Mohammad Rasul-Allah Mosque

Paya Payrang Architectural Group - Shiraz, Iran - 2016

Key words: Capacity, Copper, Dome, Entries, Geometry, Minarets, Stone, Tradition

MOSQUE EXTERIOR - Photography: © Ahmad Mirzaee & Samaneh Motaghipishe

This mosque project balances heritage, context, and modernity while addressing functional and symbolic challenges. Commissioned to replace an old prayer hall, the design sought maximum capacity while preserving 70-year-old trees, maintaining proximity to the site’s main axes, and acknowledging the site’s historical memory. The dome’s plan was derived from the footprint of the former hall, embedding continuity into the new structure.

Access is emphasised through two entries, linked by a Riwagh, an element rooted in Persian mosque tradition. The openwork wall of the Riwagh not only mediates between mosque and street but also enhances visual connection and urban integration. Flanking the dome, two rotating minarets provide symbolic markers while shifting in appearance as one moves around the building, introducing dynamism to the otherwise simple form.

The spatial progression—from open to semi-open to enclosed space—draws on traditional Iranian architectural patterns, enhancing ritual movement. A southern orifice channels sunlight onto the dome at noon, reinforcing cosmological symbolism. Materially, the stone façade and copper-coated details create contrast, while simplicity of geometry recalls both strength and humility.

Critically, the design successfully merges Islamic tradition with modern expression, embedding symbolism, environmental sensitivity, and contextual dialogue into a mosque that honours continuity while embracing contemporary architectural language.