Sancaklar Mosque

Sancaklar Mosque aims to address the fundamental issues of designing a mosque by distancing itself from the current architectural discussions on form and focusing solely in the essence of religious space. The main issue was a confrontation with the classical Ottoman mosque scheme, which became a blank anachronism with today’s construction techniques. The design aimed at representing the purest forms of light and matter free from all cultural burdens. The building anchors to the ground as if it has always been there, getting rid of all temporal and cultural engagements. The high walls depict a clear boundary between the chaotic outer world and the serene atmosphere of the public park creating a feeling of purification and humbleness without a concern for ornament. The space may be defined then as a meditation and thinking area where contrary to all other mosques, women have the chance to pray in the same row as the men. The building blends with the topography and the outside is left behind as one moves through the landscape. The interior becomes a dramatic and awe inspiring place to pray where the contrast between the natural stone and the concrete enhance a dual relationship between man-made and natural.