The National Institute of Faith Leadership in Ghaziabad, designed by Studio Archohm, is envisaged as a tool to make Islam relevant to the next generation. The architecture of the complex and of the main building itself is very contemporary and minimalistic. Principal Architect Sourabh Gupta designed the spaces for two levels. These cater to the need of both the introvert’s deep-thinking space and the extroverts’ collective discussions’ space. The focal point of the façade is the magnificent arch which reaches above the walls and divides the building into two symmetrical halves. The breaking of the arch is synonymous with the freeing up of minds from myths and traditions. Devoid of extravagant gestures, the space is all about focusing on thought.
The main building is covered with a concrete cantilevered roof that adds an unusual element of movement and surprise at the same time. The roof is punctuated with star triangles in white and yellow, a representation of geometric graphical Muslim motifs. The use of raw materials of brick, concrete and stone is a nod towards using ‘pure’ materials, an alignment to the purity of thought encouraged within those walls.
