The 3rd International Conference on Mosque Architecture in Kuwait Explores the Mosque as a Cross Cultural Building

Written by Dima Stouhi
Published on December 01, 2022

Organized by the Abdullatif Alfozan Award for Mosque Architecture and the College of Architecture at Kuwait University, the 3rd International Conference on Mosque Architecture was held in Kuwait on 14-16 November 2022. Under the theme of “Mosque: a cross cultural building,” 101 architects participated in this year’s edition, showcasing their state-of-the-art designs and how they reimagined religious buildings in a more contemporary context, taking into account the importance of community, privacy, its religious significance, and the environment.

The ceremony featured insightful panel discussions by international keynote speakers who are veterans in mosque designs. Prof. Mashary Al Naim, Secretary General of Abdullatif Alfozan Award for Mosque Architecture, spoke about the architectural value of the mosque as an evolving building that has been continuously adapted to complement various cultures and needs, highlighting the importance of retrieving its role nowadays as a laboratory for developing architecture and craftsmanship. Rasem Badran, Chairman of the Master Jury Board and Kashef Chowdhury, highlighted the importance of new architectural concepts and forms in mosques, and how vital connectivity is between the architecture and its urban surroundings.

Hasan Uddin Khan, notable professor emeritus of architecture, presented his keynote speech about the universality of mosque design, and how it goes beyond regionalism. Prof. Mohammad Gharipur, Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Islamic Architecture, shared insights on contemporary mosques and their relationship with identity and community. Bernard O’kane, professor of Islamic art and architecture, discussed the role of the architect in designing for women in mosques, while Jacqueline Fewkes, professor of anthropology, presented her anthropological exploration of the American mosque. From the Middle East, architect Ali Al Shouaibi spoke about the changing context of the urban mosques, Prof. Saleh Al Hathloul discussed the connectivity between mosques and communities, and Dr. Haifa Al Khilifah introduced the audience to the contemporary mosques of Bahrain and Oman.

The International Conference on Mosque Architecture (ICMA) is a series of conferences organized by the Abdullatif Alfozan Award for Mosque Architecture, which aims to encourage research work on mosque architecture, and serve as a professional platform for all experts and specialists of the discipline. Its first edition was held in 2016 and curated by Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The second edition was held in 2019 and curated by the International Islamic University of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. The third and most recent edition was held on November 14th 2022, and was curated by the Kuwait University. The next edition of ICMA will be held in 2025 in Istanbul, Turkiye, and will be curated by the Istanbul Technical University.

Alongside the conference, the jury, chaired by architect Rasem Badran, members of the jury include architect Emre Arolat (Turkey), architect Kashif Chowdhury (Bangladesh), artist Ahmad Mostapha (United Kingdom), and sociologist Sari Hanafi (France) reviewed 22 shortlisted projects over the span of three days. The projects were distributed across 4 continents and 17 countries around the world. Ahead of the meeting, 22 detailed portfolios were prepared by 10 technical reviewers, who had visited the mosques and met with all architects. The portfolios were presented to the jurors in Kuwait, who had already generated a list of criteria with different considerations in order to select the winning designs. The criteria included mosque connectivity with the surrounding environment, evolution of new forms, resonance of urban fabrics, serving surrounding communities, and competence with local cultures.

The jurors will select five projects to be awarded at a ceremony that will take place at the National Museum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 5th, 2023.