“The people and community-oriented story that the Aga Khan Award for Architecture brings with every highlighted project is a refreshing complement to the image-saturated field and priceless lesson to our students.” -Rodolphe el-Khoury, Dean of the School of Architecture, Miami.
A Miami audience of over 100 guests attended an engaging presentation at the University of Miami School of Architecture, with Brigitte Shim, a member of the 2015-2016 Aga Khan Award for Architecture Steering Committee. The program was presented by the Aga Khan Council for Florida, in April 2017, in collaboration with the University of Miami School for Architecture. Ms. Shim’s presentation and discussion with Dean Rodolphe el-Khoury, the Dean of the School of Architecture, provided a detailed understanding of the inner workings of the Award.
Having served in many architectural juries, Ms. Shim’s unique experience allowed her to compare the Aga Khan Award for Architecture to other awards. She explained that most architecture award juries “bring together architects who review photographic images of built work and then select projects which reflect their collective vision of design excellence.” However, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture brings together not just architects, but also includes the often-neglected perspectives and insight of artists, historians, curators and theorists. The jury’s task, “was to discus, interpret and better understand the changing landscape of the Muslim world.” She found that while listening and learning from “the distinct voices around the table, the jurists’ definition of architectural excellence was constantly being challenged, redefined and defined again.”
Unlike any other award, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture sends independent reviewers to visit the jury’s short listed projects, then brings those reviewers to meet with the jury and share their first hand observations and insights about the physical and social context of the built work. The jury is made aware, not only of every technical detail of each project, but also their cultural contribution and social relevance, taking great care in determining how each project served the communities where they were built.
After the presentation and discussion, the audience of professors, students, and other community members concluded the evening with an exhibition of the various AKAA project finalists. Students from the University’s School of Architecture had researched individual architectural projects that were part of the exhibit and presented their knowledge to fascinated guests.
