Prayer in Space Rajkomal Chowdhury
Table of Contents
Introduction An Urban Mosque Mosque Mosque: Elements
Mosque: Archetypes The Body Embodied Rituals: Prayer Embodied Rituals: Ablution Mosque: Elements: The Column Mosque: Elements: The Screen Mosque: Sequenced Spaces Glossary Bibliography
“Sacred space constitutes itself following a rupture of the levels which make possible communication with the trans-world, transcendent realities. Whence the enormous importance of sacred space in the life of all peoples: because it is in such a space that man is able to communicate with the other world, the world of divine beings or ancestors.�
- Mircea Eliade
Introduction
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he human body is our primary filter of experience and perception. Our understanding of space, and thus architecture, is through our body. The study of this key relationship is the basis of the thesis. By studying how the body inhabits and interacts with an enclosure and the space within gives us a deeper awareness of not just the body, but also architecture. A building typology that has a unique interaction with the body is the mosque. Islamic prayer is a ritual sequence of postures with the body. Yet, the body is rarely taken into account to the fullest potential in the design of most mosques. Interestingly, the only criterion laid out by Islam for mosque design is that prayer must be oriented geographically towards Mecca. The formal response to this simple edict is open for interpretation and thus offers up opportunities for architectural exploration.
An Urban Mosque
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he site of the mosque is in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. It is located at 445 W 46th St between 10th and 9th Avenue. The site, a slot between two buildings, measures 48’ by 70’. The proposed structure is five stories tall consisting of 16,000 square feet of usable space of which approximately 2,800 square feet will be praying space. Here, the mosque is really two mosques in one, because the building volume is partitioned by gender. To provide balanced accommodation, the mosque has almost the same amount of space for both genders. Both sexes’ spaces form a sequenced procession that culminates at the top floor where one prays. The procession is designed to nurture inner reflection and connect with a higher self. Moving from public to private, from the physical world to the spiritual, the mosque enhances this spiritual journey.
Sketches to study the relationship of the site to its immediate surroundings show the location of the park across the street from the site along with the large courtyard in the middle of the block.
Sketches detailing the size of the site in relation to the buildings adjacent to it and its orientation in relation to Mecca.
Study of the site in relation to its larger situation to Manhattan and the surrounding landmarks.
Plan detailing the original mosque of the Prophet Mohammad and its subsequent expansion. The mosque was an extension of the Prophet’s home in Medina.
A simple rendering showing an early version of the prophet Mohammad’s mosque. This inspired the form of later mosques.
Mosque
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he concept of a mosque is interesting in that it is not necessary for prayer in Islam. Should a Muslim desire to pray in a room, then that room becomes a mosque for the duration of the prayer. This transformation is not physical but mental because the Muslim believes the space of prayer becomes sacred through prayer. When a person prays on a prayer rug, the same thing occurs. In these situations, the line between the sacred and the secular is blurred. Thus, the mosque’s main purpose is as a place of congregation more than a place of worship. The original mosque was based on the house of the Prophet Muhammad. His followers would join him for prayer in his courtyard and eventually he made it larger to accommodate the growth of his followers. As time went by, he needed to offer shade from the sun. Thus, they built a roof over the perimeter of the courtyard that was held up by a grid of columns. There was no dome, minaret, or qiblah. These mosque elements were added in later centuries. The house of the Prophet was both a religious and social center for the community and thus led the way to the formation of more mosques.
Mosque: Elements
Today, as a religious archetype, there are certain architectural elements of a mosque that have been deemed as a standard for most mosques. They are a Prayer Hall, Qiblah Wall, Minaret, and Ablution Fountain.
Early design of a prayer hall. The stepped levels ensure a view to the imam at the front, while the columns separate the individuals.
Plan-diagram of an early design of a prayer hall. The gray zones indicate the areas of circulation and the orange area is for women.
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he prayer hall is the most important element because it is the space where the congregation of prayer occurs. The hall differs based on different structural typologies and the needs of its area. It may be hypostyle with a columns arranged in an even grid or open and covered by a domed roof. It is the most sacred of the spaces.
A more modern take on the mihrab in the prayer room of the Islamic Cemetery in Altach, Austria. Credit: Marc Lins
An example of a highly ornate mihrab with gold details and inlaid calligraphy at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey
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he qiblah wall is housed within the prayer hall and is perpendicular to Mecca. The mihrab is a niche in the qiblah wall that orients one towards the direction of Mecca and indicates to the worshipers as to which direction they should face when praying. The mihrab is typically the most ornamented part of the mosque and usually is the focal point. However, it is not the most sacred part of the mosque, nor is it sacred at all. The direction that it indicates is what is sacred.
