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Not What You Meant?  There are 20 definitions for Aga Khan.  Also try: Aga Khan Prize or Aga Khan Award.

Aga Khan Award for Architecture

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AKAA redirects here. For the Finnish town, see Akaa.

Contents

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) was established by His Highness the Aga Khan in 1977 to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of Islamic societies.[1] The Award recognises examples of architectural excellence throughout the Islamic world in the fields of contemporary design, social housing, community improvement and development, restoration, reuse and area conservation, as well as landscape design and improvement of the environment. It is presented in three year cycles to multiple projects and is the largest architectural award in the world, with prizes totalling up to US$ 500,000.[2] The Award is also unique in its approach, recognizing projects, teams and stakeholders rather than buildings and personalities.[1] The Award is associated with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).

Award governance and process

The Award seeks to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of societies in which Muslims have a significant presence.[1] It is organized on the basis of a three-year cycle and is governed by a Steering Committee chaired by the Aga Khan.[2] A new Committee is constituted each cycle to establish the current eligibility criteria for the projects, to provide thematic direction in response to the priorities and issues that have emerged during the recent past, and to develop plans for the cyclical and long-term future of the Award. The Steering Committee is responsible for the selection of the Master Jury appointed for each Award cycle, and for the programmes of such activities as seminars and field visits, the Award Presentation Ceremony Events, publications and exhibitions. Prizes totalling up to US$ 500,000 – constituting the largest architectural award in the world[1] – are presented every three years to projects selected by an independent Master Jury.[2] The Award has completed nine cycles of activity since 1977, and documentation has been compiled on over 7,500 building projects located throughout the world. To date, the Master Juries have selected ninety-two projects to receive Awards. The Tenth Award Cycle covers the period from 2005 to 2007.[2]

Sample of Award winners

Chairman's Award

The Chairman's Award honours accomplishments that fall outside the scope of the Master Jury's mandate, recognizing the lifetime achievements of distinguished architects. It has been presented on three occasions:

Award cycles

First Award Cycle 1978-1980

Ali Qapu Palace in Isfahan, Iran
Ali Qapu Palace in Isfahan, Iran

The Award Presentation Ceremony took place at the Shalimar Gardens in Lahore, Pakistan. During this cycle, the Chairman's Award was given to Hassan Fathy in recognition of his lifelong commitment to architecture in the Muslim world.

Award recipients

Second Award Cycle 1981-1983

Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-i-Alam in Multan, Pakistan
Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-i-Alam in Multan, Pakistan

The Award Presentation Ceremony took place at the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul, Turkey.

Award recipients

Third Award Cycle 1984-1986

Third Award ceremony held at the Badi' Palace in Marrakesh, Morocco
Third Award ceremony held at the Badi' Palace in Marrakesh, Morocco

The brief prepared by the Steering Committee for this cycle of the Award focused on the preservation and continuation of cultural heritage, community building and social housing, and excellence in contemporary architectural expression. These themes are reflected in the six winners chosen from among 213 entries.[3] The Conservation of Mostar Old Town and the Restoration of Al-Aqsa Mosque were clear examples of the first theme, while the Yama Mosque and Bhong Mosque were noted for their innovation in translating traditional techniques and materials to meet contemporary requirements. Finally, the Social Security Complex and Dar Lamane Housing address the issues of community and social housing while remaining sensitive to the local context and culture. The Award Presentation Ceremony took place at the Badi' Palace in Marrakesh, Morocco. During this cycle, the Chairman's Award was given to Rifat Chadirji for a lifetime dedicated to the search for an appropriate contemporary architectural expression that synthesises elements of the rich Islamic cultural heritage with key principles of the international architecture of the 20th century.

Award recipients

Honourable mentions

Fourth Award Cycle 1987-1989

The Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, France.
The Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, France.

The fourth cycle of the Award considered 241 project nominations, of which 32 were short-listed for technical review.[4] Of these, the Master Jury selected eleven winners. Two themes were noted as areas of focus in this cycle: the revivalism of past vernacular traditions, and projects that reflect the efforts of individual patrons and of non-governmental organisations in improving society. Together, the winning projects exemplify the values and aspirations of Muslim communities as articulated through their built environment. Projects such as the Great Omari Mosque and the Rehabilitation of Asilah seek to reconstruct and preserve heritage buildings for continued use, demonstrating the significance of these spaces within their communities. Meanwhile the Grameen Bank Housing Programme and Sidi el-Aloui Primary School apply architectural solutions to address current socio-eonomic issues. The Award Presentation Ceremony took place at the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo, Egypt.

