September 01, 2007
By Sakina Mohamed
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 (Bernama) — Contrary to its name, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture also rewards projects with a positive impact on communities and the surrounding environment.
“When you build, you don’t build for just today. You’re building for hundreds of years, so you’re changing the surrounding environment. What’s important is how we can change the environment for the better,” Aga Khan awards director Farrokh Derakhshani told Bernama in a recent interview.
“It could be a small school in a rural area, a house or a factory, or the upgrading of slums in a city,” he added.
Winners of the award in such categories include the Kampung Improvement Programme in Jakarta, Indonesia, the Sidi el-Aloui Primary School in Tunis, Tunisia, the Cultural Park for Children in Cairo, Egypt, and the Slum Networking of Indore in India.
The award has also been dubbed “the most serious architectural award” because winning entries are not judged merely on submitted plans and photographs.
“The Aga Khan Award for Architecture is the only architectural award in the world where experts are sent down to the field to evaluate the `finalists’,” Farrokh said.
“No other award does that. We do a lot of research. The jury members don’t just sit around the table, looking at drawings and photographs,” he said.
He said the Aga Khan Award for Architecture was also meant to point out examples of best practices when building, as well as to inspire fresh talents.
“This award is not just for established architects. Most of the time it’s for finding new talents,” he said.
The award, established by the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslim community, to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of Muslim societies, was also aimed at enhancing the understanding and appreciation of Islamic culture expressed through architecture.
It is organised in a three-year cycle and is governed by a steering committee chaired by the Aga Khan.
Farrokh said that though the award highlighted projects created for the betterment of the “ummah” (Muslim community), it did not mean that they were only meant to be used by the Muslim community.
In fact, many of the winning projects catered to the needs of a pluralistic community as a whole, such as the Lepers Hospital in Chopda Taluka, India, and the The Datai Hotel in Langkawi.
Malaysia is indeed fortunate because, in addition to celebrating 50 years of independence this year, it will also host the world’s most prestigious architectural award presentation ceremony.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the Aga Khan are to announce the award’s 10th cycle winners at the Petronas Philharmonic Hall at the Petronas Twin Towers here.
Farrokh said that though previous award presentations were held in heritage buildings, such as the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo, Egypt, and the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, a departure from the norm was decided for this year’s award presentation, which covers the 2005-2007 cycle for projects completed between Jan 1 1994 and Dec 31 2005.
“The Petronas Twin Towers, which won the Aga Khan Award in 2004, is one of the major buildings of the century and very symbolic. It is not only unique from the architectural point of view but is also the very symbol of Malaysia,” he said.
Besides the Petronas Twin Towers and The Datai, other Malaysian projects which have received the award are the Tanjong Jara Beach Hotel and Rantau Abang Visitors’ Centre in Terengganu, Menara Mesiniaga in Subang Jaya, Selangor, and the Salinger Residence in Bangi, Selangor.
So far, 92 projects worldwide have received the award, and documentation has been compiled on over 7,500 building projects located throughout the world.
Ismailimail 