Board discussion draft · Conceptual · Not a fundraising solicitation

VICANA Sacred Spaces · Programme 01 · Denver

The community chooses. The board decides. The masjid holds the funds.

Nine design concepts for the prayer hall, put to the community as a ranked ballot with the weighting published before anyone votes. This is a starting point for conversation — not a selection, not a bid, and not a request for money.

See the nine concepts Open the ballot

The site

Masjid Al-Shuhadaa, Denver.

One prayer hall. One scope. One transparent decision — documented from the first sketch to the final report.

Provisional site

Masjid Al-Shuhadaa

Address
2952 N Downing Street, Denver, CO 80205
Also known as
Downtown Denver Islamic Center
Status
Registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization
EIN
83-0709281

Entity details taken from the masjid's own published donation page. To be confirmed in writing with the board before anything is published.

Scope under discussion

The prayer hall wall

Elements
Mihrab, minbar, kürsü, wall treatment, lighting and acoustics
Concepts
Nine, A through I
Planning range
$35,000 – $200,000 depending on concept
Recommended
A + D + I as a combined brief

Ranges are planning assumptions for discussion. They are not quotations, bids, or a fundraising target.

How the community decision works

Publish the weights before the vote.

Every concept is scored against the same six criteria, and the weighting is published in advance so nobody can move the goalposts afterwards.

Spiritual dignity and inclusivity25%
Fit in the existing hall20%
Accessibility and safety20%
Stewardship and capital discipline15%
Craft and delivery feasibility10%
Maintenance and longevity10%

Five approval gates

ImamSacred text and function.
BoardScope, budget and contracts.
Architect & engineersCode, structure and access.
ContractorVerified price and schedule.
CommunityPreference and confidence.

The ballot rule. Rank three different concepts. The weights are published before voting. Totals are reported transparently. A technical disqualification or a change of scope requires a written explanation. Community preference informs the decision — it does not replace religious, fiduciary, permitting or safety approval.

The nine concepts

Nine ways to treat one wall.

Each concept is a direction, not a drawing set. Every one carries an honest note on what to watch — because the risks matter as much as the images.

Light Iznik portal concept: tiled arch portal with light wood panelling and timber minbar AShortlist

Light Iznik Portal

$60,000 – $100,000

Best for
Identity and stewardship
Strength
Focused craft with a calm, welcoming presence.
Watch
Confirm wall width, tile source and accessible minbar detail.
Blue and white wall concept: full blue-and-white tiled wall with stepped minbar B

Blue + White Wall

$110,000 – $180,000

Best for
Traditional impact
Strength
The strongest traditional room transformation.
Watch
May overwhelm a small hall; higher tile and installation load.
Anatolian wood and tile concept: vertical timber slat wall with carved tile niche C

Anatolian Wood + Tile

$90,000 – $140,000

Best for
Warm acoustic craft
Strength
Warm acoustics and handmade architectural character.
Watch
Verify wood species, fire rating and maintenance.
Contemporary white stone concept: pale stone mihrab with accessible timber platform DShortlist

Contemporary White Stone

$75,000 – $120,000

Best for
Access and durability
Strength
Strong accessibility and long-term maintenance.
Watch
Use texture and controlled light so it does not feel institutional.
Copper hearth glow concept: copper-framed mihrab arch with warm backlight E

Copper Hearth Glow

$125,000 – $200,000

Best for
Signature craft
Strength
A memorable artisan statement and focal glow.
Watch
Highest fabrication complexity; copper must remain restrained.
Textile and acoustic concept: vertical patterned acoustic panels flanking the mihrab F

Textile + Acoustic

$35,000 – $60,000

Best for
Fastest phased start
Strength
Fast dignity, sound control and visible progress.
Watch
Less permanent architectural impact than tile or stone.
Modular artisan niche concept: modular tiled niche system with planting G

Modular Artisan Niche

$60,000 – $100,000

Best for
Global logistics
Strength
A phased system for verified global craft partners.
Watch
Module tolerances and substrate require mock-up testing.
Community mosaic concept: wall of many individually patterned mosaic tiles H

Community Mosaic

$110,000 – $180,000

Best for
Participation
Strength
Strong community ownership and family participation.
Watch
Pattern governance is essential; no donor names in the prayer wall.
Denver light and geometry concept: tiled portal with timber lattice screen and daylight IShortlist

Denver Light + Geometry

$75,000 – $120,000

Best for
Inclusive contemporary
Strength
Daylight, acoustic calm and broad community appeal.
Watch
Requires skilled lighting and acoustic design.

Recommended starting brief: A + D + I. A's focused tile portal, D's accessible platform and I's light acoustic wall. This is the design team's starting point for community testing — not a final selection, a construction scope or a fundraising target.

Rank your three choices

Start safely: masjid control first

Who does what.

The safest structure is the simplest one. The masjid owns the mission and the money. Everyone else is a service provider to it.

Masjid board & imam

Own the mission

Approve the design, control restricted funds, sign every contract. Nothing proceeds without them.

The community

Vote and hold to account

Rank the concepts, volunteer, give feedback, and receive transparent reporting on what was spent and what was built.

Licensed team

Make it lawful and safe

Survey, architecture, engineering, permitting and construction — by licensed and insured professionals in Colorado.

Global partners

Supply verified craft

Vetted tile and joinery workshops, fabrication, grants and educational exchange.

VICANA / TSARA

Fixed-scope design, logistics and consulting — with no fund custody

We coordinate the design conversation, the craft sourcing and the delivery discipline on a defined scope. We do not hold, receive, bank or administer donations at any point.

Where the money goes

If and when the board opens a campaign, contributions go directly to Masjid Al-Shuhadaa's own registered 501(c)(3) (EIN 83-0709281) through the channels the masjid already operates on theddic.org. Gift receipts and tax treatment are handled by the masjid, and deductibility is a matter between the donor and the IRS.

VICANA and TSARA never take custody of donated funds — no collection, no wallet, no pass-through account, no personal account, and no percentage of donations. There is no VICANA or TSARA charity soliciting for this project, and nothing on this page is a solicitation.

90-day start

Permission first. Money last.

Three phases, in order. The fundraising decision sits at the very end — after the facts, the design and the pricing are real.

Days 0 – 30

Permission and facts

Board meeting, written authorisation, site survey and measurements, governance review, architect shortlist.

Days 31 – 60

Co-design and pricing

Community workshop, technical screening, artisan RFIs and concept budgets built from a real scope.

Days 61 – 90

Decision and campaign gate

Transparent community vote, board resolution, and a formal fundraising go / no-go decision by the board.

The approach travels

Built for one community. Designed to be repeatable.

The method here — publish the weights, let the community rank, keep the funds with the congregation, document everything — is not specific to one faith or one building. Denver is Programme 01. Where a community invites us, the same discipline applies.

Mosques & masjidsPrayer halls, mihrab and minbar craft
ChurchesSanctuaries, joinery and acoustics
SynagoguesBimah, ark and hall restoration
Community hallsShared and interfaith spaces

An invitation, not an offer. No second programme has been scoped, priced or agreed. We will not approach a congregation uninvited, and we will not use any community's name, images or story without their written permission.

Talk to us

Who to contact.

Questions from the board, the imam, the community or a craft partner are all welcome — including the difficult ones.