Othman Ibn Affan Mosque
​1983 - Doha, Qatar | Competition 1st Prize Winner

The Othman Ibn Affan mosque in Qatar is a project that defines the constant element of a mosque, and what can be culturally and socially variable in our contemporary time. The design concept intends to create a contemporary relation between the definite prayer direction and the indefinite and constantly changeable urban fabric, without losing the sacredness of the ritual of Islamic prayer. The prayer axis draws the coordinates of the mosque with its elements, while the path of the worshipers defines the important features of the locations. The juxtaposition of the axis and the path, unifies the locality of prayer as an act of individuality with the universality of worship and Islam as a cosmic pulse that seems continues since the beginning of Islam. The geometry of the mosque, although rooted in the muqarnas, seek to find a new symbolism in the structure of the crystal used for the mosque’s roof and minaret. The content of the crystal is defined by its interaction with light, its ability to turn light into illumination. Thus the crystal stands as a significant symbol of the meaning and the structure of the mosque