ArquiMagazine

The prize, which is given every three years, is considered to be one of the most important awards in the field. It was established by the Aga Khan in 1977 to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully addressed the needs and aspirations of communities in which Muslims have a significant presence.

During 2016, an independent Master Jury selected a shortlist of 19 projects, which was announced on 9 May 2016, from among 348 nominations. Each of the shortlisted projects was rigorously investigated by architects, conservation specialists or structural engineers. Their reports are the basis for the Master Jury’s selection of the eventual winners.

BANGLADESH

Bait Ur Rouf Mosque, Dhaka
Architect: Marina Tabassum
A refuge for spirituality in urban Dhaka, selected for its beautiful use of natural light.

Friendship Centre, Gaibandha
Architect: Kashef Chowdhury / URBANA
A community centre which makes a virtue of an area susceptible to flooding in rural Bangladesh. 
 

CHINA

Hutong Children’s Library and Art Centre, Beijing
Architect: ZAO / standardarchitecture / Zhang Ke
A children’s library selected for its embodiment of contemporary life in the traditional courtyard residences of Beijing’s Hutongs. 

DENMARK

Superkilen, Copenhagen
Architects: BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, Topotek 1 and Superflex
A public space promoting integration across lines of ethnicity, religion and culture. 

IRAN

Tabiat Pedestrian Bridge, Tehran
Architect: Diba Tensile Architecture / Leila Araghian, Alireza Behzadi
A multi-level bridge spanning a busy motorway has created a dynamic new urban space. 

LEBANON

Issam Fares Institute, Beirut
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
A new building for the American University of Beirut’s campus, radical in composition but respectful of its traditional context.