Houston, Texas, USA

Iranian-born British architect Farshid Moussavi, together with DLR Group, AKT II, and Nelson Bryrd Woltz are formulating the design plans for the new Ismaili Cultural Centre for downtown Houston, Texas.

Moussavi’s design, destined for a plot of land that runs along the city’s waterway, will be accompanied by gardens designed by Nelson Byrd Woltz, which also worked on Houston’s Memorial Park, and the nearby Tolerance Sculptures, a monument built to celebrate diversity in the city.

Moussavi won the limited competition, beating Rem Koolhaus and David Chipperfield for the design of the new 11-acre (4.5-hectare) center, the first dedicated to the Shia Ismaili Muslim community in the United States, and the seventh worldwide, following outposts in London, Lisbon, Dubai, Toronto, British Columbia and Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan.

Spearheaded by Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims, the principles behind the community’s buildings aim to protect the core values of the Ismaili Muslim community. Each center is intended to merge the principles of Islamic design with the surrounding city to make them architecturally unique.

“It will bring Houston’s diverse communities together in a unique space for cultural, educational and social activities,” said Moussavi.

“Our team brings a broad perspective for the Ismaili Center, with diverse skills and experience in international practice, scholarly research, multidisciplinary thinking and delivering cultural projects successfully in the United States,” she added.

“We are very honored to partner with the Ismaili community to bring this historic building to life,” said DLR Group|WRL Senior Principal, Paul Westlake, who leads the firm’s Cultural+Performing Arts Studio.

“Houston is home to one of the largest Ismaili Muslim populations in North America, and the new center will serve as a place where community members can learn, pray, and engage in fellowship. Our team is privileged to have been chosen for a project that will have such a lasting impact on the local community and beyond.”

Architects: Farshid Moussavi Architecture
Architects of Record: DLR Group
Landscape Architects: Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects
Structural Engineers: AKT II
Client: His Highness the Aga Khan