The five winners of the prestigious 2010 Aga Khan Award for Architecture will be announced today at a ceremony in Doha, Qatar. The projects (listed below) range in scope and purpose, from an urban revitalization scheme in Tunisia to a small school in rural China. 
 
Established in 1977 and bestowed every three years, the Aga Khan Award recognizes exemplary projects in communities where Muslims have a notable presence. The program is administered by His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims. The prize fund totals $500,000.
 
This year’s recipients were chosen by a master jury from a shortlist of 19 candidates, whittled down from 401 nominations. Various types of projects are eligible, including contemporary architecture, historic preservation, and landscape design. The award is intended to honor all of the entities involved in a project, from client to designer to tradesmen.
 
In addition to the architecture prize, His Highness the Aga Khan also presented a rare Chairman’s Award to Professor Oleg Grabar for his contributions to Islamic art and architecture. Born in France, Grabar has taught at the University of Michigan, Harvard, and Princeton; he is a professor emeritus at Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study. The Chairman’s Award has been given on only three prior occasions.
 
A monograph featuring the 2010 Aga Khan Award winners, with essays by Grabar, Mohammad Al-Asad, Farshid Moussavi, and Mohsen Mostafavi, among others, will be available through Lars Müller Publishers. Moreover, this year’s finalists are featured in a BBC World News program titled Architects on the Frontline.
 
Click on the slide show icon to view images of the winning projects. Plus, look for additional coverage in a future issue of RECORD.

2010 Aga Khan Award Winners

  • Bridge School in Xiashi, China, by Li Xiaodong Atelier
  • Madinat Al-Zahra Museum in Cordoba, Spain, by Sobejano Architects S.L.P, Fuensanta Nieto & Enrique Sobejano
  • Ipekyol Textile Factory in Edirne, Turkey, by Emre Arolat Architects
  • Wadi Hanifa Wetlands in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by Moriyama & Teshima Planners Limited/Buro Happold
  • Revitalization of the Recent Heritage of Tunis, Tunisia (an urban revitalization effort that restored public spaces and landmark buildings), by Association de Sauvegarde de la Medina de Tunis