January 29, 2009 By Tim McKeough
Maki and Associates has completed the first building in the world specifically designed for the Aga Khan and his agencies.
The Aga Khan is the spiritual leader of the world’s Ismaili Muslims and founder of the coveted Aga Khan Award for Architecture, which honors projects in communities where Muslims have a significant presence. The new, 95,000-square-foot building, known as the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat, is located in Ottawa, Canada, and houses offices for the Aga Khan Foundation of Canada and Aga Khan Development Network, a group of secular agencies with a variety of activities in the developing world that promote health, education, economic development, and revitalization of historic cities.
The rectilinear building’s most dramatic feature is a multi-faceted glass dome with triangular fiberglass shades that control sunlight. The dome’s shape is a direct response to the Aga Khan’s request for a building inspired by rock crystal, which he admires for “its translucency, its multiple planes, and the fascination of its colors—all of which present themselves differently as light moves around them,” he stated on December 6 during an inauguration ceremony at the building.
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The Aga Khan noted that the project “reflects our conviction that buildings can do more than simply house people and programs. They can also reflect our deepest values, as great architecture captures esoteric thought in physical form.” The Aga Khan and his institutions have two other new buildings in the works in Canada—an Islamic art museum designed by Maki, and a religious and community center designed by Charles Correa. Both projects are in Toronto. In addition, the Aga Khan has established a Global Centre for Pluralism in the former Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
Complete Source: http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/090129agakhan.asp
All Related: https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/category/institutions-of-ismaili-imamat/delegation-of-the-ismaili-imamat/
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