RIBA opens competition for Preston mosque

The Royal Institute of British Architects has launched a competition to design a mosque north of the city on behalf of a local registered charitable trust.

The site is at the western end of D’Urton Lane on the northern fringe of the city centre. The site has been cut off by the recent completion of the Broughton bypass alongside the junction of the M55 and M6 and as such, said RIBA, sits in a particularly prominent and elevated location.

RIBA has set a deadline of 22 April for the competition.

According to the orgainsation, “the client is looking to create a landmark, timeless building on this site, close to the city centre.

“This site is located close to the city centre but in its own, prominent setting, visible from a large part of the surrounding area including key routes into Preston therefore there is a great opportunity to design a building which will become a proud element of Preston’s skyscape for many years to come.”

At phase one, the competition seeks initial anonymous design concepts. A shortlist of up to five teams will then be selected to develop their designs.

The design guidance states: “The intention is to produce a strong and bold design that is clearly identifiable as a place of worship but not necessarily to the extent that it is dominated by the traditional Islamic designs.

“Similarly, it is acceptable to have an element of Islamic flair or features but this is not paramount and if the building has minarets they should be subtle and modern in appearance.” The scale is expected to be around the equivalent of three storeys.

The RIBA competition is open to registered architects worldwide.