Continuing with this week's theme of arches, we bring you another contemporary design that employs the classic form to great effect.
This time, we travel to the Persian gulf, where Ibda Design has completed the gorgeous Al Warqa'a mosque in Dubai as more of a communal space than a flashy icon. Al Warqa'a accomplishes this with an open plan, clean lines, a simple white dome, and—of course—arches, which figure prominently throughout the mosque and in an arcade on the exterior, beckoning the worshipper into its calming space.
The outer walls are made of ochre-colored Saudi sandstone and conjure the surrounding desert. The marble courtyard, which features a textured minaret, is intended to be a fluid space where worshippers can socialize after prayer. Head over to Dezeen for a full tour.