Convertible Umbrellas and Sliding Domes for the Extension of the Prophet’s Mosque in Medinaclock and tower-top of the Makkah Clock Tower
Awards
Best Innovation, "International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction", Houston, Texas
The SL-Rasch GmbH Special and Lightweight Structures, based in Stuttgart, Germany, specializes in special buildings and lightweight structures integrating architecture and engineering. The company was founded by Mahmoud Bodo Rasch.
SL-Rasch has executed projects for the holy cities Mekka and Medina, such as the Convertible Umbrellas and Sliding Domes for the Extension of the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina the Tent City in Mina, and the tower top of the Makkah Clock Tower.
In 1980 Mahmoud Bodo Rasch founded the architecture firm Rasch and Associates and then, in 1991, the special and lightweight construction firm SL GmbH, which since 1998 has operated under the title of SL Rasch GmbH Special and Lighweight Structures.
An interdisciplinary team of professionals composed of architects, structural, mechanical and aeronautical engineers, physicists, philosophers and computer specialists, together with departments for Islamic design, 3D visualization, graphic design and model making works together under one umbrella.
SL Rasch pursues Frei Otto’s principles of lightweight construction on the basis of scientific research and brings the minimalistic forms together in harmony with the ornamentation of sacred buildings.
The firm works with a High Performance Computing Cluster and develops specific software for different problem solutions.
Projects (selected)
1981: Mountain tents for Muna Valley, Saudi Arabia. With Sami Angawi and Frei Otto
1985: Scientific studies "Climatic research for convertible roofs in Saudi Arabia"
1986: Scientific studies "Simulation and analysis of crowd movement during pilgrimage in the Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia"
1987: Prototypes for 5×5m solar-powered umbrellas
1987: Toldo for the Quba Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia
1988: Convertible roof for the open-air theater in Wiltz, Luxembourg
1990: Tent structures for "Thuwal Palace" beach residence on the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia
1991: 27 sliding domes for the courtyards of the Prophet´s Holy Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia
1992: 12 large convertible umbrellas (17×18m) in the two large courts of the Prophet´s Holy Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia
1992: Integrated lighting system for the Piazza of the Prophet´s Holy Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia
1994: Convertible umbrellas for the Castle of Wasseralfingen, Germany
1995: Domes for the Guekdepe Mosque, Turkmenistan,
1996: Venice Biennale, Starwave tent and 5×5m umbrellas, Venice, Italy
1996: "Jubilee ship", pneumatic structure for the Academy of Arts, Berlin
1997: Tents for beach palace in Obhur, Saudi Arabia
1998: "Maqam Ibrahim" shrine for the al-Haram Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
1999: Convertible tent for the Robinson Club Fuerteventura, Spain
1999: Domes and lighting system for "Majid Wilayah Persekutuan", Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1999: Domes for Putra Mosque, Putrajaya, Malaysia
1999: Fireproof tents for the Muna Tent City, Saudi Arabia
2000: Round tents for a showroom in Leonberg, Germany
2000: Convertible umbrellas (16m×16m) in front of Al Hussein Mosque, Cairo, Egypt
2000: "Kaaba Stairs" movable stairs for the "Kaaba", al-Haram Shareef Mosque, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
2000: Venezuela Pavilion Expo 2000, Hannover
2001: Tanzbrunnen Cologne, renovation of the tent membrane
2001: "Sail Island" sail structures on the Red Sea, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
2001: Stair-climbing ATV
2002: Toldo, Villa d'Este, Rome, Italy
2002: Convertible umbrellas, Hotel d´Angleterre, Lausanne, Switzerland
2002: "Minbar", movable minbar for al-Haram Shareef Mosque, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
2004: Convertible roof for castle ruins, Scherenburg, Germany
2004: Khourais Road Retail Center, roof tent structure Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2004: Umbrella for the "Stuttgarter Schlossplatz", design with Frei Otto
2004: Vip-Travellounge
2005: Desert Ship 2, Wüstenfahrzeug
2007: Tent structures and lighting system, Royal Terminal, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
2007: Convertible umbrellas, Sandy Lane Hotel, Barbados
2008: Convertible umbrellas (29×29m) Royal Terminal, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
2009–2012 Tower tents on the Abraj Al Bait Towers, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
2011: 250 convertible umbrellas (26×26m) for the Prophet´s Holy Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia
2012: "Royal Clock Tower", clock and tower-top of the Abraj Al Bait Towers, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Awards
1992: Deutscher Werkbund Bayern (German Work Federation Bavaria)
1993: Best Innovation, "International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction", Houston, Texas
1993: "Imam Bukhari Educational Complex", Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 1st prize in international competition
