Marinus Jongeneel
Veldacademie
Minaret aan de Maas - Mosque design in the South of Rotterdam
Bloemhof, a neighbourhood in the South of Rotterdam, forms a tapestry of close-knit ethnic and religious communities. Mosques form focal points in the community network: places where like-minded members congregate to share their faith, culture, rituals and daily life. However, these congregations mostly reside in rickety former schools, rendering them invisible to the outside.
The projects offers the Moroccan community a recognisable socio-cultural heart as part of the public sphere in Bloemhof. The Minaret of the proposed mosque completes the urban ensemble of the existing clusters of schools and mosques (Scholendriehoek). A shared programme of libraries, shops, and schoolrooms complement the present public facilities.
The Maghreb mosque type is translated to the Dutch urban context by reconfiguring the prayer hall, courtyard and Minaret, thus continuing the centuries-old mosque development. Stylistic elements characteristic of Maghreb type such as the horseshoe arch are reinvented using contemporary Dutch construction methods and materials.
More information
- Master thesis 'Minaret aan de Maas'