Seven winners of the 2025 Aga Khan Award for Architecture

The 16th Aga Khan Award for Architecture, given every three years, has announced the seven winners of its 2025 edition. In this edition, there are seven compared to the usual six in previous editions.

The prize is given to projects that set new standards of excellence in architecture, planning practices, historic preservation and landscape architecture. The Award seeks to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of societies worldwide, particularly those with a significant Muslim presence.

The selection process emphasises architecture that not only provides for people's physical, social and economic needs, but that also stimulates and responds to their cultural expectations. Particular attention is given to building schemes that use local resources and appropriate technology in innovative ways, and to projects likely to inspire similar efforts elsewhere.

The project responds to the island's topography. In the distance, mountain ranges rise toward the island's centre, contrasting with the flat, sandy terrain along the coastline. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Deed Studio.

The jury of the 16th edition (2023–2025) has chosen seven winners after conducting on-site visits to the shortlisted projects, announced in June. The awardees highlight architecture’s potential to foster pluralism, community resilience, social transformation, cultural dialogue, and its adaptive capacity in the face of climate change. The Aga Khan Award for Architecture grants the winners a total of $1 million, making it one of the most important prizes in the field of architecture.

The Recipients of the 2025 Aga Khan Award for Architecture are:

Aerial view of Esna with the Temple of Khnum at the centre. The project enhanced its accessibility and visual integration with the urban fabric. 2024 Takween ICD / Ahmed Mostafa.

Egypt, Esna.
Revitalisation of Historic Esna by Takween Integrated Community Development

A project that addresses cultural tourism challenges through physical interventions, socioeconomic initiatives and innovative urban strategies, transforming a neglected site into a prospering historic city. The Jury acknowledged the ways the project is stimulating a historic urban metabolism to cope with the contemporary challenge of improving human conditions.

The village was the focus of a 2018 rural revitalisation initiative that led to widespread brick waste. In collaboration with villagers and local artists, architect Zhang Pengju proposed reusing these bricks to construct a low-cost, multifunctional community centre.Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun.

China, Hohhot.
West Wusutu Village Community Centre by Inner Mongolian Grand Architecture Design Co. Ltd / Zhang Pengju.

A centre built from reclaimed bricks that provides social and cultural spaces for residents and artists, while addressing the cultural needs of the local multi-ethnic community, including Hui Muslims. The Jury noted that the project generates a valuable shared and inclusive communal microcosm within a rural human macrocosm.

Western facade at sunrise. Decorative elements are minimal, consisting primarily of spinning stainless-steel letters on the roof acting as a weathervane. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Mikaela Burstow.

Palestine, Bethlehem.
Wonder Cabinet by AAU Anastas.

A multipurpose, non-profit exhibition and production space built with the input of local artisans and contractors, to become a key hub for craft, design, innovation and learning. The Jury found that the building provides a model for an architecture of connection, rooted in contemporary expressions of national identity, and asserts the importance of cultural production as a means of resistance.

Vaulted and domed structures, such as those used in local water-cooling reservoirs, create shaded areas that significantly reduce temperatures. Additionally, their curved surfaces help neutralise the destructive effects of the wind. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Deed Studio.

Iran, Hormuz Island.
Majara Residence and Community Redevelopment by ZAV Architects.

A colourful complex whose domes reflect the rainbow island's ochre-rich soils, providing sustainable accommodations for tourists who visit the unique landscape of Hormuz Island. The Jury described the project as a vibrant archipelago of varying programmes that serve to incrementally build an alternative tourism economy.

Khudi Bari erected in Char Juan Satra, in the district of Kurigram. Dependent on agriculture and fishing, the char communities are highly sensitive to changes in the environment and the impacts of climate change. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / City Syntax (F. M. Faruque Abdullah Shawon, H. M. Fozla Rabby Apurbo).

Bangladesh, various locations.
Khudi Bari, by Marina Tabassum Architects

Khudi Bari is a replicable solution built with bamboo and steel for displaced communities affected by climatic and geographic changes. The Jury recognised the project’s deep ecological framing, contributing to the global advancement of bamboo as a material.

