( CNN ) -- When it comes to buildings , they do n't come much different than a mosque and a nightclub . In Istanbul , these two structures have more in common than you might think . Zeynep Fadillioglu is the designer behind both , her elegant creations blending sleek modernism with traditional ornamentation . Crafting the inside of a building is hard enough , without also having to meet religious requirements , and Fadillioglu consulted Islamic authorities throughout the construction of the spectacular Sakirin Mosque -- co-created by architect HÃ¼srev Tayla -- and opened in 2009 . It is believed to be the first time a woman has designed a mosque . The 59-year-old has also designed two other mosques , both opened in Doha , Qatar , in 2010 . But regardless of religion , every place of worship has one thing in common , says the mother-of-one from Istanbul . `` Serenity . '' `` I think when you step inside a mosque , like any other religious building , you leave everything to do with the outside world , outside the door , '' says the head of an interior design and architecture firm which has delivered over 350 projects across the globe . When not creating grand places of worship , Fadillioglu -- who has degrees in both computer science and art history -- turns her hand to everything from London restaurants , to New York retail stores , and most recently her own line of furniture . Divine design . But when it comes to religious architecture , how do you design the inside of a building worthy of the divine ? `` Beneath the big dome you feel humility , '' said Fadillioglu of the Sakirin Mosque , commissioned by a wealthy Turkish family and built in one of Istanbul 's oldest cemeteries . `` At the same time , the beautiful chandeliers are much lower than normal , allowing people to feel more secure having this low light above their heads . '' Rather than walls , huge windows covered in intricate metalwork allow light to stream in , `` caressing you much like the pages of the Koran , '' explained Fadillioglu . `` It might be a color , it might be a texture , it might be a form . But each and every piece I have designed in the mosque has some kind of connection with tradition . '' Women worshipers . When the time came for Fadillioglu to craft the inside of Sakirin Mosque , she purposely placed the women 's section in one of the most beautiful parts of the light-flooded dome . `` I positioned them on the upper balcony , because during prayer the women must be behind the men , '' she explained . `` But I also decided to make the balcony level one of the most beautiful areas , with the chandelier crystal droplets just in front , and where you can see the mihrab [ an alcove pointing towards Mecca ] from the best angle . '' East meets West . Growing up in Istanbul , a city which straddles both the continents of Europe and Asia , Fadillioglu was influenced by a rich mixture of modern and traditional buildings . And while she always admired the craftsmanship of the metropolis 's Ottoman era mosques , Fadillioglu had also become fed up with cramped and dark `` bad copies . '' `` I wanted to be very contemporary with my design , '' she said . `` Up until recently , modern architects did n't design mosques -- it was always religious architects . `` A mosque is n't for a certain type of person , or certain type of area . It 's supposed to be used by anyone and everyone . That could be foreign Muslims , or even Christian visitors coming to look at the building . '' Fadillioglu might have made a name for herself designing mosques . But you need n't be religious to admire their beauty . Art and culture : The enduring allure of Frida Kahlo . Entertainment : Start Trek actress turned NASA recruiter . Science : The woman planning for a space catastrophe .
Zeynep Fadillioglu , widely regarded as ' first ' woman to design a mosque . Elegant buildings in modern style with ornate decoration . Has overseen many projects across Turkey , including clubs . Says symbolism is an important part of religious architecture .