Background

London’s skyline is dominated by showy new monuments to mammon – Gherkin, Shard and Cheesegrater – but religious buildings still get a look in, and recently, along with the spires, towers, temples and tabernacles of Christian worship, domes and minarets mark the newer presence of Islam.

Following a devastating fire in 2015, after much of the administrative wing was reduced to ashes, its reconstruction has added a spectacular feature to the Morden landscape. Opened on the 4th of March this year, it is well worth a visit.

The Baitul Futuh mosque in Morden itself, purpose built and opened in 2003, is one of the largest in Europe. It is the UK headquarters the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, a branch of Islam, founded in India in the late 19th century, and active in Britain since the 1910s. From a distance, the steel dome and the minarets of Baitul Futuh (it means House of Victories) signal clearly its point and purpose. Close-up, the mosque reveals itself not as a single building but a pale marble-clad, high-windowed complex, cool, contemporary, even corporate in its spare, uncluttered externals.

Design of the Building

The external modernity is a reminder that Islamic architecture is not in a time warp; it has flowered in more styles in more countries over the centuries than has western Gothic. Other mosques have dazzlingly decorative façades, golden domes and higher minarets; by contrast, Baitul Futuh shows perhaps a lighter touch. The brief given to the lead architect, Patrick Griffin of Sutton, Griffin and Morgan (Newbury) was to fuse elements of British and Eastern styles. The Western input is apparent in the overall disciplined simplicity of the structure. Behind its security perimeter, it is cool and calm.

The basic religious requirements of a mosque, which have not changed over the centuries, are that it must face Mecca and contain separate prayer halls for men and women. But with the growth of the Ahmadiyya Muslim movement, the mosque is also a community centre. Older structures on the 5-acre site, once an Express Dairy bottling plant, have been renovated to provide extra community facilities. These include three large halls, for spiritual and social functions, and a long suite with a library and a museum/gallery themed on the history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. There is also a gym, radio and television studios as the Imam’s weekly sermons are broadcast to followers around the world.

The Prayer Hall

The focus of the mosque is the hexagonal prayer hall. To anyone more familiar with the religious clutter of iconography of other faiths, its starkness is at first strange. But the absence of icons and images concentrates the mind. The single calligraphic inscription round the frieze of the dome, 10 metres in diameter, is all there is to see as the eye looks upwards. That and the small niche from which the Imam leads the prayers. Then, the vastness of the space, where up to 6,000 of the faithful congregate on Fridays (the whole complex can hold 14,000 people), is emphasised by the carpet: long strips of green in two contrasting shades. It looks as well tended as a tennis court, a reminder that Wimbledon is only a few miles away.

Two difficulties faced the mosque’s construction: first, hostility fuelled by the British National Party; and second, the site is awkwardly wedged next to a railway line. Both were overcome. The result is an uplifting landmark. Even the issue of retaining a 30m industrial chimney has been solved: it has been concealed inside a minaret.

Fire & Recovery

On 26th September 2015 the administrative side of the complex was engulfed in a huge fire. The conflagration was eventually brought under control more than 5 hours later but not after a great deal of damage had been sustained. The majority of the damage occurred at the front of the complex within the administrative block. According to reports 50% of the ground floor as well as the first floor and the roof had been ablaze. Halls, meeting rooms and offices were lost.
Immediately after the fire, plans were set in motion to rebuild.

Recovery After The Fire

Following the fire, plans were set in motion to rebuild at a cost of over £20m. All funds were raised from contributions by members themselves.
Extensive structural damage led to demolition work. Construction itself started in November 2018. Focus was to incorporate the most cost effective yet modern design techniques and the 'Very Good' BREEAM rating was achieved.
Innovative structural designs were utilised to attain a column less ground floor using large truss arrangements. Secondary steelwork was installed to carry heavy 40mm thick Mocha Creme Limestone from a quarry in Portugal.
47kW of solar panels have been installed over the roofs that can generate some 25% of the energy demand of the newly constructed block.
Extremely pleasant guest room facilities have been built with 12 twin rooms and 6 dormitories providing a 70 bed guest accommodation facility. Modern security systems have been added.
The entire look of the building has been transformed to a beautiful eye-catching sight now.