La red de metro de la capital se inauguró en 1999 y ahora es una de las más extensas de Oriente Medio, con 159 estaciones y siete líneas. Jahad Metro Plaza forma parte de un esfuerzo más amplio, apoyado por la ciudad, para transformar las estaciones de metro en vibrantes espacios públicos. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Deed Studio.

The capital's subway network opened in 1999 and is now one of the largest in the Middle East, with 159 stations and seven lines. Jahad Metro Plaza is part of a wider city-supported effort to transform metro stations into vibrant public spaces. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Deed Studio.

Iran, Tehran.
Jahad Metro Plaza by KA Architecture Studio

A once dilapidated station transformed into a vibrant urban node for pedestrians. The Jury highlighted the use of local handmade brick as strengthening the connection with Iran’s rich architectural heritage, while its warm, subtle texture emphasises the station’s status as a new urban monument.

Entrance to the building, whose facade is a finetuned layering of concrete structural elements, metal frames, jaalis and smaller window panes. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Usman Saqib Zuberi.

Pakistan, Islamabad
Vision Pakistan by DB Studios

A multistorey facility boasting joyful facades inspired by Pakistani and Arab craft, while housing a charity that aims to empower disadvantaged youth through vocational training. The Jury noted that the building not only contains a new type of education, but is full of light, spatially interesting and economically efficient.

“Inspiring younger generations to build with environmental care, knowledge and empathy is among the greatest aims of this Award. Architecture today must engage with the climate crisis, enhance education and nourish our shared humanity. Through it, we plant seeds of optimism – quiet acts of resilience that grow into spaces of belonging, where the future may thrive in dignity and hope.”

His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, AKAA Steering Committee Chair

The colourful domes of Majara Residence provide sustainable accommodations for tourists who visit the unique landscape of Hormuz. Built by upskilled local workers, it also offers new facilities for the islanders who come there to socialise, pray, or use the library. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Deed Studio.

Instead of imposing rigid, linear structures, Majara adopted an organic, clustered arrangement of 200 domes, preserving natural wind flows, wildlife movement, and human access to the sea. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Deed Studio.

The revitalised Qisariyya Market, with its restored canopy and functional shading, now accommodates active craft producers. The commercial energy has spread from ground-floor shops to the upper levels of historic buildings, marking a return to vertical urban life. AKTC / Ahmed Mostafa.

Main gate of Wakalat al-Geddawi, a late 18th-century Mamluk caravanserai restored for adaptive reuse as a crafts and cultural centre. AKTC / Ahmed Mostafa.

El pueblo fue el foco de una iniciativa de revitalización rural en 2018 que provocó un desperdicio generalizado de ladrillos. En colaboración con los aldeanos y artistas locales, el arquitecto Zhang Pengju propuso reutilizar estos ladrillos para construir un centro comunitario multifuncional y de bajo costo. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun.

Aerial view of the centre showing the roof and the courtyard. This building is designed around spaces for community activity. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun.

Performance around a fire in the courtyard of the community centre at night. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun.

West facade during the day. Wonder Cabinet by AAU Anastas. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Mikaela Burstow.

Inside. Wonder Cabinet by AAU Anastas. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Mikaela Burstow.

Aerial view of Char Shildaha in the district of Jamalpur, where 23 single units have been constructed from 2022 to 2023. © Aga Khan Trust for Culture / City Syntax (F. M. Faruque Abdullah Shawon, H. M. Fozla Rabby Apurbo).

People living on these ephemeral shoals are vulnerable to floods and land erosion. The distinctive two-story Khudi Bari structure enables them to stay through the rainy season, transforming how they inhabit the char. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / City Syntax (F. M. Faruque Abdullah Shawon, H. M. Fozla Rabby Apurbo).

Upper floor of a Khudi Bari in Char Juan Satra. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / City Syntax (F. M. Faruque Abdullah Shawon, H. M. Fozla Rabby Apurbo).

These arches, evocative of Iran's architectural heritage, symbolise the below-ground functionality while creating a strong visual and structural link across site levels. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Deed Studio.

The architects created the barrel-vaulted enclosures using mesh structures clad in handmade bricks. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Deed Studio.

