Masjid Selat Melaka, Bandaraya Melaka

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Masjid Selat Melaka seems to be floating amidst the rippling waves of the longest and busiest straits in the world. The well-intended captivating and enchanting beauty of the Post-Modernist Revivalism style of Melaka Strait Mosque is mesmerizing to both locals and tourists alike. At twilight, the ambience of the golden sunset and the magnificent reflections magnified in the nearby waters intensify the mosque’s appearance, rendering a spectacular view reminiscent of the once glorious historical past of the Straits of Melaka. The architecture of the mosque is a result of a mixture of modern architectural fusion of the Middle-East architectural influences with the Sino-Vernacular Eclectic style and the traditional principles of mosques in Melaka. Credit is extended to the interpretation of the architect in expressing the various diverse architectural elements.
Built to sit exactly at the high tide water level (so as to make it appear floating), the Melaka Straits Mosque with its prominent location on the Straits itself, has a unique mosque architecture and to reflect the city as a modern UNESCO World Heritage city. The mosque not only describes Melaka’s historical role in the advancement of Islam in Southeast Asia during the Sultanate of Melaka, but also affirms Melaka’s commitment towards the advancement of modern Islam. Located above water, beyond the waterfront on a 1.8-hectare site, the mosque is part of a 40-hectares site that is still undergoing construction, comprising a mixed residential and leisure-cum-tourist commercial development, known as the Central Business District of Banda Hilir within Melaka city.
Masjid Selat Melaka has a simple plan of a centralised square with a symmetrical composition of four smaller turrets at its corners. Surrounding the internal spaces is a long connecting perimeter deck that provides access for patrons to go around the mosque to enjoy the surrounding sea views. Contrary to the typical mosque in Melaka, this mosque has its centralised square topped by a majestic cylindrical- based interpretation of a Middle-Eastern style using a hemispherical dome to commemorate the architectural heritage of Melaka, and its four corner turrets are roofed with Chinese influence of pyramidal roofs, a common feature seen in mosques in Melaka (Aziz, A. A., 2016).