The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) will present its 2013 Gold Medal to His Highness the Aga Khan.
The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) will present its 2013 Gold Medal to His Highness the Aga Khan.
This marks the first time in more than 30 years that a non-architect has been chosen to receive the Gold Medal, the institute’s highest honour.
In a release, the RAIC said the award recognizes the Aga Khan’s “extraordinary achievements” in using architecture as an instrument to further peaceful and sustainable community development around the world.
His Highness is the founder and Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), whose agencies work to improve the welfare and prospects of people in the developing world, particularly in Asia and Africa, without regard to faith, origin or gender. The underlying ethic of the AKDN is compassion for the vulnerable in society. Its annual budget for non-profit development activities is in excess of US$600 million.
In nominating His Highness, 2010 Gold Medal recipient George Baird noted his remarkable accomplishments in various aspects of the field of architecture as part of his broader social and economic development work, particularly the specialized cultural programming undertaken through the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. This includes the Historic Cities program, which has been responsible for the restoration of many heritage sites throughout the Muslim world, as well as the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
The Aga Khan Award is given every three years to projects that set new standards of excellence in architecture, urban and regional design, conservation and landscape architecture.
The award seeks to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of societies in which Muslims have a significant presence.
The RAIC said His Highness the Aga Khan’s visionary architectural patronage has extended into Canada with such projects as the Ismaili Centre in Vancouver; the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Ottawa; the Ismaili Centre, Aga Khan Museum and their park currently being developed in Toronto; and an Islamic garden to be built within the University of Alberta’s Devonian Botanic Garden outside of Edmonton.
“Inspired by Islamic heritage, these projects contribute to Canada’s pluralistic fabric and reflect the conviction that architecture not only provides for people’s physical, social and economic needs, but also stimulates and responds to their cultural and spiritual expectations,” the RAIC said.
The Gold Medal will be presented at a ceremony to be announced later this year.
JOC DIGITAL MEDIA
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