Projects — Arts & Cultural — Ismaili Centre

The Ismaili Centre uniquely responds to established Islamic building traditions, while incorporating contemporary architectural form, materiality and construction methods. The architectural language distinguishes a community that is both informed by its past and modern in its outlook, inviting peaceful faith and contemplation, intellectual discovery and public outreach.

The centerpiece of the project is the prayer hall, whose crystalline glass roof creates ever-changing interior lighting conditions. During the day, as sunlight is filtered and diffused through the translucent glass, the serene prayer hall inspires users to physically and spiritually connect with both the sky above and the ground below. At night, the glass roof glows like a beacon in the dark sky, rising elegantly above the surrounding landscape.

Set within a 6.8 hectare park (designed by Vladimir Djurovic with Moriyama & Teshima Planners), the Ismaili Centre shares a site with the Aga Khan Museum (designed by Fumihiko Maki with Moriyama & Teshima Architects). The complex is a symbolic marker of the permanent presence of the Ismaili community in Canada, and an ambassadorial space intended to foster understanding of pluralism.