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Mosque Architecture;
However, the phenomenological experience in islamic religious architecture like mosques begins before the user enters the space as in almost all spaces shoes are to be removed in order to maintain cleanliness and this in turn allows the user to experience the materiality of the floor directly (Fig. 10). Whether it is the cold surface of a concrete or wood floor or the warm brush of fabric in the carpet (Stegers, 2008). This firsthand experience of the space can create a deeper level of intimacy as all users of the prayer hall have no shoes and are on equal footing to one another. This relation to each other creates a bond between users and the phenomenological experience can be akin to family under the shelter of God. Light plays an important role in the experience of the prayer hall space in islamic religious architecture as the symbolism of light is pure and darkness is evil, leading to many mosques to feature a variety of methods to increase the presence of natural daylight to increase this phenomenological and spiritual connection to God (Fig. 11) (Arel, & Öner, 2017). The acoustic properties of the prayer space is also important to the phenomenological experience as the call to prayer often requires amplification and material choices can manipulate the sound to become louder and echo throughout the architecture of the mosque to signify the important attendance to prayer for believers (Fig. 12) (Karaman, & Güzel, 2017). This effect on the sounds in the sacred space can create an outworldly experience as the call draws the attention of the user to explore and find its source which itself is the prayer experience.
In both islamic and christian sacred structures the phenomenological experience often uses different aspects in the design of the interior space but their explanation of the feeling is similar as both see the simulation of the senses as divine intervention and link the emotions attached to the spiritual element of the space. Even in contemporary religious spaces, it is clear that these phenomenological elements of the space being light, shadows, acoustic, temperature and levels of intimacy remain an important aspect for the user experience. This leads to analysis of the space to be layered to create a complete otherworldly phenomenological experience fitting for the building's occupational use as a connection between God and mankind.
Figure 10- Man taking off shoes before entering a mosque, photographed by Ivashchuk (2019)
