Creativity.
Designing spaces that tell meaningful stories
About
At Mimbar360, design is a subtle act of devotion. We believe every space holds the potential to unite, to honour heritage, and to shape a more hopeful tomorrow. We design with intention. We build with meaning. We craft places that serve both the soul and society.
Our Story
Mimbar360 was founded in 2021 with a simple but powerful vision: to reimagine the mosque as a living, breathing part of community life.
Funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Ideas and Pioneers Fund, our journey began with listening through over 300 community surveys, conversations with architects, environmental psychologists, and design researchers.
What we heard was clear: many mosque spaces no longer fit the communities they serve.
So we built a platform rooted in design, dialogue, and devotion helping communities reimagine what their sacred spaces can be, and how they might serve generations to come.
Our Mission
Our mission is to build on the work of those who came before us. Combining their wisdom with community involvement, research, and classic design principles to revive mosques so they work for entire communities.
Our Vision
Our vision is to revive local mosques, so they become the vibrant community hubs they were always intended to be.
Our Values
We take a values driven approach to our work, ensuring that our designs are rooted in the following principles:
Collaboration
Engaging communities to shape their environments
Human-centeredness
Prioritising people’s needs and experiences
Imagination
Envisioning bold possibilities for mosques
Sustainability
Building for longevity, balance, and impact with Islamic principles
Our Approach to Design & Wellbeing
We approach design as niyyah — intentional, purposeful, and rooted in care.
At Mimbar360, our work goes beyond aesthetics. We design mosque and community spaces as environments that actively support wellbeing, belonging, and everyday community life.
Our approach is guided by a wellbeing-centred design framework that brings together community insight, Islamic design principles, and research from the built environment. This includes integrating ideas from neurodesign — understanding how light, sound, movement, and spatial layout shape how people feel, think, and connect.
We also draw on the Five Ways to Wellbeing — Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, and Give; an evidence-based framework for improving mental health and strengthening communities. By embedding these principles into spatial design, we create environments that encourage connection, reflection, learning, and care.
Through this approach, we deliver social value supporting:
- stronger community connection and belonging
- improved mental health and emotional wellbeing
- more inclusive and accessible spaces
- increased participation across different groups, including women and young people
Many mosque and community spaces are underused or do not fully reflect the needs of those they serve. We work collaboratively with communities to reimagine these spaces as living, inclusive environments places that support prayer, learning, care, and connection in meaningful and lasting ways.
Our Team
Meet the visionaries behind Mimbar360's innovative approach to mosque architecture.
Funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Our initial work was made possible through a £15,650 grant from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Ideas and Pioneers Fund 2021. The grant enabled us to undertake vital early-stage research, including a community survey with 300 responses, a digital campaign, the publication of architectural articles, a case study on environmental psychology, and the development of a community network. These activities laid the foundation for our strategy development and helped shape the direction of the project to where it is today.
Let’s shape something lasting
Join us in transforming mosque spaces into sustainable, inclusive, and vibrant centers rooted in Islamic values. Together, we can design environments that spark creativity, foster unity, and serve our communities for generations.