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Podcast: Middle East Dossier
Episode: [MEI Salon Series] Tradition within Modernism: Mosque Architecture under Singapore’s Mosque Building Fund
Description: Between 1977 and 1983, the first phase of Singapore’s Mosque Building Fund (MBF) played a pivotal role in shaping the architectural and social evolution of local mosques. The MBF exemplifies the state’s pragmatic governance and approach to secularism, balancing religious autonomy with social cohesion and urban development. Mosque construction during this period emerged from a collaborative process involving the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS), the Housing Development Board (HDB), and the Mosque Building Committee (JPM), ensuring mosque designs balanced religious needs with urban planning goals.
Local mosque architecture reflects regional styles and cultural influences, with distinct Sout...