The Aga Khan Award for Architecture: Thriving and Inclusive Commons

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture was established by His Highness the Aga Khan in 1977 to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of communities in which Muslims have a significant presence. The Award recognizes examples of architectural excellence in the fields of contemporary design, social housing, community improvement and development, historic preservation, reuse, and area conservation, as well as landscape design and improvement of the environment.

For architecture to maintain its relevance in relation to today’s challenges, it is imperative that the profession repositions itself in relation to today’s human, societal and environmental challenges. Thriving and inclusive commons is one of the three dominant themes that emerged and which define the winners of the 2017-2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture Cycle.

This panel will touch on themes of public space as a public good, the civic commons, and the role of public space in the development of civil society and improving quality of life.

Moderator:

Kristian Kloeckl, PhD
Associate Professor, Northeastern University School of Architecture
Director, Experience Design Lab

Panelists:

Adnan Morshed, PhD
Professor, Catholic University School of Architecture and Planning

Mary Anne Ocampo, Assoc. AIA
Principal and Urban Designer, Sasaki
Lecturer of Urban Design, MIT Department of Urban Design and Planning

Brigitte Shim, Hon. FAIA
Professor, University of Toronto, Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design
Principal, Shim-Sutcliffe Architects
2019 AKAA Steering Committee member

The Aga Khan Award: Architecture in Dialogue

Architecture in Dialogue is an exhibition highlighting the six winners and shortlisted works from the 2017-2019 cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The projects on display were selected from hundreds of entries and competed for prizes totaling $ 1 million. Now in its 14th cycle, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture is a program of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), a philanthropic organization that supports a wide range of activities aimed at the preservation and promotion of the material and spiritual heritage of Muslim societies. Established by His Highness the Aga Khan in 1977, the triennial Award is regarded as one of the most important honors in the field and granted to projects—from slum upgrading to high rise “green” buildings—that not only celebrate architectural excellence but also improve the overall quality of life of their surrounding communities.

View the virtual exhibition of Architecture in Dialogue.