To celebrate Ramadan, local studio Faum Architecture and artist Zarah Hussain have created the vibrant Infinite Light pavilion in Bradford, the 2025 UK City of Culture. The pavilion’s design fuses historical architectural elements from Bradford and Mecca, featuring repeating arch forms that reference Islamic and Gothic architecture.
According to Faum Architecture founder Fatima Mejbil, “We loved the idea that the arch is a timeless symbol of connection, bridging spaces and people.” The pavilion’s design invites the public to engage with the space and with each other, with a passageway that users can walk through.
The repetitive arched forms are arranged to evoke the impression of infinity, inspired by the Great Mosque in Córdoba, Spain. The profiles of the pavilion’s lower arches are based on the proportions of the Ottoman arches in the courtyard of the Holy Mosque in Mecca, while the higher arches reference the more pointed forms used in Bradford City Hall’s architecture.
Colour and lighting are key to the project, with intense pink and teal hues reflecting the notion of Ramadan as a time of celebration. The lighting integrated into the structure allows it to transform at different times of the day, glowing to signal the end of the fast and creating a beacon that catches the eye of passers-by.
The Ramadan Pavilion project is a biennial purpose-built architectural structure and showpiece of creative expression inspired by the sacred month of Ramadan. This year’s pavilion is situated in front of Bradford’s 18th-century City Hall and will remain on display throughout the month of Ramadan, which begins on February 28 and concludes on March 30.
Image Courtesy: dezeen.com
