Bahai Temple of Worship

This idea competition was around trying to create an appropriate spatial form for the BAHAI sect that encompasses their ideals and philosophies. Accordingly, the number 9, a central number in their philosophy was used to define the elements, the distributions and the overall spatial experience.

A hot-dry climate necessitates the use of an insulating circumference wall, conceived in mud to reflect the traditional vernacular style. 9 mushrooming columns rise up within and hold the roof. Each of these columns represent the 9 Bahai faiths. The roof and upper walls are imagined in a mixture of transparent and partially opaque glass, framing the central space and creating a vertical connection to the sky. From inside, this results in an ample availability of light, almost giving the feeling that the roof is floating.  The building sits within a curated orchardlike landscape, semi-circular semi-private spaces line the temple premises and facilitate multiple activities.  The building sits like a diamond on the site and creates a strong visual presence as well as strong symbolic cues.

Location: Africa
Client: BAHAI sect
Year: 2019 (competition)