Mosque Architecture: A Transdisciplinary Debate

Book excerpt: Against a backdrop of environmental and societal concerns, best captured by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this book brings together the leading voices on Mosque architecture to make a case for its role as a purveyor of culture, heritage, and sustainability in the modern world. The Mosque, as an institution, continues to serve as the epicenter of spiritual, moral, and cultural life in Muslim societies. Recognizing that the popular understanding of Muslim culture and archetypes is, at best, minimal among the broader public worldwide, this book has two objectives: i.e., (i) to explore Masjid architecture as a carrier of culture, heritage, and the sustainability of Muslim communities; and (ii) to offer a bias-free introduction to the intricacies of Muslim architecture, culture, and heritage today. The papers featured in this collection were presented at the 5th Memaryat International Conference (MIC), held at Effat University, Jeddah. The MIC’s objective is to build bridges between research communities engaged with diverse aspects of science, technology, and innovation, seen as the key levers for attaining the SDGs.