The four minarets of the Sultan Ahmet Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey
Close up photograph showing the intricate detail of the minaret at Qutub Minar in Delhi, India Credit: Chandravir Singh
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he minaret is a tower, or towers, attached to most mosques. It was created so that when the muezzin would call people for prayer, his voice would reach farther and more people would know it was time to pray. During the lifetime of the Prophet, adhan, or call to prayer, would be given from his roof. The minaret was not developed until the fourteenth century. In Muslim countries, it serves as both a landmark and today, a place for loudspeakers to play a recorded version of the adhan. However, in non-Muslim countries, the minaret’s purpose is limited to that of a symbolic landmark.
Man and boy performing wudu at the ablution fountain at Quaraouyine Mosque in Fez, Morocco Credit: A. Abbas
The ornate abultion fountain that is located in the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi
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he ablution fountain is a key element because ritual cleansing is a necessary part of prayer. Before prayer, every Muslim must perform the ritual of wudu. The ablution fountain can be one of two types, the ornamental or the utilitarian. The ornamental type is highly decorated and located in a centralized area for all to view, usually in the middle of the courtyard. The utilitarian type is usually closer to the shoe storage and is nothing more than a square or round pool. As technology has evolved, such ablution fountains are often walls with spigots and running water.
Mosque: Archetypes
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he architectural development of the mosque varies by regions creating different typologies. These typologies were formed from the need of rapid construction of mosques and the practices of the regions, which answered to different environmental and social conditions. Thus, mosques around the world look different but all carry these fundamental elements. The design of mosques in countries that are predominately Islamic is based on the typology that has been historically established there. An example would be mosques in Indonesia, whose designs are influenced by the local architecture. However, in countries which are not predominately Islamic, the design is based on the expectation of the community and where they come from. So a mosque in an Indonesian Muslim community would be built based on the designs of the mosques from their homeland. Based on the budget and needs of the community, the mosque is either big or small. Most small mosques are pre-existing spaces or structures that are adapted for use. Large mosques are usually loose translations of traditional Islamic elements, which result in a pastiche of architectural styles. Often, this results in a stylistic caricature of a mosque and ultimately, a mosque isolated from the body of man.
In the United States there are four main typologies of mosques: the traditional mosque, the Islamic center, the modern mosque, and the adapted mosque. Each is differentiated relative to social and economic factors. The traditional mosque typology in the United States is usually based on the cultural typology that is familiar to the attendees, for example Anatolian, Persian, North African, or Asian. This usually indicates a classical mosque form. What often results is that different traditional Islamic elements are aggregated to form a pastiche of architectural styles, which produces a caricature of sorts. Often, the mosque seems out of place and does not fit to the locale.
The Islamic Center is a common type of mosque found around the world, but mostly in non-Muslim countries. This structure aims to be more than just a mosque. It can include a school, library, and community center along with the mosque. The forms of the buildings are usually derived from classical Islamic elements, but may also divert from the classical mosque archetype.
The modern mosque is a new typology found around the world and usually marked by its blend of Islamic elements with new technologies and styles. Innovation leads this typology in its evolution of the tradition and form. In line with modernist architectural and Islamic ideals, ornamentation is stripped away and geometries are abstracted. The problem with this type is the need to acknowledge the complexities of culture and identity that are embedded within the archetype and not completely disregard the symbols and motifs that are important to a mosque’s cultural legacy.
The adapted mosque is the most common typology within non-Muslim countries around the world. Islamic communities often lack the funds to build a large mosque and thus retrofit and adapt an existing structure. This can range from a typical house or the basement of an infill building. The popularity of this typology stems from its simplicity and speed to occupation as a place of congregation and prayer.
The Body
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he human body is the most primitive reference used to scale things. From our first day we measure and explore the world with this tool. Experience with the body is not limited to just the physical but also the mental and spiritual. Both the body and the mind play a fundamental role in our experience, cognition, and consciousness. As Juhani Pallasmaa states, “we inhabit our physical world through structuring it into mental space�. This structuring of the mental space is based on our experiences, which we perceive relative to the human scale. Architecture is the way in which we structure these spaces physically. Gaston Bachelard says that we are born into the cradle of architecture and this cradle mediates between the world and us. Our understanding of the world and the way in which we give meaning to our experiences is through our understanding of spaces that were formed before we came into the world. There are things that we deem necessary to place in a certain way and that is how we understand it. The most primitive and primary device we have to understand space is through our body and our senses.
