Valchromat contributed to the Odivelas Islamic Cultural Centre, which has been nominated for one of the most prestigious Architecture Awards in the religious category – the Archdaily Building of the Year Award 2020. Find out how Valchromat helped in this vanguard project.
Valchromat took part in this project together with the AMATAM Architecture studio. In their words, the goal in creating this space was “to arouse the subconscious and the mystical”. This facility therefore had to evoke spiritual and symbolic sensations, as well as physical and material ones. Therefore, the colours and materials selected were mainly white, Valchromat Black and wood.
The Valchromat Black endows the space with the sobriety becoming of a cultural and inspirational amenity, respecting the environment of a temple. White is the symbol of purity, spirituality and the divine. The black allowed for contrast, while exuding richness and sobriety, albeit with modesty. The wood, only present in carefully selected spots, evokes the connection between earth and the mortality of nature.
One of the best examples of this equilibrium of colours in the architecture of the Islamic Centre is the half arch, a modernised Islamic reference point. This architectural form stands out thanks to its black, sleek and discrete interior.
The praying area was also thought out in symbolic and not just functional terms: the white of the ceiling, that symbolises heaven and the divine, the black floor, that reflects mundane life, and the wood, that harmoniously connects the two universes together.
The minimalism allows the community to experience the contemplation space without interference – with a permanent connection between the earthly world and the divine.
Taking part in a project such as the Odivelas Islamic Cultural Centre is a challenge – to innovate within the Islamic inspirations; to highlight without infringing on the purpose of contemplation; to invoke spirituality without interfering. The Valchromat black colour played an essential role in this highly successful space, nominated for one of the major architecture awards in the religious category.
Technical information:
Project name: Islamic Cultural Centre
Architecture: AMATAM Studio
Coordination: Architect João Escaleira Amaral
Location: City / Country: Colinas do Cruzeiro – Odivelas / Portugal
Sector: Religious / Public
Data: 2018
Descriptive memorandum of the project: Architect João Escaleira Amaral
Photography: Invisiblegentlema
