Cambridge Central Mosque
History
The Cambridge Central Mosque, also known as Masjid
AlTawheed, is Europe's first eco-friendly mosque and the first
purpose-built mosque within the city of Cambridge, England. Its mandate is to
meet the needs of the Muslim community in the UK and beyond by facilitating
good practice in faith, community development, social cohesion & interfaith
dialogue. The Cambridge Central Mosque was opened to the public on 24th April
2019, and in addition to the mosque's dedicated areas (ablution, teaching,
children's area, morgue) there will be a café, teaching area and meeting rooms
for use by the local Muslim and non-Muslim communities.
The Muslim Academic Trust (MAT) proposed the site location to be
situated in the Romsey area of Mill Road in Cambridge. Thereafter,
the Cambridge Mosque Project was established in 2008 by Dr Timothy Winter,
who converted to Islam over 40 years ago and took the name Abdal Hakim
Murad and is a lecturer in Islamic studies at the University of
Cambridge, to raise funds for the project. In 2009, Marks Barfield
Architects won the competition to design the building with their concept of the
mosque as a calm oasis within a grove of trees. With the collaboration of
UK-based specialists such as the world leading expert in sacred architecture
and Islamic geometry Professor Keith Critchlow, UK’s leading Islamic garden
designer Emma Clark, and artists Amber Khokhar and Ayesha Gamiet, among others,
the final design marries traditional Islamic architecture, geometry and
horticulture with indigenous English materials, plants and craftsmanship to
create a unique synthesis.
At three stories high, with a façade that subtly weaves Qur’anic
phrases into the Gault brickwork that is traditional in Cambridge, the mosque
complements its neighboring structures on Mill Rd, while the gardens and café
make it a welcoming space for all members of the community. Its emphasis on
sustainability and high reliance on green energy not only makes this Europe’s
first eco-mosque, it has also become a true landmark building for the city of
Cambridge and its diverse residents.
Worshipers and visitors enter via an Islamic garden before passing
through a covered portico and then an atrium, preparing them gradually for the
contemplation of the prayer hall, facing Mecca. This combination of gardens
with whispering fountains and vaulted prayer spaces has been used to great
effect throughout Islamic history – for instance, at the Alhambra – and it
reminds us of the interconnection of humans and the natural world. The gardens
enhance the feeling of an ‘oasis’ that the building embodies.
Description
Sustainable Design
The defining feature of Cambridge Mosque is its timber structure.
The columns, or ‘trees’, reach up to support the roof in an interlaced
octagonal lattice vault structure evocative of English gothic fan vaulting,
famously used at the nearby King’s College Chapel. The timber is sustainably
sourced spruce which has been curved and laminated. Roof lights are located
above the ‘trees’, bathing the prayer hall in light. The octagonal geometry has
strong symbolism in Islamic art, suggesting the cycle of inhalation and
exhalation – the ‘Breath of the Divine’.
“The mosque is committed to
sustainability: its advanced eco-design gives it a near-zero carbon footprint,
honours natural forms with sustainable timber vaulting, and reminds the visitor
of our connection to nature.”
First Eco-Mosque
Environmental concerns have been
paramount in the design of the new Cambridge Mosque. Muslims feel a strong
imperative to protect the environment, as it is a gift from the Divine. Abdal
Hakim Murad notes that “Islamic civilization has been based on the
rejection of waste as an underestimation of God’s blessing, and so in the
construction of the new mosque here in Cambridge, we were very much at the
forefront of the local environmental movement”.
The building is naturally lit all
year round by large skylights in the roof, supplemented by low energy LED
bulbs, while photovoltaic cells on the roof help generate renewable energy from
sunlight. As well as being very well-insulated and naturally ventilated, the
mosque is heated and cooled by locally generated energy, by way of highly
efficient heat pumps in the basement that produce far more energy than they
consume. This type of heat pump extracts energy from the relatively stable
temperature of the air or ground water, heating the building as needed and
cooling it at times of high occupancy or excess heat gains.
Grey water and rainwater are harvested to flush WCs and irrigate the grounds. The building’s carbon footprint – which is already low – will improve over time as mains electricity from renewable sources becomes more available. Green transport has also been taken into consideration in the design: there is ample space for bikes and it’s easily accessible by pedestrians, while an underground car park frees up space on site for the mosque and gardens.
