Design Philosophy and Vision

In Islam the vision of Paradise is imagined and aspired to in Qur’anic descriptions. For over a millennia Muslims all over the world have also sought to manifest Paradise on earth – through garden design but also in manuscripts, representation of tawhid in geometric patterning, representations of Paradise on rugs, mosaics and in mosques. Entrance to Paradise is by way of practicing the pillars of the faith (prayer, fasting, charity, hajj, shahada) in life, and in death by way of ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge and virtuous offspring praying for them.

The goal of the design of the AMA school is manifest Paradise present in the ways mentioned above and in three particular approaches:

1. Orientation to Mecca of all classrooms, so that learning is facing Mecca and prayers in the classroom are immediate and comfortable; 
2. Appropriate geometry unifying the design and decoration will assist with identity and wayfinding and large scale text of the shahada and five pillars of Islam will adorn the building
3. Environmental stewardship and care for the sacred earth created by Allah will be a part of the education spaces and the spaces surrounding the school: with sustainable and passive design strategies students will understand and use the small gardens and sitting areas for each classroom commons area and the garden area behind the glass mihrab wall in the mosque.

In addition to this the mosque space will open up to adjacent multi-purpose rooms to accommodate all of the students and staff to pray together on special occasions.

The Al Rashid mosque is the oldest extant mosque in Canada, and in nearly the century since, the Muslim community in Edmonton has expanded and now the current Al Rashid mosque and AMA school serve as important hubs of community endeavours and both are also pioneering in expressing Canadian Muslim spaces. The new AMA will accomplish the needs of the expanded school in terms of space and application of Islamic ideals including environmental stewardship and care for the earth. By looking to the ground as a site for prayer and the earth that is cultivated in a treasured way, and by looking up to the stars from the beacon of the minaret the AMA school spaces will express in design, Islamic ideals and will support Islamic education in an advanced and unique way.