Culture capital

Of Minarets,
Domes and Stereotypes

Orna Ballout talks to

Zeynep Fadillioglu, the
first female designer of
Mosques
f or years, the role of women in the Islamic world has been a subject prone to con-
troversy and sparked many debates. So it came as a shock to Zeynep Fadillioglu,
when her interior design company was commissioned by the Sakir family to re-
design the Sakirin Mosque in Turkey, in memory of their late mother and father.
“When I was given this wonderful opportunity, I had many sleepless nights as I
wanted to achieve the best possible outcome on a project that means so much to so many
people,” she shares.
“At a time when so much is being discussed wrongly of Islam not allowing women to
have equal rights, the fact that a woman can build a mosque disproves this,” she says.

december 10 Qatar Today 93

Culture capital
It wasn’t a usual college route that led
Fadillioglu into the design industry; first,
she studied Computer Science at Sussex
University, England, and then went on
to study programme and system analysis
before completing her education in Art
History and Design at Inchbald School of
Design in London.
However, after a number of years
working as a systems analyst, it was her
husband’s restaurant and nightclub busi-
ness which eventually enticed her into the
realm of interior design. And in 1995 she
founded her now prestigious company,
Zeynep Fadillioglu Design.
Designs at the Cultural Village
Fadillioglu and her team, mostly made
up of women, have been busy. They are
diligently preparing for the next signifi-
cant offerings which will spark interest
with their unique designs. “We will soon
be unveiling our projects in Doha, two
Mosques and a restaurant in the Cultural
Village that will hopefully attract the at-
tention of the world.”
Since its beginnings, the company has
taken pride in striving for excellence and
delivering each project with the utmost
proficiency to achieve the best results.
The dedicated team of 18 professionals
consisting of architects, interior design-
ers, artists and graphic designers, all of
whom are experts in their designated
field, has accomplished the building and
design of 140 projects in countries across
the world including Qatar, Turkey, India
and London.
On various occasions the company has
triumphed sought after awards including
the 'Andrew Martin International Inte-
rior Designer of The Year Award 2002'
in London, and the 'Modern designer of
The Year Award 2005' given by the De-
sign and Decoration Awards in London.
A turning point
Whilst all of these projects and achieve-
ments have a special meaning to her, the
re-design of The Sakirin Mosque in Is-
tanbul is of great significance and holds
a special place in her heart. Not only is
it a masterpiece of exquisite design; it’s
a symbolic reference point in her career
that thrust her name into the spotlight as
94 Qatar Today december 10
the first ever woman in Islam to design
a Mosque.
“In the Sakirin Mosque, I wanted to ex-
press myself in a new way as our prophet
has said that everyday should be a new
day for us. My inspiration for the design
is based on Muslim, Ottoman and Seljuk
roots. I wanted to leave traces of our
times, not a copy of the past, otherwise
the new generation would be unaware of
us living in this century,” she says.
The 130 ft diameter dome-shaped
Mosque boasts a marvellous contempo-
rary look mixed with Islamic and Otto-
man details. “I worked with both tradi-
tional and modern artists, this dual effect
brought another dimension of linking
understanding with believer’s roots,”
she reveals about the inspiration behind
the fusion.
The facade of the structure consists of
wrought-iron grills and glass. On entry
to the Mosque, a turquoise mihrab catch-
es the eye, its colouring resembling tiles
from the Seljuk times.
A grand chandelier consisting of three
interwoven rings dominates the ceiling,
carrying inscriptions with 99 names of
God and the Nur Sura from the Quran;
adorning this chandelier are carefully
crafted spectacular drops of glass, de-
signed by Nahide Buyukkaymakci,
which are inspired by a prayer that says
Allah’s light should fall on you like
rain.
In the courtyard, a water fountain in
the shape of a metal sphere commands
the peaceful surrounding, with the met-
al cleverly reflecting the sky and the
Mosque to symbolise the universe.
“It is a sincere privilege that my team
has successfully accomplished a Mosque
of such fine artistic craftsmanship, a
place where people can find peace whilst
“At a time when so
connecting with God.”
Besides creating mesmerising mosques
much is being discussed
and works of art; busy Fadillioglu man- wrongly of Islam not
ages to juggle between professions of allowing women to have
designer, lecturer and grandmother in equal rights, the fact
her busy schedule. She teaches Design that a woman can build
Management and a Culture programme
a mosque disproves this”
in Bilgi University, Turkey, and has just
welcomed the newest addition to her
close-knit family with the birth of her
daughter’s son n