Acclaimed architect Sir David Adjaye discussed his vision for the highly anticipated Abrahamic Family House, the interfaith centre due to open this year.
He wants the space — which includes a mosque, church and synagogue — to be a place that connects people, and welcomes discussion about their roots and faith.
Currently being built on Saadiyat Island, it aims to represent and preserve the three Abrahamic religions — Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
The centre was born as a physical manifestation of the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together — which was signed in Abu Dhabi by Pope Francis of the Catholic Church and Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in February 2019.
In September that year, Adjaye Associates won the Abrahamic Family House competition, with a design that was unveiled at an event in New York City.
Speaking to art historian, curator, and museum director Chris Dercon at the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, Adjaye said the team was "humbled and honoured" to have won.
“Essentially, the inspiration was to understand that the three religions really emanate from this extraordinary region,” Adjaye said.
The renders and video Adjaye shared during his conversation showed arresting spaces and forms, that have been directly inspired by the commonality between the three religions.
Adjaye’s vision of the shared elements of the three faiths expresses itself through a common architectural language between the three monumental structures, creating visual harmony, while still evoking distinctive design elements that speak directly to their individuality.
“I wanted to create something that will really distil the essence of the three religions and create a certain purity or certain purity to the idea,” he said. “Our buildings are quite modest but they needed to have a presence that would really complement the relationship of the others, but also have a distinct language.”
The architecture is powerful yet humble and welcoming, filled with light as an element and delicate in form.
The houses of worship are designed as three clear geometric cubes that sit on a plinth, connected by pathways and gardens. The structures share equal external dimensions — height, width and a unifying roof — emphasising through design that no faith is more dominant than the other.
While their shapes are identical, the structures are not. Although unified by their form, they stand unaligned with different orientations.
The mosque will be orientated toward Makkah, the synagogue's bema towards Jerusalem and the church's altar towards the east and the sun. Each house of worship will have its own separate entrance, but the site has been designed to slope up toward a podium in the centre, where all three structures can be seen from the garden at once.
Meanwhile, each structure's exterior takes the essence of the design elements associated with their respective faiths and interprets them through the facade in an almost minimalistic, though commanding, way.
“This is about respecting these three extraordinary religions with their histories and their cultures and their evolution,” Adjaye said. “It’s to bring them into a space of dialogue and to bring them into a space where they see each other. So that really was important.”
Nature plays a pivotal role in the design. The garden in the Abrahamic Family House connects the three spaces of worship, where people can have open dialogues and celebrate the collective history, culture and identity of the Abrahamic faiths.
“In the centre of that garden there's a gathering space for several hundreds of people,” he said. “The idea is to use that space for dialogue," he added.
And, while in each house of worship visitors can learn about each faith, there will also be a fourth space not connected to any of the religions. This educational centre will host a variety of programmes and events acting as a space devoted to mutual understanding and peace.
Adjaye also discussed how the Abrahamic Family House is a global reflection of a new generation interested in remaking the idea of “the city” — particularly how cities need to create spaces that consider, include and welcome one another.
“What's really beautiful about this monumental call that has been made by the government of Abu Dhabi is that it is a place that really speaks about the different cultures of people,” Adjaye said. “And religion is part of the culture of people.”
The 2022 edition of the Culture Summit - in pictures
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'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
How Sputnik V works
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The specs: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Price, base: Dh198,300
Engine: 2.0L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 280hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7L / 100km
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
Manchester United's summer dealings
In
Victor Lindelof (Benfica) £30.7 million
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) £75 million
Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) £40 million
Out
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Released
Wayne Rooney (Everton) Free transfer
Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad) £9.8 million
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Results:
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 (PA) | Group 1 US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres
Winner: Goshawke, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) | Listed $250,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Silva, Oisin Murphy, Pia Brendt
7.40pm: Meydan Classic Trial (TB) | Conditions $100,000 (Turf) | 1,400m
Winner: Golden Jaguar, Connor Beasley, Ahmad bin Harmash
8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) | Group 3 $200,000 (D) | 1,200m
Winner: Drafted, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Sandeep Jadhav
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,000m
Winner: Oasis Charm, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
Winner: Escalator, Christopher Hayes, Charlie Fellowes
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
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- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
HAJJAN
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More on Quran memorisation:
The five pillars of Islam