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Architects: Dave Orlando, Fandy Gunawan
- Area: 2220 m²
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:Daniel Dian Kristanto
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Manufacturers: Dekkson Lock, Toto
Design in a nutshell - Unlike usual mosque design, Dave Orlando and Fandy Gunawan reimagined Nurul Yaqin Mosque into a minimalist form that would make it stand out yet also organically integrate with nature. The mosque was designed with a sense of harmony and peace at its core, creating a contrast between nature and construction.
About the design (Architects, inspiration, materials, concept) - The client's vision for Nurul Yaqin Mosque included not just the desire to reconstruct the mosque as a work of beauty, but also for it to serve as a cultural hub that the community could enjoy. The mosque should serve as both a memorial of the 2018 tsunami disaster and a symbol of the city's growth.
Material, Function, Shapes, Symbolism - There are two distinct buildings that make up the mosque. The prayer hall is on its own and has three different entrances: one for the imam, who leads the prayers, and one for each male and female worshiper. While utility rooms are located in the opposite building. The mosque is primarily made of concrete and bricks, with a touch of blue terrazzo on the floor. The architects kept Islamic ornamentation modest and minimalistic by laser-cutting 99 names of God into the stainless-steel air vents surrounding the upper area of the building. Moreover, water surrounds the mosque, giving the impression that it is floating even above the sea. The idea of water was a favorite of both architects because it teaches us to work in harmony with our environment instead of against it.
Interior - The prayer hall is supported by 30 pillars with ornamental vaulting on the ceiling. The building has no windows or glass, as it was made to breathe through ventilation, and moreover, no maintenance. The worshippers face Mihrab - where the imam leads the prayer. Here, the mihrab is in the shape of a slit, where natural light seeps through the aperture to create a beam of light onto the floor while orienting them towards Mecca. Due to its smooth seamless appearance, the terrazzo material was chosen by the architects as its floor. As a result of its natural ripple texture, it appears as though there are no gaps where the blue ends and the ocean begins, which resembles an eternal and limitless prayer to God.
Overall, the mosque's design resulted as some sort of sanctuary, a place for reflection and spiritual solace that is closely connected to nature; as the mosque was conceived with good intentions and peace at its heart.
