Novika House of Remembrance
| Novika House of Remembrance Novika Jumalan muiston talo بيت الازكر نوفيكا | |
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| General information | |
| Type | Bayt al-Adhkar |
| Location | Novika, Valkea |
| Completed | April 2014 |
| Height | 30 metres (98 ft) |
| Dimensions | |
| Diameter | 30 metres (98 ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Mikko Saarinen |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | 750 |
| Website | |
| Template:Official URL | |
The Novika House of Remembrance (Valkean: Novika Jumalan muiston talo; Riysan: بيت الازكر نوفيكا) is the primary Bayt al-Adhkar in Valkea. The building, shaped like a dome enveloped by arching sails, is made primarily of translucent marble quarried from Leksvall and cast glass with steel supporting structures. It is composed of the main dome-like building, which houses the main assembly hall, a nearby visitor centre which includes a museum of Shia art and a sparsely vegetated garden surrounding the main edifice. It sits on the slope of a hill overlooking the city of Novika.
In addition to being the principal Bayt al-Adhkar in Valkea, it also serves as the administrative centre of the Valkean Esoteric Shia community. Entry to the House of Remembrance is open to all people, except on certain days when the Local Esoteric Shia Jurisdictions of Novika and the rest of Valkea assemble to discuss the administrative affairs of the Esoteric Shia community of Novika in particular and Valkea in general. The Novika House of Remembrance is headed by Mualima Tahira Amanat and administered by the Continental Council for Lorecia, to which all Local Esoteric Shia Jurisdictions in Valkea are subordinate.
Construction
Project history
The Novika House of Remembrance was first envisioned by the current Auxiliary Imam, Siyyid Hussain al-Hakim Billah, in a letter addressed to Lorecian members of the Shia Convocation in 2007. The proposal for the building was submitted by the Auxiliary Imam in early 2008 to the Continental Council for Lorecia, the administrative body of the Shia Convocation responsible for the administration of the Lorecian Esoteric Shia community, and subsequently carried through with the announcement of a design competition for the House of Remembrance in mid 2008 open only to Valkean entrants. Mikko Saarinen won the competition with the current design and construction began in early 2009. The groundbreaking ceremony on 12 April 2009 was presided over by the current Auxiliary Imam and attended by members of the Continental Council for Lorecia and representatives of Esoteric Shia communities from Novika and the rest of Valkea.
Supported by underground piles, the foundations for the main dome-like edifice were laid not long after the groundbreaking ceremony. At the same time, the terrain surrounding the complex was sparsely planted with grass, small trees and shrubs native to Novika, whilst construction of the visitor centre on the lower slope began. In late 2012, the glass and steel materials that would constitute the facade of the dome-like edifice were cast, whilst the translucent marble quarried from Leksvall and shaped to form the claddings. At this stage, the steel frames which act as the supporting structure for the House of Remembrance were in place, ready to be covered with the glass and marble claddings.
The opening ceremony was again presided over by the Auxiliary Imam and attended by Valkean dignitaries and religious leaders, as well as Esoteric Shias from Novika, the rest of Valkea and neighbouring Lorecian countries. The complex was opened to the general public on 12 March 2016, although a technical problem which remains undisclosed today prevented the timely opening of the Museum of Shia Art located on the second and third floors of the Visitor Centre.
Design
Saarinen's aim was to design a building that could immediately be identified as a sacred space without employing explicit religious symbolism. This he achieved by reinventing the traditional dome through a play of materials and light, the latter being an inspiration from the Verse of Light. In a remark which he delivered during the opening ceremony, Saarinen explained that, at night when it is lit from the inside, the dome-like edifice symbolises a niche from within which the light of divine theophanies emanates. Conversely, Saarinen likens the edifice during daylight hours - which is illuminated by the changing hues of sunlight - to the spiritual journey of a human, which culminates every sundown in their transformation "into a vessel befitting of enshrining the Light of God and capable of emanating it to the world".
