PROJECT East Brunswick Islamic Center - EBIC

LOCATION East Brunswick, New Jersey, USA 

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  12/1/2015

PROJECT CATEGORY  Community College

PROJECT TYPE  Studio

ENTRANT  Amalie ElFallah
TEAM MEMBERS  

SCHOOL  Montgomery College

FACULTY SPONSOR  Professor, Shorieh Talaat / Architectural Technology

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT

Students were asked to design a place of worship among four major religions through random selection. After selecting Islam and being given a program, list of building and code requirements and details regarding the wooded site near a lake in East Brunswick, New Jersey, I gathered information about mosques both contemporary and historical. One design goal was to embrace wood as a structural and aesthetic material. With research and personal experience, I designed a mosque and multipurpose building that would be appropriate for a diverse Muslim American community. The spatial design focuses on providing adequate and efficient circulation throughout the site and buildings according to a unique program. The Islamic center is not only a religious center for the Muslim community but cultural center for a diverse American community providing interfaith and multicultural activities to build awareness and bridge gaps about Islam and Islamic cultures.

STUDENT'S STATEMENT

As part of design studio project, students were asked to design a place of worship among four major religions based on random selection. After selecting Islam and being given a program, list of building and code requirements and details regarding the wooded site near a lake in East Brunswick, New Jersey, I gathered information about mosques both contemporary and historical. With research and personal experience, I designed East Brunswick Islamic Center (EBIC), a mosque and multipurpose building, that would be appropriate for a diverse Muslim American community. I focused on spatial design that would choreograph adequate and efficient circulation throughout the site and buildings according to program. The building is carved into the wooded site providing two levels of entry into the mosque and multipurpose buildings that are organized around a central courtyard. This courtyard serves to orient and organize the program. After looking at contemporary mosques around the world, I was most impressed with those those that focused on manipulating form and light and engaging processional paths to the surrounding landscape. The Mosque’s reflective and focused space addresses the individuals singular relationship with God, Allah, and the courtyard addresses the individuals collective relationship with community.
As a second place project winner for an Arab American Heritage Program Colloquium, I discussed beyond the design of EBIC and explained the significance of Islamic Centers in shaping America today. East Brunswick Islamic Center, both mosque and multipurpose building, is designed to provide interfaith and multicultural activities to build awareness and bridge gaps about Islam and Arab cultures. Architecture establishes dialogue with site, community, and environment and plays a key role in creating a global community.

IMAGE CAPTIONS & CREDITS 

IMAGE 1:  Southwest Perspective, "Building a Culture of Respect" - Amalie ElFallah

IMAGE 2:  Courtyard to Mosque Perspective, "Building Culture and Fostering Positivity to a Global Community" - Amalie ElFallah

IMAGE 3:  Sanctuary Render, Section, and Detail, "Observing Light and Space" - Amalie ElFallah

IMAGE 4:  Southwest Perspective, "Creating Community: Shaping Spaces into Places" - Amalie ElFallah

IMAGE 5:  Southern Lake Perspective of EBIC - Amalie ElFallah

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MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD

Project PDF