Lecture series looks back on making of the Ismaili Centre, Aga Khan Museum and Aga Khan Park

Shamez Mohamed, Executive Officer of Imara (Wynford Drive) Limited and Imara (Sussex Drive) Limited led a team of volunteers and staff in the management of these projects over the construction period. He provided an inside perspective on the three projects, sharing stories behind various decisions that were made, and some of the challenges that had to be overcome.

 

From the Ground Up: Creating the Aga Khan Park retraced the journey of the Park’s Lebanese landscape architect Vladimir Djurovic as he travelled to multiple Islamic parks, seeking inspiration for his design. He sought to develop a park that would allow the visitor to experience all the five senses — sound, sight, hearing, taste and touch. Today, with its precisely engineered reflecting pools surrounded by crushed gravel, over 8 000 shrubs and some 550 trees, the Aga Khan Park is a park for all seasons.

 

In the second lecture, Spaces for Contemplation, Discovery and Learning: Development of the Ismaili Centre Toronto, Mohamed began by recounting the acquisition of the properties and looked back on the design competition that led to the late Charles Correa being selected as architect for the Ismaili Centre. The third lecture, Inspired by Light: Making the Aga Khan Museum, discussed the complex and linear architecture of the Museum along with stories about the construction of the galleries, the auditorium and the Bellerive Room.

 

All events were at capacity attendance and included a lively question and answer session to end the evening.