Al-Ghadir Mosque
History
The
al-Ghadir mosque project in TeThe al-Ghadir mosque project in Tehran is a
recently completed complex that includes prayer halls, classrooms, library and
offices. Its architect, Jahanguir Mazlum, was selected in 1977 by a group
oflocal benefactors proposing to finance construction on a site, rather
restricted in its dimensions (15.2 by 55 metres), located on a major boulevard
in one of the city's modem residential neighbourhoods to the north. As a building
with social as well as religious functions, such as a no-interest loan office,
portions of the structure have been progressively completed and opened for use
over the last seven years - the mosque being the final phase to be terminated
in 1987.
Description
Constraints imposed
by the tight urban site with buildings on either side shaped the architect's
choice to place the main prayer hall facing south onto Mirdamad Boulevard and
the social facilities to the north, easily accessible from the residential
quarter. Although conceived essentially to serve the needs of the local
community, the al-Ghadir mosque has wo aspects which give it a distinctive
status in contemporary Tehran, notorious for its rapid growth and as a showcase
of modernist architectural styles.
The first
aspect is the mosque's location on a small plot in a posh neighbourhood. It is
practically hidden by the plane trees which line this wide thoroughfare, named
after Mirdamad, the famous Safavid era calligrapher. Secondly, its formal
aspect as a tall, twelve-sided prayer hall
dressed with
cutbrick and ceramic tiles distinguishes itself from the banal architecture of
its neighbours. It represents areturn to a more traditional style of building
in harmony with previous Iranian civilisations and types, yet its form is
unusual, reminding one almost of the pigeon towns of Isphahan. Thus, the prayer
hall's height and form provides an ingenious link between the public,
institutional architecture of Mirdamad Boulevard, and the lower social hall
which faces the two-to-four storey dwellings behind the mosque.
Once the preliminary decisions conceming the location of the various functional parts within the volume of the building had been made, the fundamental choices resulting in the form of al-Ghadir mosque were related to ritual considerations within the framework of principles and conceptions forming the basis of Shia Islam and belief in the twelve Imams. Among these there were three main elements which have been determining factors in the environmental qualities of this mosque. These are: the qibla: the philosophy and symbolism of Shia thought; and, the solicitude of Muslims towards the heavens. A brief explanation of these may be necessary.
The direction of the qibla in the alGhadir mosque could not take
into account in a logical way the two existing zones, one private and the other
public. It was therefore imperative to design first the interior shape of the
prayer halls, and then to reflect this in the exterior volume of the mosque. In
this way, it makes it possible to distinguish its prominence in an unambiguous
manner. This had to be achieved in a delicate manner, and great attention was
given to this point. Satisfying this requirement became possible by blending it
with the philosophy of the twelve Imams Shia thought: Where the main prayer
hall takes a dodecagonal shape, one of the sides was located in such a way as
to stand perpendicular to the direction of Mecca, forming the entrance and
fixing the orientation of the devotees. In other
words, upon entering the mosque and then the main prayer hall, the person who comes in to pray gets a progressive view of the qibla, becoming conscious of its presence as an independent space (as opposed to the other adjacent walls of the mosque). Thus, the independence of the qibla's direction is clearly distinguishable when looking at the main volume of the building (the prayer hall and its roofing) from the outside.The extent to which attention has been paid to this criteria, through the selection of materials and colours, constitutes the following item of the present brief report; however, in the present instance, the materials selected to
cover the building
in order to distinguish it in its urban surroundings should also be noted. The
third principle element which played a role in determining the particularities
of the volumetric plan of this mosque and may even be seen as offering a
synthesis in this regard - is the sky, and an attention to that which is
loftiest. Such attention, respect and sanctity, has been translated into the
architectural composition and given shape to the main space of the mosque.
Attention is drawn to the 12 decorated, illuminated sides facing the sky,
respect is elicited for the selected verses of the Holy Koran relating the
connection between God and man, and a sense of sanctity of space created
wherein one can only reflect upon sublimation. All have been kept in mind in
determining the form of the mosque; and where the volume of the elevated mihrab
prot!" l1des from its main body, it arouses the sank feelings of
attention, respect and sanctity in the passers-by.
