Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies:
Distinction through the Aga Khan Award for Architecture
Ashraf M. Salama and Marwa El-Ashmouni
August 2020,
Routledge,
London, United, Kingdom
ISBN 9781138482555
See Book Page on Publishers Website
Architecture and urbanism in Islamic societies continue to experience a multitude of influences and dramatic transformations that generate critical questions about urban growth, sustainable development, retrofitting cities, the quality of urban life, healthy environments, liveability, identity, migration and multiculturalism, among others. In some regions within the Islamic world, architecture and urban environments are developed in association with severe challenges including environmental degradation, ethnic and regional conflicts and mass displacements of refugees, political and economic instability, among other undecorated realities. In essence, this conveys a sharp dichotomy—emerging as an important field of inquiry that prompts in-depth investigation and assessment.
Historically, the notion of Islamic architecture or Islamic city was first characterised in the Orientalist discourse and was later interrogated in national post-colonial debates then was questioned by the rise of nationalist particularism, international architecture, cosmopolitanism, and globalisation as constructs which, despite their consequences, liberated the discipline of architecture from the older, fixed prototypes and recognised the impact of different world orders on the production of architectural knowledge in academia and practice. Embracing these other conceptualisations in their work, architects practicing in Islamic societies continue to adopt, adapt, and demonstrate their wide range of original and creative skills. Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies departs from the typical connotation of architecture or cities as ‘Islamic’ and underscores the appreciation of architecture in its wider context, a pluralistic ‘Islamic’ society.
Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies emphasises that the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) is globally acknowledged as the leading paradigm as it strives to relocate Islamic societies within the geographies of architectural narratives through its recognition of the multiplicity of architectural and urban responses produced within a variety of social, cultural and economic environments. This challenges the conventional canons of architectural theory that have been principally produced within Europe and North America and continues to be transposed into regional discourses of Islamic societies. The book aims to develop a responsive discussion that offers opportunities for the appreciation of historic and contemporary regional architectural and urban traditions that have been oversimplified or ignored within Western architectural discourse. The fundamental intention is to instigate parallel architectural narratives that are not aimed at competing with but are equally important to Western architectural authority, and to develop a debate that directly responds to the unique opportunities and challenges facing Islamic societies while critiquing context specific values of excellence.
In 1989, Ismail Serageldin’s Space for Freedom: The Search for Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies was published to commemorate the first decade and the achievements of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Rightly so, he noted that the Award had been established to construct an intellectual environment where originality and architectural relevance can soar. This will definitely progress in diverse ways and will go beyond a single school of thought where awarded projects exhibit a sound excellence, not only in articulating cultural production and architectural innovation, but also in addressing the requirements of sustainability in its wider interpretation. After more than three decades, since the publishing of the Space for Freedom, Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies has significantly developed into prominent endeavours and achievements that truly reflect the broadened demands placed on the architectural profession by societies and the associated circumstantial peculiarities.
Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies uncovers architectural and place production away from ‘Orientalism’ and the colonial chauvinistic views by constructing narratives unique to various contexts within the Islamic world while discussing the role of the Aga Khan Award in setting values of architectural and urban excellence. The examination of more than sixty awarded and shortlisted projects developed in more than thirty five countries delineates decolonised narratives on the enduring values of architecture; architectural and urban conservation; built environment sustainability; and architectural pluralism and multiple modernities. The oeuvre of award-winning figures and projects unveils the critical cognizance of the Award in acknowledging materialised accomplishments that represent the best and most worthy ideals of architectural values in Islamic societies. These accomplishments, including a spectrum of heritage, cultural, educational, communal, community, and social projects, establish clear connections between socio-cultural aspirations of Islamic societies, values of excellence, and architectural and urban responses to social and environmental needs and challenges.
It is clearly evident that the findings of studying more than four decades of architectural and urban excellence depart from portraying Islamic societies within post-colonial urban struggle, or slum challenges, or simple infrastructure provision. In essence, the Islamic world offers a rich soil for debating and researching persistent concerns that present themselves as timely themes on the academic map and professional interests and as important material for further inquiry and examination. The narratives developed in this volume manifest the assortment of challenges facing Islamic societies while demonstrating successful and conscious endeavours in conceiving stunning solutions that capitalise on the opportunities those challenges create.