Details
Location
Vinery Rd, Cambridge, UK
Worshippers
1000
Owners
Muslim Academic Trust
Architect Name
Year of Build
2019
Drawings
Map
History
The Cambridge Central Mosque, also known as Masjid
AlTawheed, is Europe's first eco-friendly mosque and the first
purpose-built mosque within the city of Cambridge, England. Its mandate is to
meet the needs of the Muslim community in the UK and beyond by facilitating
good practice in faith, community development, social cohesion & interfaith
dialogue. The Cambridge Central Mosque was opened to the public on 24th April
2019, and in addition to the mosque's dedicated areas (ablution, teaching,
children's area, morgue) there will be a café, teaching area and meeting rooms
for use by the local Muslim and non-Muslim communities.
The Muslim Academic Trust (MAT) proposed the site location to be
situated in the Romsey area of Mill Road in Cambridge. Thereafter,
the Cambridge Mosque Project was established in 2008 by Dr Timothy Winter,
who converted to Islam over 40 years ago and took the name Abdal Hakim
Murad and is a lecturer in Islamic studies at the University of
Cambridge, to raise funds for the project. In 2009, Marks Barfield
Architects won the competition to design the building with their concept of the
mosque as a calm oasis within a grove of trees. With the collaboration of
UK-based specialists such as the world leading expert in sacred architecture
and Islamic geometry Professor Keith Critchlow, UK’s leading Islamic garden
designer Emma Clark, and artists Amber Khokhar and Ayesha Gamiet, among others,
the final design marries traditional Islamic architecture, geometry and
horticulture with indigenous English materials, plants and craftsmanship to
create a unique synthesis.
At three stories high, with a façade that subtly weaves Qur’anic
phrases into the Gault brickwork that is traditional in Cambridge, the mosque
complements its neighboring structures on Mill Rd, while the gardens and café
make it a welcoming space for all members of the community. Its emphasis on
sustainability and high reliance on green energy not only makes this Europe’s
first eco-mosque, it has also become a true landmark building for the city of
Cambridge and its diverse residents.
Worshipers and visitors enter via an Islamic garden before passing
through a covered portico and then an atrium, preparing them gradually for the
contemplation of the prayer hall, facing Mecca. This combination of gardens
with whispering fountains and vaulted prayer spaces has been used to great
effect throughout Islamic history – for instance, at the Alhambra – and it
reminds us of the interconnection of humans and the natural world. The gardens
enhance the feeling of an ‘oasis’ that the building embodies.
Description
Sustainable Design
The defining feature of Cambridge Mosque is its timber structure.
The columns, or ‘trees’, reach up to support the roof in an interlaced
octagonal lattice vault structure evocative of English gothic fan vaulting,
famously used at the nearby King’s College Chapel. The timber is sustainably
sourced spruce which has been curved and laminated. Roof lights are located
above the ‘trees’, bathing the prayer hall in light. The octagonal geometry has
strong symbolism in Islamic art, suggesting the cycle of inhalation and
exhalation – the ‘Breath of the Divine’.
“The mosque is committed to
sustainability: its advanced eco-design gives it a near-zero carbon footprint,
honours natural forms with sustainable timber vaulting, and reminds the visitor
of our connection to nature.”
First Eco-Mosque
Environmental concerns have been
paramount in the design of the new Cambridge Mosque. Muslims feel a strong
imperative to protect the environment, as it is a gift from the Divine. Abdal
Hakim Murad notes that “Islamic civilization has been based on the
rejection of waste as an underestimation of God’s blessing, and so in the
construction of the new mosque here in Cambridge, we were very much at the
forefront of the local environmental movement”.
The building is naturally lit all
year round by large skylights in the roof, supplemented by low energy LED
bulbs, while photovoltaic cells on the roof help generate renewable energy from
sunlight. As well as being very well-insulated and naturally ventilated, the
mosque is heated and cooled by locally generated energy, by way of highly
efficient heat pumps in the basement that produce far more energy than they
consume. This type of heat pump extracts energy from the relatively stable
temperature of the air or ground water, heating the building as needed and
cooling it at times of high occupancy or excess heat gains.
Grey water and rainwater are harvested to flush WCs and irrigate the grounds. The building’s carbon footprint – which is already low – will improve over time as mains electricity from renewable sources becomes more available. Green transport has also been taken into consideration in the design: there is ample space for bikes and it’s easily accessible by pedestrians, while an underground car park frees up space on site for the mosque and gardens.