353: beautiful mosque brings cultures together

I found today's intriguing story on the BBC website. Apparently, a female designer is making history in Turkey as she changes Istanbul's skyline. She's leading a project to construct the city's newest mosque, which she says reflects a blend of Islamic and Western influences - one of the original aims of the project. Its centerpiece is a metal sphere designed by a Brit, William Pye. The designer, Zeynep Fadillioglu, is a strong supporter of Turkey's secular status and its emphasis on equality for men and women. But she is the first woman to lead on the construction of a mosque, and she says she's been well-supported in this role by the traditionally conservative local community. In this sense, the Sakirin Mosque and its designer symbolize Turkey's apparent ambitions: to act as a bridge between East and West, and to draw on the best of its religious and cultural heritage whilst preserving the secularity of its state. It's a difficult balance to strike, but Zeynep Fadillioglu's design hints at what is possible. (Photo from BBC online.)