Cowgill Lobby: 2nd Year Architecture Competition

You are charged to design a mosque for the Town of Blacksburg.

In the foreground of a convincing architectonic proposal for the mosque stands a formulation by
means of the basic architectural elements of floor/roof, wall/column, and openings/apertures.

There are two basic stipulations for this mosque:
a) the sahn (an exterior entrance courtyard) and the haram (a typically covered/enclosed prayer
space) should be of approximately equal size (square footage);
b) the mosque is to be entered through the sahn before reaching the haram.

Elements of a Mosque:
In addition to a sahn and a haram, a mosque requires a mihrab (prayer niche) set into a qibla (prayer
wall) to indicate the direction of Mecca. Minarets (one to four towers) for the muezzin (caller) to
summon the faithful to prayer is a possible and common element but it is not required. A water
feature, for the ritual of ablution, is often located in the sahn for the washing of one’s hands and feet
before prayer.

Site:
The mosque is to be located on the parking lot at the intersection of Church Street and Lee Street in
Blacksburg. The limits of the site are defined by the parking lot. See attached site map for all necessary
information (buildable area, orientation etc.) of the site for the building. A site visit by the individual
student-architect is encouraged.

Jury comments at 4pm January 30th in the Cowgill Lobby.