TEHRAN –The Victoria & Albert Museum is playing host to an architectural installation that evokes memories of the first-ever mosque built in the UK. The event is inspired by the holy month of Ramadan.

Designed by architect Shahed Saleem, the Ramadan Pavilion 2023 is open to the public at the Exhibition Road Courtyard of the V&A South Kensington until May 1.

According to organizers, Saleem’s design of the Ramadan Pavilion is a response to the first-ever mosque built in the UK by architect Sir William Chambers in the 18th century. His installation attempts to deconstruct and abstract the 21st-century mosque, alluding to the exotic impact of the first mosque on the European community.

The design also draws inspiration from V&A’s print collection of mosques and Islamic architecture. The pavilion with bright colors showcases a modern mosque, exploring the dynamic history and evolution of this architectural symbol in Britain. Furthermore, the pavilion plays around with worship, belonging, and identity themes.

Some experts believe that Islamic architecture has long been acknowledged as a significant and influential typology in the built environment. Mosque architecture specifically has heavy cultural significance in any country with Muslim inhabitants.

As part of the annual festival, the pavilion is accompanied by a series of events, performances, and workshops curated by the Ramadan Tent Project, which is an award-winning charity established in 2013 with a mission of bringing communities together and developing the understanding of Ramadan.

Ramadan Tent Project organizes the annual Ramadan Festival, which is a collection of artistic, cultural, and creative events to inspire and engage audiences from all backgrounds, in addition to the UK’s largest community event in the lunar month of Ramadan, Open Iftar.

The Ramadan Pavilion is a purpose-built architectural structure and showpiece of creative art and design to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. Moreover, the event seeks to bring attention to the core values and traditions of Ramadan through architectural expression, experimentation, and associated public art programs. 

AFM