Cambridge Mosque, designed by Marks Barfield Architects, is a bold but graceful reimagining of a spiritual and cultural centre, setting out a new vision for the 21st Century British mosque. The £23 million project caught the attention of architects and the wider construction industry when it was opened, winning multiple awards and accolades.

After the existing place of worship on Mawson Road started having capacity issues, it was clear that a larger, more modern space was needed. A competition was held, inviting international architects to submit their concepts for a sustainable, 1000-person capacity mosque.

Marks Barfield Architects won the competition in 2009 and in April 2019 the new mosque opened its doors, offering a peaceful, oasis-like aesthetic that draws on classic Islamic design while reimagining the place of worship for the modern day. The project has since won a raft of awards, including Architect’s Journal Best Community and Faith Project 2019, RIBA East Project Architect of the Year, and was shortlisted for the 2021 RIBA Stirling Prize.

Marks Barfield Architects were inspired by the historical architecture of mosques, particularly how they integrate with the cultural and climatic environment in which they are built. They wanted to create a design that reflected the rich cultural heritage of mosque architecture, while adapting to the unique streetscape on which it would be built, and the wider atmosphere of Cambridge.

In addition to this challenge, one of the key requirements for the project was to create a modern place of worship that is also sustainable – a visionary ‘eco-mosque’ that would set a new standard in combining the complementary pillars of faith, community and sustainability.