Sancaklar mosque in Istanbul

Dispensing with traditional forms and symbols, Sancaklar Mosque in Istanbul provides a setting for inner monologue as a search for meaning. Black-and-white photos of the building shell attest to the power of reduction.  
 

Architect: Emre Arolat Architects, Istanbul
Location: Karaaç Mahallesi, Sirtköy Mevkii, Büyükçekmece, Istanbul, Turkey

Photos: Cemal Emden / Emre Arolat Architects

"I find it okay for mosques to be more modest in look these days – it's appropriate to the times", says Emre Arolat.

In the following 15-minute film, the architect provides a tour of the finished building in Turkish: 

Photos: thomasmayerarchive

Photo: Cemal Emden / Emre Arolat Architects

Photos: thomasmayerarchive