On what was one of the coldest Melbourne days of the year, I took a tour of Pritzker Architecture Prize–winning architect Glenn Murcutt and Elevli Plus's Australian Islamic Centre in Newport, a contemporary Australian mosque. The formal design draws on modernist principals with beautiful glimpses into and through the building. The entrance is open and transparent allowing outsiders a view to the inside, a feature not typical of traditional mosques and designed as such to be inclusive and respectful of people of all faiths.
Inside is a vast space, bathed in symbolic colours of Islam by roof-mounted lanterns that illuminate the room and provide a dynamic pattern across the walls and floor. The tranquil, reflective water courtyard is another beautiful feature, not to mention the external concrete staircase.
There's still work to be done at the site but I highly recommend a tour, which is led and enriched by Ali Kaddour and his nephew, Ali Abou-Zeid whose dedication and enthusiasm is infectious!
I look forward to returning (this time with my tripod!) on its completion.