Award recipients

Fifth Award Cycle 1990-1992

The Award Presentation Ceremony took place at the Registan Square in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Award recipients

Sixth Award Cycle 1993-1995

The Award Presentation Ceremony took place at the Kraton Surakarta in Solo, Indonesia.

Award recipients

Seventh Award Cycle 1996-1998

Seventh award ceremony held at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.
Seventh award ceremony held at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.

In evaluating the 424 projects presented in the seventh cycle of the Award, the Master Jury placed special emphasis on projects that responded creatively to the emerging forces of globalization. Issues such as demographic pressure, environmental degradation, and the crisis of the nation-state were prompting changes in lifestyle, cultural values and relationships among social groups and between governments and people at large. Of the seven winning projects, the Rehabilitation of Hebron Old Town and Slum Networking of Indore City sought to reclaim community space in environments strained by social, physical and environmental degradation. The Lepers Hospital created a sustainable and dignified shelter for a marginalized segment of society. The remaining projects were recognized for their contribution in evolving an architectural vocabulary in response to contemporary social and environmental challenges.[5] The Award Presentation Ceremony took place at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.

Award recipients

Eighth Award Cycle 1999-2001

The Award Presentation Ceremony took place at the Citadel of Aleppo in Syria. During this cycle, the Chairman's Award was given to Geoffrey Bawa to honour and celebrate his lifetime achievements in and contribution to the field of architecture.

Award Recipients

Ninth Award Cycle 2002-2004

Award ceremony hosted at Humayun's Tomb in New Delhi, India.
Award ceremony hosted at Humayun's Tomb in New Delhi, India.

During the ninth cycle of the award, 378 projects were nominated for consideration. Of these, 23 were site-reviewed, and the Master Jury selected seven recipients.[6] Notable among the recipients is the Sandbag Shelter Prototypes, a technique by which victims of natural disasters and war can build their own shelter using earth-filled sandbags and barbed wire. The resulting structures - made up of arches, domes and vaulted spaces - provide earthquake resistance, shelter from hurricanes and flood resistance, while being aesthetically pleasing. Other winning projects include a Primary School in Gando, Burkina Faso that combines high-caliber architectural design with local materials, techniques and community participation. The Bibliotheca Alexandria in Egypt and the Petronas Towers in Malaysia are examples of high-profile landmark buildings. The Award Presentation Ceremony took place at the Humayun's Tomb in New Delhi, India.

Award recipients

Tenth Award Cycle 2005-2007

The Tenth Cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture marked the 30th anniversary of the award. A total of 343 projects were presented for consideration, and 27 were reviewed on site by international experts.[7] The Award Presentation Ceremony was held at the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Award recipients

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Aga Khan Award for Architecture", ArchitectureWeek, Artifice, Inc., January 9, 2002, p. N1.1. Retrieved on 2007-01-28. 
  2. ^ a b c d "Aga Khan Award for Architecture announces Master Jury for 2007", Canadian Architect, Business Information Group, January 12, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-28. 
  3. ^ The Changing Present, Loughran, G., Saudi Aramco World, Nov/Dec 1987: 28-37. Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
  4. ^ Better by Design, Loughran, G., Saudi Aramco World, Nov/Dec 1989: 28-33. Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
  5. ^ (1999) in Cynthia C. Davidson (ed.): Legacies for the Future: Contemporary Architecture in Islamic Societies. New York: Thames and Hudson Ltd.. ISBN 0-500-28087-8. 
  6. ^ Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2004 - Architecture & Urbanism magazine, No. 78/79, Autumn/Winter 2005, Tehran. Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
  7. ^ Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) (2007-09-04). "Nine Projects Receive 2007 Aga Khan Award for Archicture". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-09-06.

Sources

See also

External links

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Aga Khan Award for Architecture from Wíkipedia. ©2006 by Wíkipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. View a list of authors or edit this article.

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