Inspired by the Arabic calligraphy – Khufi, the Musolla takes its form from the first Arabic letter in the word Musolla (mim) which means ‘a place for praying’.
Starting at the ‘tail’ top one ritually ascends the long ramp to the main prayer hall from the garden embarking on this ‘path’ towards enlightenment. The main prayer hall cantilevers above a body of water – the purest of spaces.
Placed on an uninterrupted lawn the Musolla is more a sculpture/pavilion/art installation in the landscape than a building proper. Unfinished concrete, gabion walls and timber conveys raw truthfulness.
Part theistic symbolism, part modern typographic installation, the Musolla carries this universal theme (of a journey towards enlightenment), elevating what might have been merely a common place facility into a landmark.