Embodied Rituals: Prayer
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n Islam, prayer can occur in any place that is clean and free from iconic representation. Therefore, the space of the masjid (mosque) can be invoked anywhere one prays. The masjid can be viewed as a receptacle for a system of temporal spatial coordinates. This system comes into existence when salat occurs. During this moment, the immediate space is erased from the mind. One stands ready and focuses attention on Allah. Facing the qiblah, a linear axis is formed between one’s body and Mecca. A second axis is formed, perpendicular to the first axis by the person standing upright, creating a part of a wall facing Mecca. The people at the front can only see the qiblah so for the people behind them, the wall of people formed standing in front of them symbolizes the qiblah. The final axis is vertical and it is the connection between the physical world and the heavens. This vertical axis extends from the individual up and is further exemplified through the posture of the person. This can be also referred to as the axis-mundi. The postures that are performed through the prayer acknowledge these sacred axes. The postures performed are called qiyam, ruku, sujud and qa’da. They are the four basic postures of prayer and they are repeated during prayer a number of times depending on which prayer is taking place.
Diagram of the body in the different postures of prayer. The measurments of the body are to form the ideal prayer space.
The first posture, qiyam, is that which one takes when beginning prayer. It is an assertion of existence and strength through the upright posture. At this point one has made the intention to pray and has left behind the physical world for the spiritual one. The right hand lays over the left at the navel. The body holding itself up represents trees and also correlates with the axis mundi, or world axis.
The second posture taken during prayer is ruku. The body is still standing, but is bent over to bow with the hands on the knees. The bowing indicates a direction and begins to form a line oriented towards Mecca. The bowing also shows submission, humility and servitude.
The third posture is called sujud and is the prostration where the hands, knees, toes and forehead touch the ground. One fully submits oneself to Allah and realizes their existence. The body is closer to the earth from which it came. The direction and orientation of the body is further emphasized by the prostration.
The fourth and final posture is qa’da, which is sitting with the hands resting on the thighs. The body is still and calm like a stone. This posture exists between the upright stance and full prostration -- representing a pause between two extremes. One contemplates and meditates. The body parallels the form of a mountain, further emphasizing the axis-mundi.
Embodied Rituals: Ablution
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efore prayer can even take place, one must be clean and pure. This takes place through wudu, the ritual of ablution. Wudu is a cleansing of the body with clean water, which is said to revitalize one’s spirit. It begins, like most rituals in Islam, with making a clear intention of performing wudu. The procedure is as follows: Washing both hands up to the wrist three times, followed by Rinsing the mouth with water three times, followed by Sniffing water with the nose three times, followed by Washing the face three times, followed by Washing both arms up to the elbow three times, then Wetting the hands, then run the hands from the front of the hair to the back, then running the back of the hands over the back of the neck, and lastly Washing both feet up to the ankle three times. All actions are done systematically with each body part being washed three times starting with the right then the left. Care must be put in the procedure and just letting water run over the body is not enough. You must run your fingers between each fingers and toes and wash each part in succession so that the last part is still wet.
Wudu requires attention to the body through a process that is repeated before every prayer. The repetition of the ritual ingrains the body in the mind. The ritual then becomes a process of concentration and focus of one’s own intentions before prayer. It helps one get into the proper mindset before going to pray. The body’s interaction with itself increases ones self-awareness. The water dripping and cooling each limb and body part reminds us of their existence. The cleansing of the body occurs but also of the mind. Wudu removes all the dirt of the material world before entering the spiritual world.
Mosque: Elements: The Column
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he column has always been a critical part of architecture. It provides order, structure and strength. Furthermore, going as far back as Vitruvius, the column has also represented the human body. The proportions and details of both sexes and cultures have influenced the design of the classical orders. These classical orders from Greece and Rome are the Doric, Ionic, Tuscan, Corinthian and composite. These classical columns are more or less adorned with symbolic ornamentation. Islam on the other hand calls for the minimizing of ornamentation. The design of columns is influenced by and interacts with the human body at the same time. Within the thesis project, the column is repeated but reoriented by being mirrored on every row. The column is slender like the human body. Its shape is informed by its function. It angles out to prevent people from entering the aisle where people are praying. Contrastingly, the column opens up to allow people to walk through the other aisle and go to a prayer spot. The columns are arranged in a grid throughout the entire prayer hall. They form a wall without physically manifesting one. The grid is oriented towards Mecca and the shape of the column further enforces that orientation.
An early study model built to understand a space created through columns. The photograph at the top shows the base and the columns from the floor while the photograph at the bottom show the roof of the model and the columns that hang from it. The middle photograph shows the dome that is created in the space by the absence of the columns.
