Muslim Student Prayer Space & Carpet Design 

This is a color pencil depiction of the carpet pattern of the Muslim prayer space on campus. Just as in the standard mosque, the carpet pattern is such that the tops of the archways point to Mecca, indicating the direction in which people are to be facing during prayer time. I was told by a Muslim student who was sitting in the prayer space when I went to take the picture that even in this space, men gather in rows and pray with the women following suit at the back. Apart from this carpet, which is as magnificent and colorful as the ones that are found in larger mosques, the prayer space is rather empty. The space is painted a gray-white color that reflects light around the room. The room has 2-3 windows though which sunlight is greatly visible and people’s faces are illuminated by that light because of where the windows are in relative position to the direction in which people are facing when they pray.

The prayer space also functions as a center for HIS students to gather in small groups and for students to come in and study, thereby serving as a community gathering place as mosques often do.