The evolution of mosque architecture reflects an ongoing dialogue between regional vernacular traditions and parametric abstraction:
Hassan Fathy (Vernacular & Environmental): Grounded in indigenous Nubian vaulting, mudbrick masonry, and passive environmental physics. Fathy's architecture prioritizes low-cost, zero-carbon construction, human scale, and communal memory.
Zaha Hadid (Parametric & Fluid): Fluid structural forms using glass-fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) and digital algorithms. Space becomes an uninterrupted kinetic continuum, reinterpreting spiritual infinity through seamless structural geometry.
Mosque design represents a fertile ground for the debate between preserving heritage identity and embracing technological modernity. In this context, two distinct intellectual currents emerge: the vernacular environmental school, represented by the pioneer of earthen architecture, Hassan Fathy, and the deconstructivist parametric school, led by the world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid.
1. Concept Philosophy and Spatial Configuration
Hassan Fathy (Authenticity and Vernacularism):
The design stems from harmony with the local environment and collective memory. Spatial layout relies on open courtyards (sahn), shaded vaulted halls (iwans), and Nubian domes. The massing follows a simple geometric rhythm that embodies humility and spiritual serenity, stripped of excessive visual ostentation.
Zaha Hadid (Fluidity and Dynamism):
The prayer hall transforms into a continuous, kinetic sculptural mass where boundaries between walls, ceilings, and floors dissolve. The space conveys a sense of infinity through sweeping, fluid curves that symbolize movement and inner spiritual focus directed toward the Qibla.
2. Tectonics and Construction Materials
The School of Earth and Domes (Hassan Fathy):
An absolute reliance on indigenous, locally sourced materials such as sun-dried mud brick (adobe), limestone, and lime mortar. Traditional Nubian building techniques are utilized to construct vaults and domes without requiring complex wooden formwork, drastically reducing the carbon footprint while providing self-regulating, high-performance thermal insulation.
Reinforced Concrete and Composite Fibers (Zaha Hadid):
The deployment of high-performance glass-fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC), intricate structural steel frameworks, and seamless curved glass envelopes. This methodology demands advanced structural calculations and 3D computational modeling to realize seamless, column-free internal spans with complex double-curvatures.
3. Environmental Strategies and Daylighting
Passive Climatic Control (Fathy):
Harnessing natural windcatchers (malqaf) to draw in cool air, integrating wooden lattice screens (mashrabiya) to filter harsh direct sunlight, and exploiting the thermal mass of thick mud-brick walls to achieve optimal thermal lag and moderate indoor daytime temperatures.
Light as a Digital Sculptor (Hadid):
Directing natural illumination through sculptural fissures, lightwells, and parametrically perforated metal screens embedded into the fluid envelope. Daylighting streams in radial, kinetic beams directed toward the Qibla wall and the mihrab, generating an immersive, futuristic sensory experience.
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