Project Overview

Saray Design Group provided full architectural and engineering services for the renovation and expansion of Mercy Mosque in Homewood, Illinois. The project transformed underutilized space behind the prayer area into a flexible multipurpose room, and added a new second-floor corridor to improve connectivity throughout the building.

SDG’s integrated team of architects, structural engineers, and MEP specialists collaborated closely with mosque leadership, leveraging advanced BIM tools to give the client real-time visualization of design decisions before a single wall was touched.

The Challenge

The project required careful coordination of multiple interconnected design challenges: transforming an existing space with load-bearing walls into a large open multipurpose room, enclosing a pre-existing terrace, reconfiguring mechanical systems, and designing culturally appropriate bathroom facilities with wudu provisions — all while maintaining the active mosque’s function and navigating a multi-stage municipal permitting process.

Our Approach

• Conducted structural analysis of existing drawings to safely assess and plan removal of load-bearing walls, creating a large open space with multi-story potential

• Designed a flexible multipurpose room with movable partitions to support prayer overflow, community events, classes, and gatherings in a single adaptable space

• Integrated wudu-equipped bathrooms and a dedicated wudu area into the layout with cultural sensitivity and code compliance

• Enclosed the existing open terrace to expand the renovation footprint and add usable square footage

• Coordinated HVAC assessment and reconfiguration — evaluating cost-benefit of extending the prayer area system vs. installing new services for the multipurpose room

• Designed a new second-floor corridor connecting both sides of the main building for improved access and circulation

• Utilized BIM throughout the process for real-time 3D client visualization, reducing surprises and aligning expectations at every phase

• Managed multi-stage village permitting with the municipality, with the client guiding SDG through each approval stage

Deliverables

• Full architectural and engineering construction documents (architectural, structural, MEP)

• 3D BIM renderings for client review and stakeholder presentations

• Structural analysis report and wall removal design

• HVAC evaluation and MEP reconfiguration drawings

• Multipurpose room design with movable partition layout and wudu-equipped bathrooms

• Second-floor corridor design and construction documents

• Permit drawings and full multi-stage municipal permitting coordination

• End-to-end project management through design and construction