Former Islamic Center of Albuquerque (Bart Prince)

The Islamic Center of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was one of Omar Khalidi's examples of "innovative design", designed by Bart Prince, a leading exponent of organic architecture. ¹ The catalogue is inconsistent on its date: 1981 in the essay's list, completed in 1991 in the essay's text, built 1985-86 in the caption; both agree that it was demolished in 2005 to make way for a new building. ^{1 2}

From a distance it resembled a giant set of bleachers rising in tiers and topped by towers with tall, narrow windows; inside it was one large hall, divided at prayer times by a temporary partition between men and women, its ceiling stepping up with the tiers on thick wooden beams and rafters of bronze-coloured pipe, with daylight pouring through the narrow windows. ¹ Khalidi calls it simple, elegant, functional and at home in its environment, and places Prince's style in the American organic tradition of Frank Lloyd Wright and Bruce Goff. ¹ The caption reads its demolition in favour of a more traditional style as a sign of the local community's changing taste. ²