Architecture for Islamic Societies Today
James Steele
Academy Editions
Since the Aga Khan Award for Architecture was begun in 1977 it has been in the forefront of recognising the full impact of social and environmental upheaval on the built environment in Third World countries. In this volume the jurys selection for the fourth cycle of the awards is presented. The selected projects, which deal with issues pertinent to both the developing and developed world, demonstrate their timeless relevance. The visionary philosophy behind the awards has been to seek to encourage architects, builders, clients and users to learn from and add to the Muslim heritage. All the award-winning projects included are described in detail, discussing not only the development and design, construction methods and technology, but also the historical background of the site. Projects range from the restoration of the Great Omari Mosque, Lebanon, to the Grameen Bank Housing Project, Bangladesh, and from the Gurel Summer Residence, Turkey, to the Arab World Institute, Paris.