• Charles Correa has revisited and reinterpreted the traditional notions of a dome by playing with light, colour and symmetry to give the Ismaili Centre a unique glass crystalline dome. Gary Otte
  • Visible from the Don Valley Parkway, the crystalline frosted glass dome of the Ismaili Centre Jamatkhana radiates light at night from the highest point of the site. Gary Otte
  • The social hall is a commanding space that is evocative of the elements seen throughout the building. This space is the primary social area for cultural performances, concerts, lectures, book launches, film screenings and weddings. Gary Otte
  • The “Muqarnas” is a finely crafted corbelled ceiling whose skylight provides a subtle transition from the outside to the serene Jamatkhana inside. Gary Otte
  • A screen made from ribbons of steel separates the anteroom from the prayer hall. It repeats an 8 sided pattern exhibiting a geometric tool used by Muslim artists to create order and rhythm for contemplation. Gary Otte
  • A number of exquisite art pieces are displayed in the social hall foyer, including a lattice work in a geometric pattern depicting the words Allah (Arabic for God), Muhammad and Ali intertwined and a medallion made of semi-precious stone. Gary Otte
  • The Ismaili Centre has classrooms and meeting rooms designed for flexible programmatic activities such as committee meetings, educational programs and seminars. Gary Otte
  • The Council Chamber, under its own skylight, is where the community’s institutions meet. Gary Otte
  • The library hosts reading and story time sessions for children and acts as a welcoming space for the community. Gary Otte
  • The walls of the Jamatkhana are lined with Canadian maple paneling repeating the word Allah (Arabic for God) in stylized Kufic calligraphy. Shai Gil
  • Inside the Jamatkhana, the central skylight panel descends to a white translucent onyx block. Shai Gil

Photographs of the Ismaili Centre, Toronto, taken at the eve of the opening ceremony on 12 September 2014.