Iraqi Islamic Complex
Tawella / Iraq , 2021

The Tomb of Osman Siraceddin et-Tavili (1781-1867), who has an important place in Islamic Sufism, is located in Tavela, a district of Halabja Province in northern Iraq, close to the Iranian border. The Tomb, which is located on the dervish lodge area, which has been an important center of Islamic sciences throughout the history of the region, is also a visiting point for religious tourism at both national and international levels.

Halabja is one of the areas with a mountainous topography and a historical pattern of stone houses built on top of each other on the slopes. However, the project plot is located on the intercity road, on a flat area, a large part of which was previously artificially leveled.

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The Project Program consists of the Tomb of Sheikh Osman Siraceddin et-Tavili, a museum describing his period and understanding of Sufism, a souvenir sales unit, a masjid with a capacity of approximately 300 people, a condolence house, a guesthouse, classrooms and lodgings.
The front courtyard on the ground floor is lined with a tomb-museum, a mosque and a condolence house, while classrooms, lodgings and a guesthouse are located on the upper levels. The area where the accommodation functions are located also has an independent entrance, and this section can be directly connected to the sloped parts of the plot.

Throughout the project, 3 types of materials, namely stone extracted from the region, GFRC (Glass fiber reinforced concrete) precast sunshades and exposed concrete, constitute the main character of the project. These materials with similar tones were brought together in a homogeneous and monumental effect. While the garden walls, walkways and ground floors were constructed from natural stone material, a second façade was created with GFRC material in the form of a cage surrounding the accommodation functions on the upper floor. In the interior spaces, the exposed concrete carrier system is highlighted in the prayer room section. A colorful effect is aimed with the light reflected from the wooden cladding and conical stained glass created on the roof in the interior of the tomb structure.

Project imprint

Architectural design: R. Gunes Gokcek

Architectural office: rggA Architecture

Project team: Çiğdem Şahinkaya , Çiçek Su Yavuz , Kerem Can Karabulut , Mustafa Taşdemir

Land area : 393,51 m2

Construction area : 320 m2

Static project : Halil Tezel

MEP: Halil Tezel