The Mamluki Lancet Mosque

Babnimnim Design Studio - Al-Masayel, Kuwait - 2023

Key words: Community, Dome, Islam, Lancet Arch, Masses, Mihrab, Minaret, Moqarnas, Qibla, Stone

MOSQUE EXTERIOR - Photography: © Mohammed Alsaad & Nasser Alomairi

The Mamluki Lancet Mosque in Al-Masayel, Kuwait, demonstrates a thoughtful synthesis of historical Islamic architecture and contemporary design. Its central concept draws on the Moqarnas - a geometric device for transitioning from square to dome - and merges this with the symbolism of the Islamic Star, signifying divine unity. The design is articulated as five ascending masses that rotate and transform, resonating with the five daily prayers. This sequencing produces a column-free interior, ensuring clear alignment towards the Qibla and fostering communal cohesion in worship.

Externally, lancet arch cutouts, reminiscent of classical Mamluki mosques, punctuate the façade, while the overall form gains distinctiveness from its aerial Islamic Star geometry. The minaret and grand wooden entrance reinforce the mosque’s sacred identity, with smaller domes introducing light and marking transitional spaces such as the women’s quarters. Materially, the mosque reinterprets Mamluki traditions through gray stone, white plaster, brass details, and Quranic calligraphy, blending permanence with refined ornamentation.

Internally, the interplay of stone and white finishes conveys both groundedness and transcendence. Light filters dynamically through the rotating volumes, animating inscriptions and ritual space. Critically, the mosque succeeds in uniting heritage with innovation, balancing symbolic depth with spatial clarity, and providing a spiritual sanctuary that remains both timeless and distinctly modern.