Photographs showing the model of a prayer space and the relationship of the columns to the space. The columns serve both as a separation and a body in the space. They also orient the occupant to the direction of Mecca.
Models showing different screens that were used to create a skylight for the prayer area. The skylights also serve to orient a person towards Mecca and also to help the person focus while praying.
Mosque: Elements: The Screen
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rnamentation for the mosque is minimal and emanates from the three forms of Islamic ornamentation: calligraphy, floral patterns and geometric patterns. Geometric patterning is the focus due to its simplicity through abstraction. Typically, the abstract elements consist of circles, triangles, and squares that are combined and interlaced, then repeated throughout, to create highly intricate designs. Repetition is an important aspect of Islam and stresses the importance of a homogeneous unity and order throughout a system. The repetition represents the idea of infinite growth and that the pattern can continue endlessly. The basic shapes combine and form new shapes that further combine more of the geometries to create much more complex shapes and arrangements.
Photographs showing the facade screen of the building from the interior and the light condition it presents. The top photograph is of the second floor with the largest apertures and the lower photograph shows the light condition on the fourth floor, where the apertures are smaller.
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he idea of the screen in the thesis project developed from the mashrabiya, a protruded window on upper floors of Middle Eastern houses that have intricate screens in them. The mashrabiya serves to create privacy by preventing views into the building, but still allowing the occupants a view outside. It also allows for shade from the sun, which is always harsh in the Middle East, while also letting cool air flow through. When the air flows in through the small openings of the screen, the pressure increases, and then once it reaches the interior, the pressure lowers, cooling the air. This natural form of air conditioning gave respite from the heat in the Middle East.
The images on the left going from the top left coming to the bottom show the evolution and creation of the screen geometry from simple shapes to more intricate and complex ones. The image above is of the facade screen and highlights the change of the apertures going from the top down to control the amount of light into the building.
The diagrams show the geometry of an earlier version screen with the final screen being the bottom right.
A model showing the facade screen in relation to the building. The apertures on the screen are sized depending on the function of the space.
A perspective view of someone who would be praying in the space.
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he screen, which adorns the façade of the mosque, is an integral part of it. The design of the screen comes from the lines derived from a circle and the connections of those lines that form new geometries like the five and ten pointed stars. The lines are then repeated throughout and offset to further highlight the shapes and remove the traces of the foundational construction lines. These shapes become apertures through which light is filtered into the building. The size of these apertures change from large to small going from the bottom floor to the top most. This parallels the building’s functions; the top floor is the most private and also where the most inward concentration is needed, while the lowest floor is the most public.
A photograph of the model showing the waffle slab which is angled towards Mecca so to emphasize the critical orientation of the space.
Section model of the mosque showing the relationship between floors. The section is made at the angle towards Mecca so to give a better view because the interior is shifted.
An isometric drawing of the entire building with the light shafts and screens on the roof being shown, as well as the front elevation screen.
Mosque: Sequenced Spaces
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he space the mosque occupies is in New York City, on West 46th Street between 10th and 9th Avenues, across the street from a park and between two apartment buildings. Standing fives stories tall, it is higher than the adjacent buildings so it stands out. Along with the height, the massive metal screen on the façade further distinguishes the structure from its surroundings. Inside, the Mosque develops sequentially through six spaces acting as a procession readying the mind for prayer. The experiences are meant to set one’s mind for prayer so that the act of prayer itself is enhanced.
Approaching the mosque from the east, the structural concrete wall folds inward towards the underside of the building. The paving pattern is also angled so as to lead one into the entry space on the ground floor. Following the wall and floor, there is a central open area with doorways into four rooms. Two of the rooms are devoted to maintenance and equipment storage and the other two have light pouring down over stairs and call for further inspection. The eastern stairwell is for the women and the western most, towards the back of the building, is for the men. Within both stair shafts, there is a light shaft wrapped with a patterned screen. Ambient light reveals itself through the openings in the screen. The light from the pattern on the women’s side is a warm rose, while the light from the men’s side is a cool white. Both shafts get brighter when one ascends the stairs.
Ground Floor Entry and space where gender is separated by stairs
The light illuminates the stairs that wrap around them. The stairs are made of one and a half inch thick steel and held up by a runner connected to the wall. The stairs twist up to the right and have two landings before reaching the next floor.