The site's strategic location along a major traffic intersection enhances its role as a sociable public landmark, integrating transit infrastructure with the city's evolving pedestrian-focused urban strategy. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Deed Studio.

Located on the side of a busy road, the site was chosen for its ease of access using public transportation. The client wanted to ensure that all students coming to the school would be able to come by their own means. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Usman Saqib Zuberi.

A 10-metre-tall central atrium featuring a tall anchor tree fosters daylighting, natural ventilation, calm and visual connectivity throughout the building. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Usman Saqib Zuberi.

The building is located in Ghauri Town, an area of Islamabad whose vibrant tapestry of informal architecture and eclectic land uses creates a dynamic environment. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Usman Saqib Zuberi.

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More information

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Ceremony

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This 16th cycle’s prize-giving ceremony will be held at the Toktogul Satylganov Kyrgyz National Philharmonic in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic on 15 September. The Award will not only reward architects, but also municipalities, builders, clients, master artisans and engineers who have played important roles in the projects.

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2025 Award Master Jury

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Azra Akšamija, Noura Al-Sayeh Holtrop, Lucia Allais, David Basulto, Yvonne Farrell (chair), Kabage Karanja, Yacouba Konaté, Hassan Radoine, Wong Mun Summ.

Marina Tabassum

Marina Tabassum (b. 1969, Dhaka, Bangladesh) is an acclaimed architect and educator who has received numerous international recognitions in the field of architecture. She graduated in 1995 from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. Prior to founding Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA) in 2005, Tabassum was a founding partner of the Dhaka-based firm URBANA between 1995 and 2005 with Kashef Chowdhury. In 1997, URBANA won the national competition to design the Independence Monument of Bangladesh and the Museum of Independence under the Public Works Department and the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs. In her work, Tabassum seeks to establish a language of architecture that is contemporary yet reflectively rooted to place and prioritising climate, context, culture and history. Tabassum’s practice remains consciously contained in size, undertaking a limited number of projects per year.

Tabassum is a Professor at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. She held the Norman Foster Chair at Yale University in 2023 and has taught as a visiting professor at numerous universities including the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, USA; the University of Toronto, Canada; and BRAC University, Bangladesh. She received an Honorary Doctorate from the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and served as academic director at the Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements between 2015 and 2021.

Tabassum’s pursuit for the ‘architecture of relevance’ has won her numerous awards including the Soane Medal from the United Kingdom; Arnold Brunner Memorial Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters; the Gold Medal of the French Academy of Architecture; and the Jameel Prize from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. She won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2016 for the Bait ur Rouf Mosque and has served as a member of the Steering Committee of the Aga Khan Awards for Architecture from 2017 to 2022 and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). In 2024, Tabassum was included in TIME Magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People’.

Tabassum chairs the Executive Board of Prokritee, a fair-trade organisation that promotes crafts and provides livelihood to thousands of women artisans of Bangladesh. She is the founding chairperson of the Foundation for Architecture and Community Equity (F.A.C.E), a non-forprofit organisation that focuses on climate adaption and architecture’s agency and responsibility in providing dignified living conditions for marginalised populations. F.A.C.E is currently working with communities to build mobile modular housing (known as Khudi Bari) in various geographically and climatically challenged locations in Bangladesh.

Tabassum’s work is currently the subject of a travelling exhibition organised by Architektur Museum der TUM, Munich, showing in Lisbon and Delft. She has previously presented work at Whitechapel Gallery, London (with Rana Begum, 2019); Sharjah Architecture Triennale (2019); and Venice Architecture Biennale (2018). Her work has been published by ArchiTangle; Harvard Graduate School of Design; ORO Editions; and Lars Müller Publishers among others.

Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA). Founded in 2005, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA) is an internationally recognised architecture and studio-based practice located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. MTA began its journey in the quest of establishing a language of architecture that is contemporary to the world yet rooted to a specific place. Standing against the global pressure of consumer architecture – a fast breed of buildings that are out of place and context – MTA is committed to rooting architecture to a place and is informed by climate and geography. Their work is well regarded as environmentally conscious, socially responsible and historically and culturally appropriate. Every project undertaken is a sensitive and relevant response to the uniqueness of individual sites, contexts, cultures and people.

