January_1966 — Page 55

Tucked in under the grand hall dome is the ablution area which is well equipped with extractor fans and a modern water borne system.

The grand hall can provide ac commodation for more than 3.000 worshippers. For additional space, a verandah is provided on three sides of the hall to hold an additional 5,000 people.

The verandah is screened from the outside by terrazo grillwork of tradi- tional Islamic design. The floor is made of precast terrazo slab, and the concrete undulating roof is dotted with small domes and pyramids faced respectively with blue and grey glazed mosaic imported from Japan.

On the east side of the grand hall is a courtyard, flanked by two pools and decorative fountains. It has a roof of 48 independent concrete parasols which offer shade in the middle of the courtyard: they are decorated with coloured glass and small gold aluminium pyramids.

To the south side of the grand hall is a large pool also with decorative fountains. Standing out of this pool at the east edge is the minaret rising up to a height of 235 ft. from the floor to the star and crescent tip.

A lift with space for six passengers. is installed inside to carry the muezzin to the platform from where he makes his call to prayer. This platform is 140 ft. from the ground. and can be reached also by a spiral staircase winding round the lift shaft.

Minaret

The minaret stands out as one of the most attractive parts of the mos- que. The design of the spirex is original and a departure from classical form. Two opposite walls of the minaret are faced with lime and ter- razo slabs while the other two are decorated with terrazo grillwork.

The spire has a white glass mosaic finish. Inside the minaret the two sides of the lift shaft coinciding with the grillwork are lined with glass, while the lift car itself has glass win- dows to enable passengers to obtain a panaromic view of Kuala Lumpur. The minaret is lit at night by strip lighting.

Further to the south of the grand hall is the dewan or meeting hall. which is joined to the main mosque building by a wide covered way that can be used as a place for Koran reading.

The dewan has a complex roof consisting of a connoid and pleated shell concrete structure, finished with white glazed mosaic. The roof de- sign is distinctively oriental. The end walls are of concrete finished with blue glazed mosaic outside and with stripped woodwork of local timber inside, while the windows

are of glass.

Terrazo grillwork forms a screen outside the side walls.

The dewan has a seating capacity of about 500 and is fully air-condi- tioned. The main purpose of build- ing the dewan is to allow religious

Far East Architect & Builder January, 1966

Mausoleum

and Islamic and cultural conferences to be held in the mosque.

Another significant feature of the mosque is the sleeping rooms which are provided for visitors who come to Kuala Lumpur and who may have difficulty in getting accommoda- tion. It has been the tradition in the and mosque for the poor to come sleep for a night or so and then leave.

TST

Part of the ladies' verandah

There are three main entrances to the mosque, one being reserved for royalty. Each of these entrances has a dual staircase. Near the staircases on the ground floor are rooms with rows of pipes for worshippers to per- form their ablution. Here too are to be found other amenities such as toilets and bathrooms. Storerooms are also provided near the staircases

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