Abrahamic Family House by Adjaye Associates: A Beacon of Interfaith Harmony in Abu Dhabi

Design Concept: Unity in Geometry

The architectural design draws upon sacred geometry, with three cubic structures elevated on a shared plinth, wrapped in off-white concrete. This minimal yet potent composition references the desert landscape and mountain formations of the UAE. While the forms are visually unified, each building maintains its distinct religious identity, oriented symbolically: the mosque toward Mecca, the church to the East, and the synagogue toward Jerusalem.

Each house of worship is embedded within a courtyard containing triangular water features, creating thermal comfort through natural ventilation and passive cooling strategies. The interplay of light and shadow, along with the integration of natural elements, is central to the spiritual and spatial experience.

Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque

The mosque is enveloped in GRP mashrabiya screens, allowing filtered daylight and airflow while maintaining privacy and intimacy. Four towering columns represent Islamic values of stability and unity. A simple stone mihrab anchors the prayer direction, bathed in patterned light that shifts throughout the day. Ablution areas, defined by bronze gates and arched forms, subtly mark ritual boundaries.

St. Francis Church

The church, inspired by St. Peter’s Basilica, uses a forest of columns to capture eastern light. Two asymmetrical columns outside signify the "test of faith," while inside, oak pews face a sanctuary featuring a humanoid crucifix of no defined race or ethnicity. A wooden baldachin cascades from the ceiling, symbolizing divine grace, while a nearby conical baptistry with scattered skylights houses a rough-hewn marble font for baptismal rites.

Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue

Reflecting Jewish heritage, the synagogue incorporates V-shaped columns inspired by sukkah palm fronds, forming a symbolic boundary between inside and outside. A bronze mesh canopy hangs from a skylight, evoking the tabernacle tent, while a stone ark and oak seating face the bimah. Adjacent, the mikveh is set within limestone walls, with light penetrating from above into this sacred space of ritual purification.

The Forum and Garden: A Secular Space of Gathering

At the heart of the Abrahamic Family House lies the Forum—a neutral, inclusive space for education, exhibitions, and interfaith dialogue. Designed with courtyards, a library, and event areas, it fosters connections beyond religious boundaries. A raised garden platform offers panoramic views of all three structures, emphasizing their individual identities within a unified landscape.

The garden itself is a climate-sensitive oasis, with date palms, native plants, and water features that provide a cool retreat and a symbolic meeting ground. This outdoor realm invites both reflective solitude and communal gatherings, embodying the core ethos of the project—unity through diversity.

The Abrahamic Family House is more than a religious complex—it is a global symbol of coexistence, designed to foster mutual understanding, spiritual empathy, and architectural inclusivity. Through material honesty, cultural symbolism, and sustainable design, Adjaye Associates has crafted a transcendent space that honors difference while celebrating shared humanity.

All the photographs are works of Dror Baldinger, Arwa Alhati