Minimizing the mosque

Zenin Adrian, The Jakarta Post

A couple of years ago, I attended a seminar on Islamic architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The seminar discussed specifically the development of mosque architecture in different regions and how it had adapted to local context.

The discussions were circled around how Western African mosque design influenced design throughout the world. With its dome and minaret (tower/lighthouse) configuration, it was decorated to fit in with the local traditional architecture style. Towards the end of the seminar, there was a critical discourse to rethink the use of dome and minaret elements and their relevance in practical modern mosque architecture.

Traditionally, domical form has been used in many religious buildings other than mosques because of its geometrical characteristic. A dome has centralized geometry and provides an edgeless ceiling. These embedded characteristics enhance our sense of upward direction, which is why the ceiling of a dome is usually perceived as a representation of the sky or, most of the time, heaven.

On the other hand, the use of the minaret is believed to have traces of the ancient concept of male (tower) and female (dome) symbols. In most cases, especially in modern times, the minaret is perceived as a symbol of establishment rather than religious value.

This application of symbolic forms was the core of the discussion that the modern mosque architecture should move away from symbols and extravagant decoration and focus on creating a more meaningful prayer space.

Some contemporary architects in Indonesia have been struggling to propose modern ideas in mosque design, and most of them have to be confronted with the rooted perception and strong preference for the dome and minaret configuration typical of mosques in the Middle East.

However, some struggles come with victories. The Ar-Royan mosque in Galaxy Bumi Permai, Surabaya, was designed to accommodate the need to have a meaningful praying space. Designed by Jakarta-based architect Ahmad Djuhara, the mosque does not apply the traditional dome.

As opposed to the dome ceiling, which enhances the mosque's verticality, Djuhara designed a compressing curve ceiling which increase the feeling of horizontality.

The curved ceiling accommodates the two stories of prayer space where the upper floor is reserved for females. Although the mosque is square in plan -- 15 by 15 meters -- the ceiling gives a strong directionality towards the Qibla wall.

The prayer space is minimally decorated with inscriptions of the 99 names of Allah on the Qibla wall. Small openings at the bottom of the wall provide a glimpse of the fish pond behind the Qibla wall which inherits a poetic meaning within the sound of the flowing water from the pond.

I perceive these design gestures as an effort to emphasize the quality of self-revelation and social interactions. The embedded values seemed to contrast with traditional mosque design where distractive symbolic representation and unnecessary decorations dominate the prayer space. Djuhara's minimalistic and functional approach shows us that religious space can be built upon modernity and still maintain our religious practice and commitment.

Zenin Adrian has a website www.zadl.net and can be reached at zenin.adrian@zadl.net