The mosque consists of an octagonal prayer hall covered by a dome that is pierced by twenty-four coloured glass windows. Outside, a courtyard, with a marble-mosaic water fountain in the middle, is connected to the mosque by porticoes. Also included in the scheme is a library situated behind the southern portico, and a reception hall behind the eastern portico. The minaret, located on the north-east corner of the complex, stands on a base 5m high and the octagonal shaft is 40m high. The form of the mosque is related to the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem in its octagonal shape and dome form. The transparency of the porticoes on the main elevation achieve a central lightness that is inviting, while at the same time being weighted down at either end by the minaret and the dome of the prayer hall. The minaret and reception hall also balance the opposing volumes of the courtyard and the prayer hall.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
