Title: Firouzkooh Mosque

Client: Firouzkooh Cement Factory

Location: Firouzkooh, Iran

Status: 2004 - 2009



Site:

The project is located in an industrial atmosphere, in the middle of a landscaped ground with the office building, restaurant, and guesthouse, far from the production line. Northern Iran. Tehran province, 10km from Firouzkooh township



Program:

The mosque is located in the center of a landscaped ground which is formed based on the traditional “Persian Garden”. Some of the garden’s features are:

Using of special geometrical grids of walkways, laminar and steady flow of water and lemon and sour orange trees. The mosque is sitting in the place of a “Kooshk” (traditional building of the Persian Garden). Some of the mosque’s features and design specifications are:

1) A central big cubic space works as a “praying hall”. It designed with an impression of “Kabba”.

2) Four rectangular cubic spaces attached to the four corners of central space. Two of them are used as the entrance halls, one is used as a public utility and the other is used as a small size libraryl.

3) The mosque’s symbolic dome has been replaced by four carved concrete skylights on the roof, inspired by traditional “wind capture” .The mosque interior lighting is provided by the skylights, designed to catch the sunlight and shine it on the prayer stage and creates the illusion of a holy spirit.

4) The platforms around the mosque are covered with pergola as the “Ivans”. (Timber shelters)

5) Instead of using of traditional form of Minaret, Mehrab space comes throughout the one side of the central space and act as Minaret.



Systems:

- Structure: Moment resisting steel frame in both direction, standard rolled shapes and plate girders are used for beams and “HSS” box section for columns, composite slabs for roof decks

- Architecture: Cavity block walls, light and warm color painted walls, Marmarite stone tile flooring ,combination of dark and light brown Travertine tiles for the exterior facades with rows of timbers

- Utility: Hydronic system including heating converters , due to cold climate the building doesn’t need a cooling system



Description:

The principal criteria and project significances are as follows:

1) Giving full respect to “Time and Location” of the project.

2) Using of local materials, traditional construction skills and labours.

3) Strive to create a balanced between the mosque and its environment.

4) Designing a green landscape as a “Persian Garden” and locating the mosque in the centre, as a “Kooshk”, in a way that gives a contrast impression of public building atmosphere comparing to an industrial compound.

5) Use the principal means and concepts of Islamic and Iranian architecture

6) “Purity” of the project by simplifying and clearness of the design.

7) Strive to create a new feature for the mosque and changing the people’s traditional vision

8) Create a new definition with a new function for “symbolic elements of the mosque” (such as Dome, Minaret, etc.).

9) Giving equal credit to general design and partial elements in the project.