The Abrahamic Family House is a collection of three religious spaces: a mosque, a church, and a synagogue—all of which sits upon a fourth secular space consisting of a Forum and raised garden. The house serves as a community for inter-religious dialogue and exchange, nurturing the values of peaceful co-existence and acceptance among different beliefs, nationalities, and cultures.
Within each house of worship, visitors can observe religious services, listen to holy scripture, and experience sacred rituals. The fourth space—not affiliated with any specific religion—serves as a Forum for all people to come together with the collective ambition to convene spatially, through courtyards, a central entrance, a library, and exhibition space; and interpersonally, through educational and event-based programming.
The architectural form of each building—the Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque, St. Francis Church, and Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue—is translated from its respective faith, carefully using the lens to define what is similar, as opposed to what is different. Through the power of these revelations, the design emerges as powerful plutonic forms with a clear geometry: three cubes sitting on a plinth. The narrative of each religion unfolds through various scales— from structure to detail—and emerges through the elements of creation—water and light.
Wrapped in off-white concrete that references the sand and mountains of the Emirates, the structures are illustrated with colonnades, screens, and vaults to represent their sacred natures, and each form is oriented towards religious references whilst sitting within a unifying garden.
Sir David Adjaye, OM OBE said "As an architect I want to create a building that starts to dissolve the notion of hierarchical difference—it should represent universality and totality—something higher, that enhances the richness of human life.
Visitor information
- Free ticket registration will be available from 15 April, 2025
- There is an on-site free designated parking area
- Both tours will last one hour, with the second tour starting at 10 am
- The tours are wheelchair accessible and there are stroller accommodations available
