The Education Masjid

Southwest of Nigeria, Nigeria

Picture © Ruban Office

Drawing © Ruban Office

Religious buildings

Architects: Ruban Office

Location: Southwest of Nigeria, Nigeria
Construction: Patrick Waheed Design Consultancy

This religious project strategically and dynamically blurs the lines between public and private space with an intention to recalibrate religious participation in neighbourhoods of heterogeneous faith. Nigeria has and is still having it's experience of ethnic and religious friction. This project in the southwest of the country questions the role of architecture in engaging notions of tolerance and the building of proper knowledge within the Islamic religious group. Studies of the area suggests not only a need for better religious knowledge among the youth, but a space for it. The project consists of a community Masjid, morphable classrooms, a library and an Imam's residence. These four macro-programs merge and deviate spatially 'at will' according to the changing social dynamics of the neighbourhood and the activities in the spaces. The masjid can ‘transform’ spatially into a complex of classrooms and a library in less than an hour, creating flexibility of use for the limited space. The project creates a stronger bond with two human activities that need to go together to prevent conflict and violence in Nigeria: Religion and a proper education of the youth. The facility is planned to offer free general and religious education to the youth of the neighbourhood as they also use the space for daily prayers.