John McAslan to redevelop largest mosque in Western Europe
John McAslan + Partners has been appointed to work on the redevelopment of the fire-damaged Morden mosque in south London – the largest in Western Europe
The existing 2003 building, officially the Baitul Futuh Mosque, was badly damaged last September when a fire broke out on the administrative side of the complex.
The blaze ’destroyed significant elements’ of the mosque, which can accommodate up to 10,000 worshippers, including function halls, offices, residences and other support functions.
The AJ100 practice will work on repairing the parts of the building affected by the fire as well as ’exploring long-term opportunities in order to establish an overall development framework that responds to the client’s wider aspirations’.
Set to be submitted for planning at the end of the summer, the proposals include a new formal facade to create a ’distinguished frontage and entrance in the form of a new wing’.
There are also plans for ’more generous courtyard space’, increased accommodation, separate vehicle and pedestrian entrances and landscaping to improve the approach to the mosque complex.
Rafiq Hayat, national president, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK, said the proposed design would help ’better manage the flow and space in and around the complex’.
Earlier this year John McAslan + Partners’ completed the new 1,400m² Juma Mosque in Doha, Qatar