To realise this concept, Saarinen decided to use Leksvall marble known for its translucent quality and cast borosilicate glass as the materials for the main building's facade. However, in his preliminary design for the dome-like building, which won the design competition, Saarinen initially intended to use polycarbonate cladding to achieve the lantern-like effect, but this was rejected by the Continental Council for Lorecia in favour of Leksvall marble. This change in material reportedly raised the cost of the construction about two-fold.
Soon after construction of the complex commenced, Saarinen began consulting the Auxiliary Imam for guidance on Esoteric Shia symbolisms as well as recommendations on functionalities. This consultation resulted in a succession of alterations to the preliminary design, amongst which is the addition of a reflecting pool beside the dome-like edifice, twelve pathways throughout the gardens symbolising the Twelve Infallible Imams and a basement level below the dome-like main building which now houses the administrative offices of the Local Esoteric Shia Jurisdictions of Novika and the rest of Valkea, in addition to other facilities.
The main dome-like building and its immediate surroundings contain references to various aspects of Esoteric Shi'ism.
Location
The Novika House of Remembrance complex sits on the slope of a hill overlooking the city of Novika. The complex can be accessed from the lower slope, where the entrance is located, by either climbing a stairway or taking a moving walkway leading to the front of the dome-like edifice. There is a bus stop situated not far from the entrance. The main edifice is visible from some parts of Novika on a clear day, especially so at night when it is illuminated.
Architecture
Main building
The main building is shaped like a dome, encased in torqued sails made of Leksvall marble and cast glass. The translucent marble claddings provide diffuse lighting during daytime which illuminates the interior and removes the need for active lighting. At night, the interior lighting illuminates the translucent marble facade, creating a lantern-like effect when viewed from the outside which makes the building fairly visible from afar.
The dome-like edifice houses the main assembly hall consisting of three levels where congregants may worship throughout the day. The ground and upper levels have a seating capacity of 600 and 150, respectively. The basement level hosts the administrative offices of the House of Remembrance as well as ablution points and an austere prayer hall.
Visitor centre
See also: Museum of Shia Art, Novika
Consisting of three floors, the visitor centre is situated on the lower slope near the entrance to the complex. On the ground floor is a spacious indoor garden with live shruberies, a reflecting pool with running water in the middle and seating areas throughout the garden for visitors. The indoor garden was designed by Mikko Saarinen as a "minimalist take" on the traditional paradise garden. The indoor garden features a large, south-facing glass window to let sunlight through and reach the flora.
Within the indoor garden, there is a quote from the First Imam's Sermon of Recognition with Luminousness inscribed on the wall in Valkean and English:
"Ihmiskunnalle ei ole annettu muuta käskyä kuin tämä: Palvoa Jumalaa, tarjota hänelle vilpitöntä hartautta, olla uskossaan uskollinen, vakiinnuttaa säännöllinen rukous ja harjoittaa säännöllistä hyväntekeväisyyttä; tämä on oikea uskonto."
"Mankind has been commanded no more than this: To worship God, offering Him sincere devotion, being true in faith, to establish regular prayer; and to practice regular charity; this is the true religion."
The second and third floors are occupied by the Museum of Shia Art, Novika, which exhibits items of great significance from the collection of the Shia Convocation such as the Koninstad Folio, a copy of the first Valkean translation of the Kalimat and a portion of the Sadr al-Din Jacob Ceramics. The museum is largely unadorned
There is a flat fee of 1 Krona to enter the museum. Despite the designation, the museum's exhibitions are not limited to Shia art. Various exhibitions with a wide range of themes take place throughout the year.
Gardens
Functions
Leadership
The Novika House of Remembrance is led by Mualima Tahira Amanat, a Hindia Belandan of Maqtajeri descent who was ordained into the Mualimate in 1999. Amanat has been leader of the Novika Esoteric Shia community since 2004, when she was appointed to serve the position by the current Auxiliary Imam.
Administration
Awards
Some eco friendly award??