RIYADH — Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Sheikh inaugurated on Monday the design models for mosques with diverse architectural features simulating the identity of various regions of Saudi Arabia. These architectural models were prepared by the ministry's Agency for Projects and Maintenance. The launching was held during an exhibition organized by the agency at the ministry's headquarters in Riyadh. The exhibition showcases these design models that express the urban identity of the Kingdom to help and facilitate the matter for philanthropists who donate to build mosques, in accordance with the Saudi building code and the technical guides for mosques in the Kingdom and with architectural stampings featuring flexibility and simplicity in design. The designs contained six different models. They are the Najdi-Salmani, the Southern 1, the Southern 2, the Hejazi 1, the Hejazi 2, and the Eastern Province. During the implementation of these designs, it was taken into account that each model was designed in several capacities to suit the needs of different residential communities. The designs were prepared for three capacities of each model, the first with a capacity of 500 worshipers, the second with a capacity of 1000 worshipers, and the third with a capacity of 1500 worshipers. It was also taken into account that the design of the architectural elements is flexible so that it allows the space to be modified by increasing or decreasing. Minister Al-Sheikh also met with the engineers supervising the projects at the ministry's Agency for Projects and Maintenance and the ministry's branches in various regions of the Kingdom. While addressing them, the minister affirmed the great and unlimited support that the ministry receives from the wise leadership to serve, build, and maintain mosques, as well as its support for all of the ministry's various programs. He stated that the ministry, based on the directives of the wise leadership, made serving mosques a top priority, and devoted efforts for the construction, maintenance, restoration and furnishing of mosques as well as for the appointment of imams, preachers, muezzins, and observers, and qualify them academically and practically to carry out their assigned duty to the fullest extent, in order to achieve the aspirations of the wise leadership. The ministry's Agency for Projects and Maintenance is organizing a workshop for all engineers in the agency and the ministry's branches in various regions of the Kingdom, which will last for two days to discuss a number of papers and present the workshop's final recommendations
