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The Expression of Cultural Identity in Mosque Architecture in Brunei Darussalam

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2021

Rui Oliveira Lopes Open the ORCID record for Rui Oliveira Lopes [Opens in a new window]  and
Nuriskandar bin Mohd Hasnan Open the ORCID record for Nuriskandar bin Mohd Hasnan [Opens in a new window]
Rui Oliveira Lopes*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam
Nuriskandar bin Mohd Hasnan
Affiliation:
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam
*
*Corresponding author. Email: rui.lopes@ubd.edu.bn
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Abstract

The mosque connotes a place of prostration towards Allah. As a sacred space, mosque designs use great detail to respect specific ceremonial functions and some requirements outlined in the Quran, but accommodate diverse styles and construction materials that several traditional and cultural factors determine. As early as the seventh century, as Islam spread across the Mediterranean, North Africa, East Asia, and Southeast Asia, the mosque remained a quintessential Islamic building for local Muslim communities. Consequently, mosque architecture presents diverse styles and forms. It does not follow a normative design form besides having an essential hall to accommodate the congregation and visibly indicating the qibla. This paper explores mosque architecture designs in Brunei Darussalam to analyse expressions of cultural identity and constructions of a collective identity. Since the 1950s, mosque architecture in Brunei has distinguished itself by amalgamating designs that culturally significant historical exchanges within and beyond the Malay world dictated. The paper argues that specific governmental, social, cultural and economic contexts necessarily inform the built environment and, particularly, that of religious architecture, resulting in the development of autochthon styles.

Keywords

vernacular architectureMalaynessregional identityBorneomosque architecture
Type
Original Article
Information
TRaNS: Trans-Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , May 2022 , pp. 39 - 58
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Institute for East Asian Studies, Sogang University

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