This innovative mosque’s design was initially refused planning permission but approved after the Arab Spring. On a sloping site, it has male entrances towards the east at garden level and the west at ground. To the north a winding external staircase leads up to the women-only mezzanine within the prayer hall, and down to the female ablution areas. The spiralling spatial configuration symbolises esotericism. Visually and functionally, the building breathes. Garden-level openings draw air in through purifying, humidity-regulating plantings. The circular form creates natural convection through the whole volume. The scaled dome lets the building breathe at night and admits indirect light. The funnel-shaped minaret draws warm air out through the Venturi effect. An imam’s residence stands to the south.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture