Nayab Ahmed

Minarets to Monuments is a docu-series of 4 5-minute episodes that educates on the Islamic influence to London landmarks through: St Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Houses of Parliament. It challenges the colonial narratives embedded in British architectural history, uncovering architectural features throughout these buildings that have been influenced from Islamic tradition. It prompts us to, on a deeper level, reflect on embedded Islamophobia with the current world we live in and asks how can educational practices push for decolonisation and decrease instances of Islamphobia? 

Blending moving image, stop motion animation, archival photography, and street interviews, the project invites viewers to reimagine the architectural identity of Britain. It asks: Whose stories are we telling? Whose craftsmanship is celebrated? And whose is erased?

At its heart, this project is a call to decolonise design, dismantle Islamophobic narratives, and honour the beauty and intellect of Islamic craftsmanship—past and present.