Call to Prayer: Using rugged materials and a modern design vocabulary, an architect creates a place of worship that connects the essence of Islam with contemporary life.
In most of the Muslim world, the dome and minaret signify the mosque, acting as symbols that transcend linguistic and cultural barriers. In Istanbul, with its haunting skyline of historic domes and towers, the association between these traditional forms and religion is especially strong. So Emre Arolat’s design strategy for the Sancaklar Mosque on the outskirts of the city challenged long-held assumptions and popular images. “We wanted to get rid of the form,” says Arolat, the 50-year-old Istanbul-based architect who set up his own firm with Gonca Paşolar in 2004, after working in his parents’ practice since 1987. His parents—Neşet and Şaziment—have since joined Emre Arolat Architects (EAA), keeping the business a family affair.
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