Masjid-u-Zahrah, Al Jamea-tus-Saifiyah Campus, Saifee Park, Nairobi, Kenya.
A,Jivanjee Architects designed and detailed this masjid in 2014. The clients required a masjid which would be inspired by the Mosque of Al Hakim, Al Jame-al-Anwar in Old Cairo adjacent to the fortress wall of Fatimid Cairo and the gates of Bab-ul-Futuh and Bab-ul-Nasr.
This Masjid is part of the new Al Jamea-tus-Saifiyah Arabic Academy Campus in Saifee Park, Langatta, Nairobi. Having worked on the restoration of the Al Jame-al-Anwar in Cairo with Architect Hassan Fathy in 1978, we were able to incorporate many details and ideas from the original historic masjid.
It is incorporated within the new campus designed by other architects and is located on the North side of the campus as symbolically the prime building in the projects with the other buildings located towards the east, west and south surrounding a landscaped courtyard.
The exterior is clad in white sandstone sourced from Baluchistan in Pakistan. The stone was cut and carved in Karachi, Pakistan and it was installed by artisans from Pakistan on site in Nairobi.
The interior is also inspired by the interior of the original Jame Anwar in Cairo. African mahogany is used throughout and all calligraphic details have been inspired by the Jame Anwar.
The project was completed in June 2017.
