Cambridge Mosque - Islamic garden fountain front portico
Projects

Cambridge Mosque

Client
The Cambridge Mosque Trust
Value
£25m
Size
1,940 sq m GIA

Enhancing the Cambridge Muslim community with Europe’s first ever eco-mosque, designed with a focus on environmental sustainability.

Designed with minimal carbon footprint, our client sought to deliver a new sanctuary for worship, reflection, and education for its growing congregation. The mosque needed to respect its environment and local community yet stand out visually through a considered design approach with a focus on sustainability.  

The brief was to create a high-quality, visually stunning place of worship with sustainability at its core. The existing Mosque on Mawson Road had become too small for the growing congregation, and so the former warehouse on Mill Road was acquired. Bidwells launched an international design competition to select the project architect, and a value engineering process to ensure the design and build costs of the scheme aligned with the client’s budget, whilst also providing detailed funding and procurement advice.

Bidwells Planning Team advised on CMT’s vision by co-ordinating the award winning (RTPI East of England 2019) all-inclusive public consultation process by hosting exhibitions and workshops at local, national, and international level.

There were many challenges throughout the project that were alleviated by the Bidwells Team, including the decontamination of the site; traffic and parking objections and resolving cash flow and funding issues; and delivering the project to allow Ramadan to take place.

Cambridge Mosque - View from the street
View from the street
CM
Inside
Cambridge mosque - Brick tile cladding crenulations dome reflected in rooflight
Brick tile cladding and dome

The stunning project achieved the client’s goal of creating a calm oasis for its worshippers and the mosque is built to ensure it serves the community for years to come, with a minimal carbon footprint. The building has received numerous awards, including the RIBA’s Stirling Prize Finalist 2021, RIBA Stirling Prize Winner of the people’s vote for best building 2021, RIBA Client of the Year 2021 and RTPI National Planning Award Finalist 2020.

Awards

Shortlisted

Edie sustainability leaders’ awards
Building/Infrastructure Project of the Year - Gilbert Ash

Won

Cambridge Design and Construction Awards (CDCA)
Craftsmanship Award
Sustainability and engineering award

AJ Architecture Awards
Best community and faith project

Wood awards
Best education and public project

RTPI Awards
Planning Excellence

Civic Trust
Special Award for Sustainability

BCIA (British Construction Industry Awards)
Best Culture and Leisure project

Brick Awards - Brick Development Association
Best public building

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Rob Hopwood

Partner, Planning

Rob’s infectious energy has driven two decades of planning success for promoters, developers and landowners across the Oxford to Cambridge Arc.

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