CAMBRIDGE, USA — The prominent Aga Khan Award for Architecture, known for its substantial prize of $1 million, is gearing up for its momentous award ceremony in 2025. This internationally revered accolade intends to celebrate innovative architectural designs that meet social, economic, and environmental needs global scale. A distinguished panel, the Master Jury, has recently been announced to oversee this process. Comprised of experts from diverse backgrounds in architecture, education, and technology, the jury will initially convene in January 2025 to sift through numerous submissions from around the globe.
The jury members include notable figures such as Azra Aksamija, a professor at MIT who explores the intersection of art, culture, and technology; Noura Al-Sayeh Holtrop, an advisor for heritage projects in Bahrain; and David Basulto, founder of the influential architecture platform ArchDaily. Other members are Yvonne Farrell, a recognized Irish architect; Kabage Karanja, a Nairobi-based architect involved in aesthetic architectural research; and Mun Summ Wong from Singapore, whose focus on sustainable design adds a crucial dimension to the group’s collective expertise.
Operating within a complex framework of evaluative criteria, the Master Jury not only assesses architectural innovation but its broader implications on society. Azra Aksamija’s research, for instance, focuses on how art and architecture represent Islamic culture in Western contexts and address broader societal issues like refugee resilience and social inequality. Lucia Allais, another jury member, brings an analytic perspective on how technology and politics influence modern architecture on a global stage.
The evaluation process delves deep into how architecture can function as a catalyst for cultural aspirations while being grounded in practicality. This architectural recognition stretches beyond sheer aesthetics, emphasizing an alignment with local resources and inspiring future innovative projects elsewhere.
Renowned Irish architect Yvonne Farrell, also part of this eclectic panel, along with Kabage Karanja, reflects the jury’s balance between practical architectural application and theoretical exploration. Farrell, a co-2020 Pritzker Prize laureate, and Karanja, who will co-curate the British Pavilion at the forthcoming Venice Architecture Biennale, exemplify the broad, impactful nature of the award’s considerations.
After the initial selection process, the projects undergo meticulous on-site reviews by independent experts, predominantly from architectural and engineering backgrounds. These evaluations ensure a thorough appraisal beyond the submitted proposals, with a subsequent jury meeting slated for summer 2025 to finalize the winners.
This cycle’s Award is governed by a Steering Committee chaired by the Aga Khan, a philanthropist and the spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. The committee’s other luminaries include Lesley Lokko, who directs the African Futures Institute in Ghana, and Souleymane Bachir Diagne, a Columbia University professor representing a blend of philosophical and architectural academia.
The Aga Khan Award not only recognizes exceptional architectural feats but also works integrally within the Aga Khan Development Network. This broader umbrella includes initiatives like the Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme, which has revitalized cultural heritage sites across the Muslim world to boost local communities economically and socially.
In addition to its architectural encouragement, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture actively contributes to global cultural dialogue through other major programs. These include the Aga Khan Music Awards and educational endeavors aimed at fostering a better understanding of the philosophical and religious underpinnings that influence Islamic art and architecture.
The confluence of art, architecture, and culture highlighted through the Aga Khan Award showcases a distinctive approach to recognizing and fostering excellence in the urban fabric of societies worldwide, anchored deeply in the community, cultural identity, and innovative sustainability.