Stairs and Light Shafts
On the second level, the floor is made of rough and uneven stone tiles. The walls are smooth concrete that is pure and white. Upon arriving at the second floor, there is an ante-room with a sliding wooden door. Through the door is a room with even lighting and a long desk lining the wall perpendicular to the door. The wall is angled away from the wall on the right but then turns toward the left, parallel to the wall, making the room into a parallelogram. This is a room for congregation of both sexes and discussion of religious matters. There are two sliding doors on the left of the room leading to another room, which is the inverse of the same room. Going left after the stairs leads to an open space with large glass windows going from floor to ceiling. The metal screen on the outside admits vast amounts of outdoor light in through its large openings. Following the pattern in the waffle slab ceiling leads one to the other side of the room and then to a long hallway, which breaks the orientation of the waffle slab. Going down the hallway leads to the opposing set of stairs that wind up around a screened shaft of light.
Second Floor Congregation of either mixed or seperate genders
Traveling up the stairs leads to the third level, which is covered in a smooth and polished terrazzo. The room directly perpendicular from the stairs is a bathroom with sinks lining the left and the stalls on the right. The bathroom does not meet with the lines of the waffle slab of the ceiling and are actually off from them -symbolizing the distinct differentiation from the procession leading to prayer and disassociating the profane and secular from the sacred and ritual. Light falls through the large windows but it is less so as the screen’s openings have diminished from those on the floor below. Moving left from the stairs leads to wooden storage shelves that are oriented with the waffle slabs. These shelves house the shoes and coats of the congregants before they proceed down another hallway to stairs that go to the next floor.
Third Floor: Bathrooms and Personal Item Storage Facilities
The fourth floor of the mosque is the room of ablution. The ceilings are low and the floors are a cool stone. There is less light than the two previous floors because the faรงade screen openings have again become smaller. The light from above is dim and only along the walls in the rooms. The only place that offers comfort is the circular stone seats against the angled ablution wall. Sitting at a stone seat, there are dividers in wood on both sides. The ablution wall extends from the floor to ceiling. Low on the wall, a reveal has water flowing down gently into a recessed space in the floor where it drains out. A person would only walk through this place with bare feet and do wudu, the ritual ablution before prayer. After finishing the ablution, the path leads to the final hallway with the only light coming from its end, where the stairs are.
Fourth Floor: Ablution Room
The last set of stairs leads to the highest level and is where prayer occurs. Initially, the ceilings are low and also lack the familiar waffle slab of the previous floors. The floor is of wooden slabs that are warm and comforting to the bare feet. Only a minimal amount of light is coming in from the large windows as the screen openings have become minuscule. There are many columns oriented in the same direction and after walking towards them, the ceiling opens up to reveal lines of light, coming down from skylights, pointing towards the same direction. The columns are laid out to create two types of aisles that repeat. The first aisle is narrow and the second wide. The shape of the column blocks the wide row but then opens up the narrow aisle. Going down any of the narrow aisles, there are spaces of soft carpet between each set of columns. The carpet articulates the space where one prays. The columns and everything else reinforce the orientation towards the back right corner of the building. This corner is where the qiblah wall is located. It is a simple niche in the wall that is blocked with vertical columns and only reveals light coming from within it. The qiblah has one purpose and that is to signify the direction of Mecca, which is also supported by all the elements in the room as well. Once prayer is finished, the procession reverses as the person goes back down the stairs and through all the floors, finally leading them outside.
Fifth Floor: Prayer Hall
The rendering shows the view as one walks towards the front of the prayer hall to go pray. The light from the skylights help orient the person and also focus them during prayer.
Section Isometric showing the building and all spaces and elements in relation to one another
Glossary
adhan the call to prayer hadith a tradition, saying, narrative, or written report of actions attributed to the Prophet Muhammed; the source of material for the sunnah – regarded as a source of Islamic Law ibadah acts of worship or ritual Islam submission to divine will or purpose Ka‘bah the sacred black cube-shaped structure located in the mosque at Mecca masjid mosque; a place of congregational gathering, education, and religious activities mihrab a prayer niche indicating the direction of Mecca or qiblah minaret an elevated tower integrated into the architecture of a mosque from where the call to prayer, adhan, was pronounced in earlier times
minbar a rostrum, pulpit, or platform of three or more steps upon which the khatib stands to deliver the exhortation on Fridays Muslim one who submits to the will of Allah; one who accepts, professes, and practices Islam qiblah the direction of the Ka‘bah and Mecca. Worshippers must face Mecca during the ritual performance of prayer; all mosques have a mihrab that indicate the direction of Mecca ra’kah the cycles of postures of prayer salat acts of ritual prayer sujud to prostrate; a part of the ritual of prayer wudu ablutions performed by a worshipper before prayer
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