The Evolution of Mosque Architecture in Istanbul, Turkey

The understanding of Architecture History on the evolvement of architecture through generations and cultures is a fundamental tool to gain knowledge about<br/>our past, ourselves and the world around us. The topic that will be touched upon<br/>in this thesis is the architectural evolution of mosques in Istanbul between the last regime of the...

The mixture of Ottoman, Dutch, and the architect’s features in the design of the Mevlana mosque

This thesis investigates the features of the Rotterdam based Mevlana mosque designed by the Dutch architect Bert Toorman. It aims to clarify to what extent Ottoman and Dutch features are visible in the mosque, including the architect's signature. Extensive literature research has been undertaken to determine the origins of Ottoman architecture,...

Praying for Water: The Mosque as a Catalyst Towards a Decentralized Water Supply System in the Informal Urban Settlements of Bandung, Indonesia

Praying for Water deals with several water related challenges in Bandung’s informal urban areas, first and foremost the lack of safe drinking water and proper sanitation. Although being based on the proposal for a decentralized water supply system, a rather holistic solution approach is followed. Beyond the use of appropriate technical...

Minaret aan de Maas

By translating the Maghreb mosque type to the Dutch urban context the design provides an appropriate and recognisable building for the Moroccan community in Bloemhof, a neighbourhood in the south of Rotterdam.<br/>

Rethinking The Unwanted: Implementing local waste materials from the Merwe-Vierhavens in the construction of its new mosque

The project highlights the value of industrial waste materials, especially within the context of harbour areas in transformation. The design is made for a mosque with the main structure being realised out of columns of stacked oildrums. The project shows how materials that are considered abundant and worthless can result in an architecture of a...

The Temple of All the Religions in South Chicago

The project takes place in South Chicago. This thesis proposes a new typology of religious architecture, where the main aim is the unity of all the religions by celebrating their different identities.

The Polysemous Mosque: Architecture Mediating the Multicultural City

The Polysemous mosque negotiates the dichotomy between the sacred realm and the secular multicultural city. The project positions itself in Amsterdam’s Bijlmer neighbourhood. Once a Modernist suburb, the Bijlmer has undergone generations of decay and more recently grand gentrification schemes. Acknowledging this, the project activates the...

American Madrassah

This graduation project is a design for an Islamic community centre and prayerspace in New York City, called Park51. The design is an 80 meter high complex surrounded by buildings on three sides. The front facade is situated at a small street in downtown Manhattan (Park Place 51), two blocks remote from Ground Zero. It houses various rooms for...