References
https://archnet.org/sites/711/media_contents/15913
Details
Location
Tehran, Iran
Year of Build
1988
Drawings
Map
History
The
al-Ghadir mosque project in TeThe al-Ghadir mosque project in Tehran is a
recently completed complex that includes prayer halls, classrooms, library and
offices. Its architect, Jahanguir Mazlum, was selected in 1977 by a group
oflocal benefactors proposing to finance construction on a site, rather
restricted in its dimensions (15.2 by 55 metres), located on a major boulevard
in one of the city's modem residential neighbourhoods to the north. As a building
with social as well as religious functions, such as a no-interest loan office,
portions of the structure have been progressively completed and opened for use
over the last seven years - the mosque being the final phase to be terminated
in 1987.
Description
Constraints imposed
by the tight urban site with buildings on either side shaped the architect's
choice to place the main prayer hall facing south onto Mirdamad Boulevard and
the social facilities to the north, easily accessible from the residential
quarter. Although conceived essentially to serve the needs of the local
community, the al-Ghadir mosque has wo aspects which give it a distinctive
status in contemporary Tehran, notorious for its rapid growth and as a showcase
of modernist architectural styles.
The first
aspect is the mosque's location on a small plot in a posh neighbourhood. It is
practically hidden by the plane trees which line this wide thoroughfare, named
after Mirdamad, the famous Safavid era calligrapher. Secondly, its formal
aspect as a tall, twelve-sided prayer hall
dressed with
cutbrick and ceramic tiles distinguishes itself from the banal architecture of
its neighbours. It represents areturn to a more traditional style of building
in harmony with previous Iranian civilisations and types, yet its form is
unusual, reminding one almost of the pigeon towns of Isphahan. Thus, the prayer
hall's height and form provides an ingenious link between the public,
institutional architecture of Mirdamad Boulevard, and the lower social hall
which faces the two-to-four storey dwellings behind the mosque.
Once the preliminary decisions conceming the location of the various functional parts within the volume of the building had been made, the fundamental choices resulting in the form of al-Ghadir mosque were related to ritual considerations within the framework of principles and conceptions forming the basis of Shia Islam and belief in the twelve Imams. Among these there were three main elements which have been determining factors in the environmental qualities of this mosque. These are: the qibla: the philosophy and symbolism of Shia thought; and, the solicitude of Muslims towards the heavens. A brief explanation of these may be necessary.
The direction of the qibla in the alGhadir mosque could not take
into account in a logical way the two existing zones, one private and the other
public. It was therefore imperative to design first the interior shape of the
prayer halls, and then to reflect this in the exterior volume of the mosque. In
this way, it makes it possible to distinguish its prominence in an unambiguous
manner. This had to be achieved in a delicate manner, and great attention was
given to this point. Satisfying this requirement became possible by blending it
with the philosophy of the twelve Imams Shia thought: Where the main prayer
hall takes a dodecagonal shape, one of the sides was located in such a way as
to stand perpendicular to the direction of Mecca, forming the entrance and
fixing the orientation of the devotees. In other
words, upon entering the mosque and then the main prayer hall, the person who comes in to pray gets a progressive view of the qibla, becoming conscious of its presence as an independent space (as opposed to the other adjacent walls of the mosque). Thus, the independence of the qibla's direction is clearly distinguishable when looking at the main volume of the building (the prayer hall and its roofing) from the outside.The extent to which attention has been paid to this criteria, through the selection of materials and colours, constitutes the following item of the present brief report; however, in the present instance, the materials selected to
cover the building
in order to distinguish it in its urban surroundings should also be noted. The
third principle element which played a role in determining the particularities
of the volumetric plan of this mosque and may even be seen as offering a
synthesis in this regard - is the sky, and an attention to that which is
loftiest. Such attention, respect and sanctity, has been translated into the
architectural composition and given shape to the main space of the mosque.
Attention is drawn to the 12 decorated, illuminated sides facing the sky,
respect is elicited for the selected verses of the Holy Koran relating the
connection between God and man, and a sense of sanctity of space created
wherein one can only reflect upon sublimation. All have been kept in mind in
determining the form of the mosque; and where the volume of the elevated mihrab
prot!" l1des from its main body, it arouses the sank feelings of
attention, respect and sanctity in the passers-by.