FridaySaturdaySunday by Square Feet Architects

Project overview

Daniel Leon was introduced to Matthew Lloyd and Shahed Saleem through the 3 Faiths Forum. The architects were interested in whether a single shared space could respond to three different worship traditions without becoming generic.

The concept was partly pragmatic. Land and construction costs make dedicated faith buildings hard to deliver. But the proposal also tested whether architecture could support a more generous model of shared civic life.

Why the shared worship idea matters

• It asks how one building can respect different rituals and weekly rhythms.
• It turns cost and land pressure into a design question.
• It creates a public conversation around faith, identity and shared space.
• It suggests meanwhile use as a route for testing complex civic ideas.

Public discussion and next steps

The idea coincided with the London Olympic Games and attracted wider attention. The proposals were featured in the RIBA Journal, Radio 4’s Sunday programme and the 3FF Urban Dialogues Exhibition.

A steering group led by Prof. Aaron Rosen of King’s College London was established to explore how the concept could be realised, including the possibility of a temporary meanwhile faith pavilion.

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Showcase a civic or community project

Architecture Social can feature built, conceptual or meanwhile projects where the social brief and design response are clearly connected.

• Explain the community or client need.
• Show how the design handles different users or rituals.
• Keep source references visible where the project has been discussed publicly.
• Use images or models that make the spatial idea clear.

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Architecture Social view

Stephen’s recruiter view is that civic and faith projects need clarity around people. The project becomes more interesting when the reader understands who shares the space, when they use it and what the architecture has to negotiate.