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Albania Mosque and Religious Complex |

BIG
April 23, 2013
Architecture
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RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS
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Winner of the international design competition

for a new 27,000 square meter cultural
complex in Albania, this design by BIG will
reestablish the religious equilibrium within
Albania by adding a new mosque to the newly
completed Orthodox and Catholic Cathedrals.
This entry was selected out of five finalists
including Spanish architect Andreas Perea
Orthega, Architecture Studio from France,
Dutch SeARCH and London-based Zaha Hadid.
The complex consists of a new Mosque, an
Islamic Center, and a Museum of Religious
Harmony, providing a space that will not only
serve the Muslim community of the city and
surrounding areas, but will educate the public
about Islamic values and serve as a beacon for
religious tolerance.

(http://www.arch2o.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/04/Arch2o-AlbaniaMosque-and-Religious-Complex-Big-4.jpg)
Courtesy ofBIG
The winning proposal by BIG, was chosen for its
ability to create an inviting public space flexible
enough to accommodate daily users and large
religious events, while harmonically connecting
with the Scanderbeg square, the city of Tirana,
and its citizens across different religions. The
mosque can accommodate up to 1,000 people
performing their daily prayers and can expand
to accommodate larger groups of up to 10,000
on special holy days through the unique layout
of courtyards and public spaces.

(http://www.arch2o.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/04/Arch2o-AlbaniaMosque-and-Religious-Complex-Big-11.jpg)
Courtesy ofBIG
The buildings forms were determined from two
intersecting axes and formal requirements
placed by the city grid of Tirana which calls for
proper framing of the square and a coherent
urban identity, and organization of the
Mosques main wall towards Mecca. The
mosque contains a triangular layout and sits at
the end of the plaza framed by its two
neighbors. The placement of the buildings
creates a series of plazas, two minor ones on
the sides of the Mosque and a major plaza with
a minaret in front. These plazas are semicovered and serve as an urban extension of the
place of worship.

(http://www.arch2o.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/04/Arch2o-AlbaniaMosque-and-Religious-Complex-Big-16.jpg)
Courtesy ofBIG
There are several Islamic nuances within the
design that add to the aesthetics of the
complex. The garden surrounding the new
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Mosque and Center of Islamic Culture for
instance symbolically features the rich
vegetation described in Islamic literature. The
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faade with the multitude of rational,
rectangular windows finds its inspiration in
Islamic mashrabiya screens, which provide
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shading and privacy while still allowing views
out. The curved facades as well are reminiscent
of the curved domes and arches of traditional
Islamic architecture without becoming a literal
translation.

(http://www.arch2o.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/04/Arch2o-AlbaniaMosque-and-Religious-Complex-Big-7.jpg)
Courtesy ofBIG
By bringing the program and qualities of a
Mosque to a public arena, the religion becomes
inclusive and inviting, creating a cool shaded
urban environment the can be shared by all ,
bringing Tirana one step closer to a global
capital of religious harmony.
By

Courtesy ofBIG

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BIG Architects

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