TITEL: Open space Mosques that change the urban environment In the 21st century, the architecture of mosques is confronted with societal changes. The connection between urban environment, contemporary architecture, religion, and users has become of significant importance in the planning and construction process of a mosque. Until the end of the twentieth century mosques as religious symbols contributed to urban development through religious power, tourism, and identity. In the new millennium the approach towards building new mosques is undergoing fundamental changes due to new needs and expectations regarding urban spaces. Architects are confronted with various challenges in response to societal changes and the resulting new ideologies for religious buildings. This article argues that mosques today should not only fulfill religious but also everyday social functions. Furthermore, they hold significant appeal for many people in a secular society. Architectural design can greatly influence activities both within and outside mosques. A new path is being taken that goes beyond classical architectural parameters, conceived and examined through a multiperspective and interdisciplinary approach in urban planning and sociology. In this regard, the main questions are: how can new emotions and needs manifest themselves in architecture without succumbing to theological doctrines, and what societal and religious impacts might they have? Today, a new approach is proposed to replace the traditional concept of a mosque as a closed unit (a city within a city) blurring the boundaries between the sacred and the profane. The elements and symbols of a mosque are transformed for collective purposes. One of the outstanding examples is the Vali-e-Asr Mosque in Tehran. Connecting mosque architecture with the urban context was crucial for the architects to seamlessly integrate the religious buildings into their surroundings. Rejecting a typology deeply rooted in 1400 years of mosque construction, the architects embrace the concept of the “right to the city.” Traditional maxims such as symmetry and clear geometric forms are deliberately opposed, familiar elements and essential components of a mosque, such as the dome and minaret are reinterpreted. In the design of this Mosque, the dome, symbolizing the unity, inaccessibility, and infinity with its circular form, is transformed into a curved walkable roof.