Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture
at Harvard & MIT
“Dubai Creek” photo by Bassam Komati
Based at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA) is dedicated to the study of Islamic art and architecture, urbanism, landscape design, and conservation – and the application of that knowledge to contemporary design projects.
The goals of the program are to improve the teaching of Islamic art and architecture – to promote excellence in advanced research – to enhance the understanding of Islamic architecture, urbanism, and visual culture in light of contemporary theoretical, historical, critical, and developmental issues – and to increase the visibility of Islamic cultural heritage in the modern Muslim world. Established in 1979, AKPIA is supported by an endowment from His Highness the Aga Khan. AKPIA’s faculty, students, and alumni have played a substantial role in advancing the practice, analysis, and understanding of Islamic architecture as a discipline and cultural force.
The Aga Khan Program at the GSD
Established in 2003, the main aim of the Aga Khan Program at the GSD is to study the impact of development on the shaping of landscapes, cities, and regional territories in the Muslim world and to generate the means by which design at this scale could be improved.
The program focuses on the emerging phenomena that characterize these settings and on issues related to the design of public spaces and landscapes, environmental concerns, and land use and territorial settlement patterns. The process entails a study of their current conditions, their recent history (from WWII to the present), and, most importantly, the exploration of appropriate design approaches.
The program sponsors new courses, option studios, faculty research, workshops, conferences, student activities, and publications. It is supported by a generous grant from the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
Administration
Director: Hashim Sarkis, Aga Khan Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urbanism in Muslim Societies
Program Coordinator: Maria Moran
Publications Coordinator: Neyran Turan
http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/academic/upd/agakhan/index.html
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