Architect: KSP Jürgen Engel Architekten, Frankfurt/Main
Client: Agence Nationale de Réalisation et de Gestion de Djamaâ El Djazair (ANARGEMA), Algiers
Structural engineers Cancer+PINE Ingenieure GmbH, Darmstadt
Construction company: China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd (CSCEC)
Technological solutions: Schöck Bauteile GmbH
Area: GPA 400,000 m²
Location: Mohammadia, Algeria
The Djamaâ El Djazaïr Mosque in Algiers is the third largest mosque in the world after the two holiest sites of Islam, the Grand Mosque in Mecca and Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi in Medina, as well as the first largest mosque in Africa.
It was designed by the German architects Drees & Sommer and Jürgen Engel Architekten, as well as the engineering consulting company Cancer+PINE Ingenieure GmbH. This impressive building features geometric architecture and a glamorous rectangular courtyard, a 265-meter-high minaret with a glass structure. the tallest minaret in Africadisplacing the 210-meter minaret of the Hassan II Mosque in Morocco.
The interior of the mosque is distinguished by Andalusian architecturedecorated with wood, marble, alabaster, decorated with six kilometers of Quranic calligraphy and exquisite turquoise prayer mats. The simple, subdued design of the mihrab features only two small columns on either side. Covered by a lighted dome with a diameter of 50 meters, the main prayer hall can accommodate about 37,000 worshippers.
The entire complex accommodates up to 120,000 worshipers with parking spaces sufficient for 7,000 cars.
Following the architecture of traditional Islamic places of worship, the facade of the mosque is almost entirely formed of natural stone, which covers a total area of 95,000 m2. The construction of the mosque began in 2012, and construction continued for 7 years until 2019.
In the design and execution of a building of this magnitude,bringing together a huge prayer hall, museum, research center, conference center, fire station, library and a college that is connected to apartments, many functional aspects had to be taken into account in order for the building to to be, in addition to being aesthetically beautiful, but fully meeting the strict requirements for design, functionality and quality.
The height of the building, the materials used, the hot and humid climate of Algeria, the salty air, as well as the strong winds pose challenges for the architects and constructors with the problems of the load-bearing capacity of the building and the appearance of thermal bridges.
Some of the most important points in the construction of such a large-scale project in this case are the avoidance of thermal bridging and the associated thermal effects. As well as the use of expansion joints between prefabricated stairs, floors, between platforms and walls.
To prevent the appearance of thermal bridges,the mosque's contractors put their trust in Schöck, who, as an international specialist in thermal insulation products, offers the most suitable solution for both situations. The solution implemented in the building is the static load-bearing Isokorb® T for thermal separation, the ready-to-install single shear anchor ESD for the prefabricated stairs and the heavy-duty anchor SLD for the landings.
Compared to conventional labor-intensive methods, these are extremely cost-effective solutions that allow horizontal movements and vertical transmission of the load in the building.
All dowels are made of stainless steel, so there is no danger of corrosion and their load capacity is guaranteed at all times. The ESD type single shear dowel is the ideal fastener for applications with medium to low loads and relatively thin load-bearing components.
This type of dowel has now been redesigned in the form of the Schöck Dorn type LD and the diameter load capacity has been increased more than twice. In addition, the new LD type has European technical assessment approval and bears the CE mark. The SLD type is a heavy-duty dowel with a very high load capacity even in thin structural components, which is mainly used to connect statically important areas such as ceiling connections.
Find out more about the products used in the world's third largest mosque HERE
