Preston mosque
Religion - Preston, United Kingdom
2021
Competition
Renders: Oleg Stathopoulos
Our proposal for the new mosque in Preston aspires to establish a landmark of contemporary religious architecture - one that operates at the intersection of Islamic spatial tradition and British architectural culture.
The building is conceived as a singular, monumental volume defined by a stretched rectangular footprint, within which the sahn, the main prayer hall, and all supporting functions are cohesively integrated. This clarity of form is complemented by two distinct vertical markers: a minaret composed of translucent green glass and a dome clad in sapphire-blue metal - elements that articulate the building’s identity within the urban skyline while maintaining a refined material restraint.
Drawing from the historical precedent of introverted mosque typologies, the external envelope is deliberately restrained, with minimal openings that reinforce the building’s sense of mass, gravity, and presence. The façade is conceived as a continuous surface - a contemporary reinterpretation of textile traditions deeply embedded in Islamic culture, from nomadic tent structures to the ceremonial drapery of sacred spaces, including the covering of the Kaaba. In this reading, the building envelope operates as an architectural “fabric”: protective, symbolic, and unified.
At the heart of the proposal lies the integration of the sahn and the men’s prayer hall into a single, fluid spatial entity. Inspired by the spatial continuity of the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan, this strategy allows the courtyard to function as a direct extension of the prayer space, increasing capacity while preserving spatial coherence. The result is a flexible environment that accommodates both everyday use and peak congregational moments with equal clarity and dignity.
The sahn is reinterpreted as a covered solar atrium, introducing controlled natural light deep into the building. This intervention establishes a dialogue with key references from British architectural heritage - most notably the Crystal Palace and the tradition of glasshouses and academic quadrangles - embedding the project within its cultural context without resorting to pastiche.
Enclosed by a lightweight glazed roof, the atrium ensures year-round usability, transforming the courtyard into a climate-responsive interior landscape. Operable glazing panels enable natural ventilation, allowing the space to shift seamlessly between enclosure and openness, and creating an atmosphere that is both luminous and temperate.
The project ultimately proposes a mosque that is at once rooted and forward-looking: a building that reconciles monumentality with environmental performance, and spiritual gravitas with architectural clarity - positioning itself as a lasting civic and cultural presence within the city.
Publication