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Thursday, November 12, 2009

Build Out Muslim Community Center Slated For North PDX

Posted by Sarah Mirk on Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 3:40 PM

Portland Architecture has photos and details on a new 12,000 square foot Muslim community center and mosque planned for the N Vancouver just south of Killingsworth. The plans for the building look gorgeous, but break with traditional mosque design. Rather than being centered around a dome, the building is an series of horizontal masonry layers meant to create openness. "There's also an aspect of the inward-focused courtyard style of traditional Islamic architecture that is being turned on its head here with a public garden facing Killingsworth and a garden on the roof," writes Portland Architecture's Brian Libby.

The planned community center as seen from N Vancouver
  • The planned community center as seen from N Vancouver

6a00d8341c86d053ef0120a6685a4d970b-500wi.jpg
  • via Portland Architecture

Libby writes that the center would be home to the city's oldest Islamic congregation, formed in 1969, but the congregation hopes the building will be "a gathering place for people of all cultures and religions."

From the post:

“In our research and conversations with Koran scholars and members of the community,” [architect Garrett] Martin adds, “we discovered that simplicity and humility are extremely important qualities sought for mosques, yet often historically overlooked for the sake of the individual glorification of a rich patron.” ... The building is also situated at an angle to the street grid and instead is placed onto a q'ibla, or Mecca-facing axis, allowing frequent prayer to occur anywhere in the facility, by merely facing a room's end wall.

I think this looks awesome. As the whitest major city in America, we need more great civic spaces where minority or marginalized groups feel comfortable. Creating an impressive and open physical presence in one of the city's up-and-coming neighborhoods could be a solid step toward engaging Portland's Muslims in mainstream Portland life and city policies.

You can also take a tour of the new building a the Muslim Community Center website—looks like they're far short of their fundraising goals for the building, so who knows when we'll actually see this project.

 

Comments (13) RSS

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1
An endorsement of the subjugation of women from the Merc kind of surprises me.
Posted by D on November 12, 2009 at 4:13 PM · Report
2
D,

I don't equate Islam with the subjugation of women. Painting an entire religion with one broad stroke is the kind of ignorant bigotry that hopefully an open, inviting space like a community center will help erode.
Posted by s.mirk on November 12, 2009 at 4:40 PM · Report
3
I agree with you, and don't mean to sound bigoted or paint with too broad of a brush, I was just referring to the cloaked figures in the image.
The issues of women in the U.S. and local Islamic community would make an interesting story for the paper, on something a lot of Portlanders probably don't know a whole lot about.
Posted by D on November 12, 2009 at 4:45 PM · Report
4
Those figures could be Eastern Orthodox babushkas, or members from any of the number of conservative mainstream religions that encourage certain forms of traditional dress for women. Hell, some conservative Catholic congregations prescribe a form of head covering for women in church.

It ain't an exclusively Islamic issue.
Posted by atomic on November 12, 2009 at 5:35 PM · Report
5
I support the construction of this masjid and the congregation that is building it but Sarah needs to do some fact checking before she slams "D".

From Muslim Community Center of Portland (2006) Profile. http://pluralism.org/profiles/view/73559

"In 2003, the Muslim Community Center taxed its working members to purchase the building adjacent to it, so that they could once again separate the spaces in which men and women pray" ... "Men and women have separate entrances leading to separate prayer rooms that are adjoined inside by a middle door. The women’s side has a small library and a classroom in addition to the prayer room, while the men’s side has just a large prayer room."

Does Sara support the segregation of men and women for worship because this is clearly the position advocated by the congregation.
Posted by alainb1 on November 12, 2009 at 6:57 PM · Report
6
Segregation, despite being a loaded word at this point, is not the same thing as subjugation, which is the phrase Smirk used. You may look no further than a public restroom for examples of gender segregation in our own culture.
Posted by atomic on November 12, 2009 at 7:18 PM · Report
7
Even as America's whitest city, historically there have been places such as churches, businesses or the exisiting Muslim Community Center (yup, one of those already exists, it just doesn't look fancy enough for Brian Libby to comment on) etc, where "minorities and marginalized people" have gone and felt comfortable here.
Its just that these days alot of the folks who comprise the community that breathes life into these places have now been scattered to the fringes of town as North and inner-NE becomes more trendy.
Posted by ray on November 12, 2009 at 10:12 PM · Report
8
I can't give that design any compliments - it looks very dated to me! Doesn't it look a lot like the 1970's-style Immanual Christian Fellowship Church in NE?
http://tinyurl.com/yl4ureb
Posted by Reymont on November 13, 2009 at 9:07 AM · Report
9
@ Reymont: ummm, no. but thanks for playing.
Posted by eric cantona on November 13, 2009 at 9:14 AM · Report
10
Yay for diversity. Boo for more belief in sky pixies and generally causing misery for all the people around the world for whom this earthly existence is (as far as ANYONE knows) is the only one.
Posted by Suburban Porn King on November 13, 2009 at 2:01 PM · Report
11
"The plans for the building look gorgeous, but break with traditional mosque design. Rather than being centered around a dome, the building is an series of horizontal masonry layers meant to create openness."

Good plan. If any group loves drastic change to traditional concepts it's the Muslims.
Posted by Earnest "Nex" Cavalli on November 13, 2009 at 9:16 PM · Report
12
"Segregation, despite being a loaded word at this point, is not the same thing as subjugation...."

Wow! Tell that to those advocating gay marriage.
Posted by Bankerman on November 15, 2009 at 2:39 PM · Report
13
Heads up all you tolerant lefties. I am a female who once approached a male Muslim member of this very community, which now is on NE MLK, Jr. Blvd. He knows me. With a warm smile I stuck out my hand in friendship and he scowled at me, staring, saying, "We are not permitted to shake hands with women." This Muslim is an American-born guy. You need to get real. Get educated and fast before it's too late. I suggest you read books by Robert Spencer. His newest is, "The Complete Infidel's Guide To The Koran." Also, books by Italian political journalist, now deceased, Oriana Fallaci.
Posted by Babbs on December 1, 2009 at 5:48 PM · Report

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