With a focus on combining research and teaching, MTA invests in extensive research work on the impacts of climate change in Bangladesh working closely with geographers, landscape architects, planners and other allied professionals. Their focus of work also extends to the marginalised low to ultra-low income population of the country with a goal to elevate the environmental and living conditions of people.

Headed by principle architect Marina Tabassum, the studio engages talented architects and professionals with an interest in self-built projects, who are willing to push the boundaries of the conventional norms of practice. The associate architects who are responsible for research, design and management of individual projects work directly under the principal architect. The practice is consciously kept and retained in an optimum size and projects undertaken are carefully chosen and are limited by number per year.

MTA's process-based practice model is well regarded in the international scene of architecture as a Twenty First Century model. As such, MTA has presented works and research to numerous institutions across Bangladesh and internationally. In 2016, MTA received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for the Bait Ur Rouf Mosque – a building distinguished by its lack of popular mosque iconography, an emphasis on space and light and its capacity to function not only as a place of worship but also as a refuge for a dense neighbourhood on Dhaka’s periphery. The project was also listed among the top 25 postwar buildings of the world by New York Times.

Zhang Pengju. Inner Mongolian Grand Architecture Design Co., Ltd

Inner Mongolian Grand Architecture Design Co., Ltd is known for creating architecture that blends traditional Mongolian cultural elements with sustainable, context-sensitive design. The firm focuses on environmentally responsible and culturally resonant projects, such as the Zhengxiangbaiqi Grassland Community Centre and the Hohhot Qingshuihe County Museum. Their work integrates traditional building techniques with innovative approaches to meet modern needs, reflecting a deep respect for local heritage and natural surroundings.

Zhang Pengju is the principal chief architect of Inner Mongolian Grand Architecture Design Co., Ltd., and a professor at Inner Mongolia University of Technology. He also serves as chair of the Committee on New Regional Architecture of the Architectural Society of China and as director of the International Joint Laboratory for Human Settlements in the Eurasian Steppe Zone. With over four decades of experience rooted in Inner Mongolia, Zhang has dedicated his career to the research and development of regional architecture in remote areas of northwest China. His design philosophy emphasises inheriting tradition, integrating with nature, and adopting low-tech construction methods.

Zhang has published more than eighty academic papers and monographs, and he has led the design of over 200 architectural projects. His work has been recognised by many prestigious awards, including the ARCASIA Gold Medal, the Architecture MasterPrize (AMP), and the International Architecture Awards.

Kareem Ibrahim, Nevine Akl, Sherine Zaghow, Ahmed El Gohary. Takween Integrated Community Development

Takween Integrated Community Development is an award-winning Egyptian architectural firm with thirty years of experience, founded in 2009 by Kareem Ibrahim, Nevine Akl, Sherine Zaghow and Ahmed El Gohary. Its mission is to empower communities through innovative, research-driven, and practical solutions. It focuses on creating inclusive urban spaces that are sustainable and responsive to the specific needs of each built environment, aiming to improve the quality of life for residents across Egypt.

Beyond traditional consulting, Takween specialises in crafting integrated urban development services, including in-depth research and documentation, tailored programme development, project implementation, and capacity development. All of these services are focused on both built environment upgrades and socio-economic development. This holistic approach empowers communities while enhancing physical spaces. Supported by specialised units in design and planning, project implementation, and urban research, Takween’s diverse team of over forty professionals ensures integrated, high-impact interventions.

To date, Takween has collaborated with numerous local and international institutions, successfully delivering over a hundred projects across Egypt.

Mohamadreza Ghodousi, Parsa Ardam. ZAV

ZAV is a Tehran-based architectural practice established in 2006 by Mohamadreza Ghodousi and former partner Parsa Ardam. The office explores how architectural innovation can embody resilience in response to socio-political and economic challenges, by incorporating processes that go beyond the discipline’s conventional boundaries. ZAV draws inspiration from traditional Iranian practices of resourcefulness, such as rug-making, which transform simple, at-hand, and often overlooked resources into valuable products – embracing imperfections and the realities they reflect. This approach is self-reliant and rooted in the present – for the here and now.

