Thought I share further information from the new Golden Jubilee Book – ‘Under the Eaves of Architecture‘ (follow the link to more information of the book). As those who already own it will know, there are numerous pictures of Imamat projects and an extensive interview with the Imam. There are also numerous renderings of new Imamat projects, such as the various campuses of the University of Central Asia and the new Faculty of Arts and Sciences of the AKU in Pakistan. There is also an entire chapter dedicated to Imamat projects in Canada. Within this chapter, there are over twenty images of the new Jamatkhana, museum and public gardens. Highly recommend you pick up this book, here is one of the Toronto Jamatkhana pictures (scanned).
A rendering of the new High Profile Jamatkhana planned for Toronto, designed by internationally renowned Indian architect Charles Correa and set within gardens designed by celebrated Lebanese landscape architect Vladimir Djurovic. Note that this is only a portion of the development, as extending to the right are more Djurovic designed gardens and the Aga Khan Museum, designed by another internationally renowned architect, Fumihiko Maki.
I have the book, and I agree that it is really a must have!
From the article about the new jamatkhana, I thought the following was quite interesting:
The prayer hall is circular, and is covered by what will appear almost as a massive crystalline tent bringing in vast amounts of light. It will be two layers of frosted glass sandwiching a delicate steel fabric – so while being varying flat surfaces from the outside, will be like complex facets of a diamond form the inside, or like fractal geometry. A contemporary reinvention of traditional corbelling in Islamic structures. It will glow at night, and will be clearly visible from the Don Valley Parkway (one of the busiest roads in Canada).
LikeLike
Do you know when it will constructed? I’m guessing it will open around the same time as the museum next door in 2011.
Thank you,
LikeLike