See Book Page on Publishers Website
Architecture and urbanism in Islamic societies continue to experience a multitude of influences and dramatic transformations that generate critical questions about urban growth, sustainable development, retrofitting cities, the quality of urban life, healthy environments, liveability, identity, migration and multiculturalism, among others. In some regions within the Islamic world, architecture and urban environments are developed in association with severe challenges including environmental degradation, ethnic and regional conflicts and mass displacements of refugees, political and economic instability, among other undecorated realities. In essence, this conveys a sharp dichotomy—emerging as an important field of inquiry that prompts in-depth investigation and assessment.
Historically, the notion of Islamic architecture or Islamic city was first characterised in the Orientalist discourse and was later interrogated in national post-colonial debates then was questioned by the rise of nationalist particularism, international architecture, cosmopolitanism, and globalisation as constructs which, despite their consequences, liberated the discipline of architecture from the older, fixed prototypes and recognised the impact of different world orders on the production of architectural knowledge in academia and practice. Embracing these other conceptualisations in their work, architects practicing in Islamic societies continue to adopt, adapt, and demonstrate their wide range of original and creative skills. Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies departs from the typical connotation of architecture or cities as ‘Islamic’ and underscores the appreciation of architecture in its wider context, a pluralistic ‘Islamic’ society.
Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies emphasises that the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) is globally acknowledged as the leading paradigm as it strives to relocate Islamic societies within the geographies of architectural narratives through its recognition of the multiplicity of architectural and urban responses produced within a variety of social, cultural and economic environments. This challenges the conventional canons of architectural theory that have been principally produced within Europe and North America and continues to be transposed into regional discourses of Islamic societies. The book aims to develop a responsive discussion that offers opportunities for the appreciation of historic and contemporary regional architectural and urban traditions that have been oversimplified or ignored within Western architectural discourse. The fundamental intention is to instigate parallel architectural narratives that are not aimed at competing with but are equally important to Western architectural authority, and to develop a debate that directly responds to the unique opportunities and challenges facing Islamic societies while critiquing context specific values of excellence.
In 1989, Ismail Serageldin’s Space for Freedom: The Search for Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies was published to commemorate the first decade and the achievements of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Rightly so, he noted that the Award had been established to construct an intellectual environment where originality and architectural relevance can soar. This will definitely progress in diverse ways and will go beyond a single school of thought where awarded projects exhibit a sound excellence, not only in articulating cultural production and architectural innovation, but also in addressing the requirements of sustainability in its wider interpretation. After more than three decades, since the publishing of the Space for Freedom, Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies has significantly developed into prominent endeavours and achievements that truly reflect the broadened demands placed on the architectural profession by societies and the associated circumstantial peculiarities.
Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies uncovers architectural and place production away from ‘Orientalism’ and the colonial chauvinistic views by constructing narratives unique to various contexts within the Islamic world while discussing the role of the Aga Khan Award in setting values of architectural and urban excellence. The examination of more than sixty awarded and shortlisted projects developed in more than thirty five countries delineates decolonised narratives on the enduring values of architecture; architectural and urban conservation; built environment sustainability; and architectural pluralism and multiple modernities. The oeuvre of award-winning figures and projects unveils the critical cognizance of the Award in acknowledging materialised accomplishments that represent the best and most worthy ideals of architectural values in Islamic societies. These accomplishments, including a spectrum of heritage, cultural, educational, communal, community, and social projects, establish clear connections between socio-cultural aspirations of Islamic societies, values of excellence, and architectural and urban responses to social and environmental needs and challenges.
It is clearly evident that the findings of studying more than four decades of architectural and urban excellence depart from portraying Islamic societies within post-colonial urban struggle, or slum challenges, or simple infrastructure provision. In essence, the Islamic world offers a rich soil for debating and researching persistent concerns that present themselves as timely themes on the academic map and professional interests and as important material for further inquiry and examination. The narratives developed in this volume manifest the assortment of challenges facing Islamic societies while demonstrating successful and conscious endeavours in conceiving stunning solutions that capitalise on the opportunities those challenges create.
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