City mosque was a nod to the east and a first for the country
Comment
IT’S a familiar sight – the elegant minaret of the Birmingham Central Mosque rising up in front of you as you drive along Belgrave Middleway.
There is no doubt that the mosque is very much a celebrated landmark on the city skyline.
Built incrementally – and about to undergo another major expansion – it continues to respond to the needs of its community.
The orientation of the building, with the front at a right angle to the road, gives little indication of its size.
In fact, it was, until recently, the largest mosque in Europe.
Birmingham has had so many firsts and here was another – this was the first purpose-built mosque to be created in post-war Britain.
The plan to construct a mosque began in the late 1950s and it was always the intention that it would serve the West Midlands as a whole. The first planning application was in 1963.
We met with Councillor Muhammad Afzal and Nassar Mahmood, Chairman and Trustee of the Committee, to find out about the origins and early days of the mosque. They stressed that the mosque still retains its liberal purpose of welcoming all Muslims, regardless of sect.
The mosque, officially opened in 1973, was built entirely by contributions from the ordinary Muslims who made up the diaspora from the Asian sub-continent in Birmingham to meet the growing need to rebuild and fuel the city’s economy.
The architecture reflects the vision of local Muslims, spearheaded by the charismatic Choudhry Zahman, and the restrictions laid upon them by the city Planning Committee.
The result has been described as a stylistic hybrid. Funded by donations, the mosque was built in stages. Enthusiasm was such that hard-working men handed over their entire pay packets and women donated their jewellery.
In contrast, the 1979 Regents Park Mosque, designed by Frederick Gibberd of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral fame, was largely paid for by one individual. Its Grade II* listing is a recognition of the quality of the architecture.
Birmingham Central Mosque was designed by G Langley Taylor and
Partners – interestingly, the planning application was made by the Office of the High Commission of Pakistan.
The site, on a major arterial road, was donated by the council, a symbolic celebration of the multicultural status of the city. It was in the middle of an urban regeneration area, and this had an impact on the architecture.
Concerns were expressed by the city planners over the ambitiousness of the project and the building materials to be used. What was planned as a traditional white stucco façade became red brick to blend with the surrounding new buildings. The planned shops, lecture hall and library were not realised as they were seen as conflicting with local regeneration plans.
Entering the car park, you get a better sense of the building. The view is complemented by the tower and bulk of St Alban the Martyr, the Anglican Church that rises up behind, an interesting metaphor for faith in Birmingham. The frontage, originally simple in design with central stairs, is now marred by a double sweeping staircase. From the car park you can see the dome and the two minarets, the smaller one added in the early 1980s.
The height difference of the minarets adds interest. They are the most ornate element of the building with small domes, fine railing and culturally-appropriate decoration.
The windows, with their six-sided arch design, are a nod to Middle
Eastern design but lack the interest of the minarets. Constrained enough to fit into the regeneration plans for the area, the building retains the symbolism of traditional mosque architecture.
Originally, the ground floor was a car park, but pressure on space and accommodation saw the loss of this.
The interior is work-a-day and functional, just as well because on major feast days there can be over 30,000 people coming to pray.
The prayer hall is enormous. The engineering of the space is managed by a series of pillars. Apart from the correspondingly huge central chandelier, which is spectacular, and the recently renewed carpet, commissioned from a
Kidderminster firm, the prayer hall is plain and simple.
Overlooking the hall are the ladies’ galleries. These were innovatory at the time in that they were designed so that the women could feel involved, but not be seen.
The original staircases, open tread under the carpets, so typical of the period, are intact. Sadly, with the latest plans for the building, their fate is sealed.
The mosque’s success has been achieved through the cultural and heritage value that is epitomised by the building for the Muslim community and the wider city rather than the quality of its architecture.
As the Planning Committee plans for the next phase, there is a chance to consider the heritage value of the original architecture.
If there is one plea, it is that more consideration is given to the wall that runs alongside Belgrave Middleway, which is the aspect most people see.
Do the air conditioning boxes really need to be sited here?
Join us next time for an exploration of the doomed TRW Conekt Technical Centre (formerly the
Lucas Industries building) in Shirley.
Brutiful Birmingham fights for the retention of the best of late twentieth
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