The geometries used in this prayer hall are related to symbolism in Islamic art: the hall is defined as a circular wall representing purity, continuity and eternity; this wall is punctured to form a translucently glazed colonnade, allowing breezes and light to create a serene ambience internally; an over-sailing square roof represents the world with its imperfections; and the prayer area is another square within the circle, with the negative spaces remaining treated as pebbled ponds in reference to the metaphysical. Although it meets the functional and symbolic traditions of such spaces, this hall is an innovative interpretation of the building type.
Source:
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, 2011.