ZAV first gained national attention with Barbad Fruit House (2008, featured in The New York Times) and Pedari Guest House (2011), establishing itself as a young practice with a distinct voice. In the years that followed, it became a prominent figure in Iran’s alternative architectural scene through projects like Habitat for Orphan Girls (2014), Farsh Film Studio (2017), and Rong Cultural Center (2017), working across Iran and engaging local communities and subcultures.

Having received several international awards, ZAV gained wider global recognition with Majara Residence (2020) and continues to expand its international presence.

Mohammad Khavarian. KA Architecture Studio

Mohammad Khavarian (born 1983) is an Iranian architect from the Art University of Tehran in 2011, and established his own office, KA Architecture Studio, an independent architectural firm in 2013. KA Architecture Studio focuses on creating spaces that engage with context, function, and human experience, while offering a platform for experimentation, inquiry, and the development of contemporary architectural prototypes.

The studio’s design approach is rooted in a spirit of experimentation and analytical exploration. By investigating spatial patterns and constructing new prototypes, KA Architecture Studio rethinks conventional models and seeks to generate architecture as an ongoing, research-driven process rather than a fixed end-product.

Mohammad Khavarian emphasises a reflective design methodology where drawing, building, and prototyping are seen as tools for questioning and reimagining spatial narratives. His work explores the intersection between everyday life, urban textures, and material presence – often aiming to challenge expectations through experiential, site-aware interventions.

KA Architecture Studio has completed a range of projects, from small-scale buildings to urban-scale proposals, with a consistent focus on architecture as an evolving practice grounded in curiosity, dialogue, and innovation.

Saifullah Siddiqui. DB Studios

DB Studios was founded in Pakistan in 2006 by the architect Saifullah Siddiqui, a graduate of the National College of Arts in Lahore. Since its inception, the studio has followed a context-sensitive and nature-inspired design philosophy, focusing on how form organically evolves from function. The studio emphasises architecture rooted in local culture, geography, and materials, creating spaces that are both functional and meaningful. Through thoughtful planning and the integration of landscape, history, and local identity, DB Studios designs environments that harmonise with their surroundings and enhance the user experience. Nature serves as a key source of inspiration, offering principles that inform both form and problem-solving. In response to the architectural identity challenges in Pakistan, the studio promotes designs that reflect a strong sense of place rather than imitating foreign trends. The firm works closely with clients to deliver efficient, sustainable solutions, while contributing to the social and cultural fabric. The studio’s portfolio spans residential, institutional, and public projects across Pakistan and internationally.
Architect Saifullah Siddiqui is a member of the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP), the Institute of Architects Pakistan (IAP), and a former member of the CDA Design Vetting Committee. His work has received multiple awards, including the IAP Young Architect Excellence Award (2013) and two IAP Design Excellence Awards (2022, 2024).

Elias Anastas, Yousef Anastas. AAU Anastas

AAU Anastas is an architecture and research studio founded in 2009 by Elias and Yousef Anastas, with offices in Bethlehem and Paris. Their studio explores the intersection of craftsmanship and architecture across a range of scales, from furniture design to large-scale territorial studies. They promote a contemporary approach to working with structural stone in architecture, in Palestine and beyond. Their work is particularly attentive to the political implications of stone use, with an emphasis on lowering carbon footprints, fostering more resilient urban environments, and encouraging more responsible sourcing and application of materials. Projects like Stone Matters explore the social and historical significance of stone in Palestine while proposing innovative contemporary applications. They also co-founded Radio AlHara, a community-based online radio station that builds unexpected networks of solidarity through sound. Their practice centres on connecting hyper-specific, sometimes seemingly unrelated, contexts to open up new forms of dialogue and resistance.

Elias Anastas (1984)worked with Yves Lion in Paris before returning to Bethlehem to lead projects such as the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music and the Hebron Courthouse. Yousef Anastas (1988) gained experience at Kengo Kuma & Associates and RFR and now leads the studio’s research division, SCALES, focusing on contemporary stone construction techniques.

Published on: September 3, 2025

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