SHAFAQNA- IQNA: In an article published in mid-October, ArchDaily has taken a quick glimpse at the distinctive architecture of Mosques in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to an enormous number of religious adherents – within which there is extraordinary diversity in religious expression. Iconic buildings serving a religious purpose are found throughout the continent, such as The Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Family in central Nairobi or the Hare Krishna Temple in South Africa.
What is evident is that architecture that hosts religious gatherings makes up a key part of the urban fabric of sub-Saharan African cities and that in a lot of cases, religious structures go against the grain – leaving aside or tweaking classical models in favour of a unique architectural approach.
This can be exemplified best by looking at the typology of Mosques in sub-Saharan Africa. Islamic architecture had its origins as soon as the religion was formed in the 7th century, as religious functions – such as the call to prayer – were given architectural expression in the form of interventions such as the Minaret. This strong link between function and design means that in a lot of places, mosques have a fairly standard design, influenced by Roman, Byzantine, Persian, and Mesopotamian architecture. Many contemporary Mosques in sub-Saharan Africa follow the model seen in the Middle East, but the presence of Mosques that depart from that model necessitates a broadening of what the term that is “Islamic Architecture” entails.
An exemplary example is the HIKMA Religious and Secular Complex in the Nigerien village of Dandaji, designed by atelier masōmī. Instead of simply importing the standard mosque model of the Middle-East, which would necessitate the use of unsustainable materials in the Nigerien context, the project features the use of locally fabricated compressed earth bricks, requiring little maintenance. The mosque might not be viewed as a traditional example of “Islamic Architecture” as it has a relative lack of ornamentation when compared to its counterparts in the Persian Gulf State, but it highlights the nebulous nature of architecture that has a religious purpose.
The ‘Soudanese’ Mosque style – belonging to the area known as Western Sudan, is perhaps the best example of a widely adopted sub-Saharan Mosque typology. Spanning from the River Senegal to Ghana and the Ivory Coast, clay and organic forms are a key component of these mosques. While the Islamic Architecture inspired by the forms of the Middle East features domes as a key element, the materiality of these clay Mosques means that flat roofs are a more appropriate option, with undecorated interiors in contrast to the patterned interiors of Mosques such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul.