The architects behind the building of the Cambridge Central Mosque have won multiple awards at the prestigious RIBA East Awards, which also included winning Building of the Year.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) selected the mosque for the regional awards for the East of England, based upon the concept of a ‘calm oasis within a grove of trees.’

The awards the mosque picked up on the night were the RIBA East Award, Project Architect of the Year and Building of the Year. Marks Barfield, the architects commissioned to build the mosque was named Project Architect of the Year, while Cambridge Mosque Trust won Client of the Year.

The jury praised this for its ‘exemplary’ material selection. It also deemed the project ‘a demonstration of how architecture can embody religious and cultural philosophy and traditions while utilising sustainable and contemporary materials’. The mosque also was described as a ‘multidenominational mosque (that) gives Muslim traditions a contemporary context’.

Regional jury chair Luke Tozer of Pitman Tozer Architects said: “We saw some delightful projects that gave new life to existing structures, along with new buildings that beautifully married economy of means and environmental performance”. 

“In an unusual year, where the awards process was adapted to be Covid safe, we were able to benefit from the postponement of previous year’s awards with more time for the buildings to be used and a greater level of post-occupancy feedback from clients and building users.”

The mosque in Cambridge will now go forward to be considered for the RIBA National Awards, the winners of which will be announced on Thursday, 9th September.