Three engineering students from the University of Sharjah have won first, second, and third place in a competition to design a sustainable mosque in the UAE city. Organized by the Sharjah Directorate of Town Planning and Survey, the competition saw the students beat 30 other entries.
The winning designs were a result of the students’ innovative approach, which combined computational design and artificial intelligence (AI) with cultural and religious considerations. The mosque designs were optimised for performance, functionality, and aesthetics, said Dr. Aref Mohamed Maksoud, who supervised the students’ designs.
“The use of AI helped to optimize design solutions, generate new design options, and streamline the design process,” added Dr. Maksoud.
At the same time, he said, the students incorporated “cultural and religious considerations to create functional and aesthetically pleasing mosque spaces.”
“We believe that by leveraging these cutting-edge technologies, we are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in mosque design and setting a new standard for the industry.”
Mahra Khalfan Mohammed Annoon Alnuaimi, Menatallah Ayman Ahmed Aly, and Sarah Isam Abdul-Rahman Alawneh were the three students who emerged as the top prize-winners.
Alnuaimi, whose mosque design snatched the top prize, combined a modernist style with Islamic patterns and architecture.
The mosque’s intersected domes were inspired by the Ottoman Islamic architecture in which mosques may have more than one dome, supporting the central dome.
Sharjah is reputed for its modern architectural marvels, particularly of mosques with multiple domes and occasionally semi-circular flat profiles.
For the minaret, Alnuaimi created a design blending heritage with modern construction engineering in the United Arab Emirates.
The mosque design draws on Sharjah’s Arab and Islamic heritage, adding a modernist architectural touch to the whole structure, Alnuaimi said.
Aly, who won the second prize, designed an accessibility friendly mosque inspired by Islamic architecture elements like pointed arches on the exterior and illuminated by Arabic calligraphy of Qur’anic verses on gold-stained glass in the interior.
The calligraphy reduces solar heat gain through the glass, while the arches are an effective architectural form in Islam.
Arches were originally used to support a building or roof, but their symbolism in Islamic architecture is to create a sense of vastness and respect.
Aly’s design also embraces contemporary elements, such as extruding masses, to highlight the entrance of the mosque.
“The gold-bronze colour of the masses meshed in a sea of white gives the mosque a luxurious yet simple look, so passers-by and visitors can feel a sense of calm when entering the mosque,” Aly said.
Alawneh, who won the third prize, combined three different design styles – local, contemporary, and Islamic.
Her designs prioritized sustainability through the usage of cross-ventilation techniques, incorporation of courtyards, and shaded riwaqs, the space dividing the interior from the outdoors.
Through her designs, Alawneh aimed to put a unique spin on conventional mosques while keeping an efficient plan for facilities and circulation alike.
“Although the suggestions attempted to subtly challenge the typicalness of mosques, basic mosque architectural components were nevertheless preserved,” she said.
Sharjah is renowned for its modern architectural marvels, particularly in its mosque designs, and these winning designs continue the city’s reputation for innovation and creativity.
