fresh break through concept, and very beautiful, although 3rd render from top reminds me of a spaceship, and the jargon of climate and hygiene will be another mile to go to realize such a project in the region, yet if you ask me I'll vote for this one.

gehad   07.19.10

this designer dont know anything about islam.

slope looking good but not for worship.

in front people much higher than rear , in islam everybody must be equal !

prayers needs privacy (womens not be in sight)

this compass needle showin sky, muslim dont adore sky or stars

and more and more good luck

fatih   07.19.10

such a waste if a suicide bomber would just blow it up.....

luke   07.20.10

It is very interesting that nobody nor the architects nor the people giving comments here have studied a little about the rules of group worshiping and there spaces in Islam. I am sure the architect who has given "the raised prayer plinth" design had never attended a muslim group praying himself to know that according to Islamic mosque building rules the place of the Imam and mihrab should be the lowest part of the praying courtyard(not the highest!!!), the prays of the people who attend a grouply praying on this rising arrow-like platform is not accepted according to the Islamic Shariat. The building of this un-studied design should be stopped immediately.

Mohammed Vaez   07.20.10

I have worked on a number of medium sized mosques for the Muslim community in London. I agree with the comments that seeming absence of understanding for some of the key aspects of the religious brief for a project like this is rather disappointing.

However this and the mantle mosque are exploratory projects that don't purport to be finished solutions. I think both of them have some strong qualities. I have found working with this client group to be rewarding and often a more openminded process than on more highly legislated secular buildings.

I also find the black and white statements about what is wrong or right misrepresent the real issue of designing for the Muslim community. My experience is that different groups often have very different interpretations of the religious brief.

Markland Klaschka Architects and Designers

Robert Klaschka   07.20.10