at dubai design week 2017, LASVIT and khalid shafar premiers ‘silent call’, a programmable dynamic lighting sculpture that ‘integrates time and motion for a function beyond the aesthetic’. the installation explores the eternal partnership of art and religion by transforming the crown of islamic architecture – the mosque – into mezmerizing beacons. sourcing the symbolism of the number five in islam, stylized domes of five renowned mosques in the UAE, russia, malaysia, germany and denmark have been transformed as the chandelier’s crystal components.


all images courtesy of LASVIT unless stated otherwise

 

 

‘the five daily prayers are among the most important obligations of islamic faith,‘ explains khalid shafar. ‘today’s busy world poses challenges to a worship performed in times determined according to the sun. prayer times are defined as near dawn, just after midday, in the afternoon, just after sunset and around nightfall, so the exact time changes throughout the season. software-based azan clocks keep track of it for travelers and worshipers inside buildings where the call to prayer may not be heard. this led to the idea of programming a sculpture that would silently remind worshipers of prayer times using lighting effects and motion.’

 

 

the collaboration between LASVIT and khalid shafar attributes to the regional and international atmosphere and outlook of dubai design week. ‘silent call’ itself aims to showcase the beauty of the call to prayer and delivers with its adjustable timing technology. each silhouette of the mosques have been resized in several dimension, before being mounted upside-down on the installation for functionality and composition purposes. by syncing to its collector’s time zone and schedule, its internal technology enables the chandelier to adjust to many other cultures and needs, not just in an islamic context.

 

 


khalid shafar next to the ‘silent call’ installation
image courtesy of photo solutions

 


image courtesy of photo solutions

 


image courtesy of photo solutions

tim spears I designboom
nov 16, 2017

    have something to add? share your thoughts in our comments section below.

    comments policy
    LOG IN
    designboom's comment policy guidelines
    generally speaking, if we publish something, it's because we're genuinely interested in the subject. we hope you'll share this interest and if you know even more about it, please share! our goal in the discussion threads is to have good conversation and we prefer constructive opinions. we and our readers have fun with entertaining ones. designboom welcomes alerts about typos, incorrect names, and the like.
    the correction is at the discretion of the post editor and may not happen immediately.

    what if you disagree with what we or another commenter has to say?
    let's hear it! but please understand that offensive, inappropriate, or just plain annoying comments may be deleted or shortened.

    - please do not make racist, sexist, anti-semitic, homophobic or otherwise offensive comments.
    - please don't personally insult the writers or your fellow commenters.
    - please avoid using offensive words, replacing a few letters with asterisks is not a valid workaround.
    - please don't include your website or e-mail address in your comments for the purpose of self-promotion.
    - please respect jury verdicts and do not discuss offensively on the competition results
    (there is only one fist prize, and designboom usually asks renown professionals to help us to promote talent.
    in addition to the awarded designs, we do feel that almost all deserve our attention, that is why we publish
    the best 100-200 entries too.)

    a link is allowed in comments as long as they add value in the form of information, images, humor, etc. (links to the front page of your personal blog or website are not okay). unwelcome links (to commercial products or services of others, offensive material etc. ) will be redacted. and, ... yes, spam gets banned. no, we do not post fake comments.

    forgot password

    (9 articles)

    (24 articles)

    (203 articles)

    PRODUCT LIBRARY

    a diverse digital database that acts as a valuable guide in gaining insight and information about a product directly from the manufacturer, and serves as a rich reference point in developing a project or scheme.

    design news

    designboom editorial internship available in NEW YORK! designboom editorial internship available in NEW YORK!
    oct 09, 2018

    designboom editorial internship available in NEW YORK!

    #design

    are you knowledgeable about architecture, design, art, and technology? passionate about writing and digital media? designboom is seeking an intern to join us at »

    are you knowledgeable about architecture, design, art, and technology? passionate about writing and digital media? designboom is seeking an intern to join us at our office in NEW YORK.

    #design

    all design news