Shell niche

A wall niche crowned by a carved half-dome in the form of a radiating shell, a recurring motif of Islamic architecture and especially of mihrabs. The fan-shaped ribs concentrate the eye and magnify the opening. Executed in stucco, stone or mosaic, this niche adorns prayer halls, facades and ceremonial salons. It structures the decorative thresholds of palaces reconverted into Eastern heritage hotels, framing focal points within rooms.