The Aga Khan Award for Architecture was established by 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 recognises 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.
The shortlist includes:
Maria Grazia Cutuli Primary School, Herat, Afghanistan
Islamic Cemetery, Altach, Austria
Museum of Handcraft Paper, Gaoligong Mountain, China
Rehabilitation of Nagaur Fort, Nagaur, Rajasthan, India
Preservation of the Mbaru Niang, Wae Rebo Village, Flores Island, Indonesia
Apartment No.1, Mahallat, Iran
Rehabilitation of Tabriz Bazaar, Tabriz, Iran
Reconstruction of Nahr el-Bared Refugee Camp, Tripoli, Lebanon
Hassan II Bridge, Rabat, Morocco
Mohammed VI Football Academy, Salé, Morocco
Preservation of Sacred and Collective Oasis Sites, Guelmim Region, Morocco
Revitalisation of Birzeit Historic Centre, Birzeit, Palestine
Umubano Primary School, Kigali, Rwanda
Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre, Limpopo, South Africa
Post-Tsunami Housing, Kirinda, Sri Lanka
Salam Centre for Cardiac Surgery, Khartoum, Sudan
Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle, Damascus, Syria
Kantana Film and Animation Institute, Nakhon Prathom, Thailand
The Met Tower, Bangkok, Thailand
Thula Fort Restoration, Thula, Yemen
The shortlisted projects are now being technically reviewed by a select group of architects, urban planners and engineers. The reviews, which emphasise both the impact on the quality of life and architectural excellence, will be submitted in June to the Master Jury for closer evaluation. Five to six finalists will then be selected and announced at a ceremony to be held in Lisbon in September 2013.
The Awards are selected by an independent Master Jury appointed by the Steering Committee for each three-year Award cycle. The nine members of the Master Jury for the 2010-2013 Award cycle are:
Mr. David Adjaye, Principal, Adjaye Associates, London, United Kingdom
Dr. Howayda al-Harithy, Professor, Department of Architecture and Design, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Mr. Michel Desvigne, Landscape Architect and Founder, Agence Michel Desvigne, Paris, France
Professor Mahmood Mamdani, Professor and Executive Director, Makerere Institute for Social Research (MISR), Wandegeya, Uganda
Mr. Kamil Merican, Principal Designer and CEO, Group Design Partnership, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Professor Toshiko Mori, Principal, Toshiko Mori Architect, New York City, USA
Ms. Shahzia Sikander, Artist, New York City, USA
Mr. Murat Tabanlioglu, Architect and Founder, Tabanlioglu Architects, Istanbul, Turkey
Mr. Wang Shu, Architect and Founder, Amateur Architecture Studio, Hangzhou, China
