876_UNAIZAH MOSQUE

The architectural project for the redevelopment of the Sheikh Muhammad bin Uthaymeen Mosque is conceived as a process of spiritual, spatial, and symbolic regeneration, aimed at restoring the mosque’s central role in the religious and community life of Unaizah. Architecture becomes a medium for connecting Najdi tradition, local identity, and contemporary language, not through literal imitation, but through a profound reinterpretation of the principles of Islamic architecture.

The concept is grounded in light as the primary generator of space and experience. Inspired by the Qur’anic principle “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth,” natural light is filtered, reflected, and guided throughout the building, accompanying worshippers along a gradual journey from the entrance threshold to the main prayer hall. The entrance is conceived as a transitional space—a contemporary iwan—permeable and welcoming, introducing the spiritual dimension through a slow, ceremonial approach enabled by gentle, fully accessible ramps.

The prayer hall is redefined through geometry. The original layout evolves into an octagonal form achieved through precise subtractions, where the octagon symbolizes the transition from the earthly realm to the celestial one, completed by the dome that reinforces a sense of continuity and infinity. The different levels of the mosque are connected by a central space that allows zenithal light to reach even the lower floors, ensuring orientation, inclusivity, and fluid circulation.

Open spaces are also integral to the project, with courtyards incorporating water and native vegetation as symbolic elements of purity, mercy, and life, in dialogue with the Najdi desert landscape. The façades reinterpret local materials and proportions through light stone surfaces and sand-toned panels, enriched by deep mashrabiya screens and geometric patterns that modulate light, provide shade and privacy, and transform the perception of the building throughout the day.

Particular attention is given to the minarets, with the restoration and enhancement of the historic conical minaret and the harmonization of the two more recent minarets through a coherent proportional and material language. Their tripartite presence forms a unified visual and symbolic system, evoking the rhythm of time, the call to prayer, and the believer’s aspiration toward divine light.

Overall, the mosque is conceived as a living organism, where light, geometry, natural materials, and proportion create a timeless architecture capable of regenerating tradition and strengthening the spiritual experience, while maintaining a deep dialogue with history, landscape, and the community of Unaizah.