Part of an urban renewal scheme, the mosque expresses the client’s desire to consolidate the place of Islamic culture as a French identity, providing premises not only for Muslim worship but also for dialogue between different communities through seminars, talks and exhibitions open to all. Foregoing minarets and domes, its architecture is at once contemporary, Mediterranean, and Islamic. The cantilevered facade features a mashrabiya whose calligraphic forms expressing the call to prayer are projected by sunlight onto interior walls and floors. A horizontal mashrabiya slab over the entrance creates a play of light and shadow. Visitors then arrive in the courtyard around which the project’s various spaces are arranged. Trees and fountains punctuate this shaded area, echoing Granada’s Alhambra Palace. A wide staircase leads up to the esplanade, a zone of immaculate light offering access to the prayer rooms and multipurpose space. Green roofs and high-performance glass enhance thermal comfort.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture