No abstract

The term Islamic garden has been defined in various ways considering different aspects and values. These definitions draw a broader perspective to Islamic garden, a key feature of Islamic civilization throughout the history. This paper aims to analyze these views and compare them in order to reach toward a holistic definition for Islamic garden- its origin, evolution, principles and essence. Also searching for a way to revitalize the original essence and application of Islamic gardens in the contemporary societies are discussed in a brief way.

The concept of urban mosque stems from more extensive reasons that mostly come from the overall issues of industrialization. Considering the challenges related to rapid urban growth, public institutions, such as mosque and its compatibility is required to be assessed in the context of compact cities. This study, therefore, aims to evaluate the planning and layout of six different styles of mosque in Malaysia regarding their suitability in compact urban settings. Due to its genre, the study adopts a case study as a qualitative research strategy as its research method. Content analysis is conducted on the compiled literature to indicate the expected outcome. Following a brief comparative discussion, this paper shows that mosque with modern architectural style among all six typologies is most suitable in the context of compact urban settings. Factors considered for the evaluation of mosques include layout progression of the mosque whether horizontal or vertical, provision for vertical stacking of spaces, symmetry in topology as well as in elevation and space types regarding flexible usage. The scope of this paper is limited to the assessment of literature only, which opens the window for a further in-depth study of actual case studies related to this topic.

Thousands of years after the establishment of mosque as a place of worship, issues and problems regarding its continuous development, especially those stemming from complexity of modern living have created the need for urban planners and architects to reconsider its planning and design in regard with limited land availability, shortage of resources, accessibility and appropriate architectural expression. Thus the aim of this research is to find a proper definition for urban mosques in compact cities and point out the key considerations for the design of urban mosques. This research is conducted qualitatively through reporting on available design guidelines related to the current topic followed by a discussion on three mosques within the Malay Archipelago as the secondary data source. Consequently, three mosques within Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were studied as a primary data source. The outcome of this research establishes a framework for possible design approach of urban mosque development as a basis for future mosques design in compact cities. The result can be utilized as a source of information for reference purpose as well as a possible guide on the effectiveness of urban mosque concepts, possible challenges in a compact city setting, vertical expansion, and sustainable development.

The government expects the population in Greater Kuala Lumpur will grow up to 10,000,000 by 2020 under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). The development of Malaysia is now guided by the national agenda and Vision 2020 that envisions Malaysia as a fully developed country economically, socially, politically and spiritually. Religious facility requirement for Vision 2020 states 309 new mosques have to be established to fulfill the need of the growing population. While the land constraints remain for the city of Kuala Lumpur, the necessity of the ever increasing population cannot be overlooked. This necessitates developing an innovative tool which can provide a layout for maximizing the space use within the limited boundary. This paper studies the current space use patterns and formulates design framework for the mosque as a community center in the urban fabric of Kuala Lumpur. The research method is a combination of a qualitative and quantitative approach. The sample consisted of mosques in Kuala Lumpur, and data collection technique was semi-structured interview and observation. Effective and efficient community development functions are expected from the Institution of the mosque as a community center which can enhance not only to serve and strengthen the relationship of the Muslim community but also strengthen the ties of Malaysia's multiracial society as a whole.