islamandart:

The Floating Venice Mosque Project

Intense public discourse going on to this very topic meant finding an understanding of the complex constellation between art, culture and architecture. The heritage of Venetian architecture is a heritage of Islamic architecture. This encouraged the development of the initial idea and shaped the floating mosque as a inter-cultural gathering point, making a new world within the compounds of Venice.

 The process of transformation of places like Venice today has the ability to underline the emblematic changes ongoing in the European society. Based on the classical tradition of mosques, with a courtyard, the patio, and the dome shaped structure on a square foot print and the minaret, being the classical elements, the project needed a contemporary transformation to underline the paradigm change. In the context cultural installation made of balls, gym balls, which are easily available on the market, that will be distributed to the residents of Venice after the venue, in the sense that every body is part of this installation. The reuse of the balls, by distributing them to the people responds to the sustainable aspect of this installation.  

I’ll be in Venice on Friday inshaAllah, I wonder if the floating mosque still exists?

(via samirakhan)