A modest, existing cross-vaulted structure was reconceived as a small mosque, and the surrounding area and roof were designed as a public plaza to serve a small village and travellers in this rural area. The existing stone-vaulted space was restored and whitewashed but transformed by the introduction of a large steel skylight; steel was also used to create a thin exterior envelope that re-orients the mosque towards Mecca and provides shading, and the structural steel screen features pixilated calligraphy of the words Allah and Human Being. Local stonework to repair the mosque and create the plaza was undertaken by local masons; the steel elements were fabricated off-site and installed over 48 hours.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
