University of Melbourne Islamic Prayer Facility

Melbourne, Australia

The new state-of-the-art Islamic Prayer Facility at the University of Melbourne is designed to accommodate 300 praying people. The depth of space is created by deconstructing the physical barrier of the wall allowing a praying person to submerge deep in prayer beyond the confined space. The brilliantly coloured adorns the entry door and contrasts with the sombre and tranquil main prayer space. 

the musalla was commissioned by the University of Melbourne to include a prayer space for 300, with dedicated ablution areas for men and women, a facility for the disabled, and a small resource centre. 
The main prayer hall incorporates a modern take on traditional inscription bands, with a transliterated calligraphic screen displayed behind a screen of steel mesh. The ceiling domes accommodate sensor-operated extraction fans for air exchange; the areas for men and women are divided by a flexible partition, and the lighting system adjusts to balance with the level of natural light from the south-facing windows.