Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies

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Architectural Excellence in Islamic Societies is a serious contribution to the contemporary architectural discourse. Salama and El-Ashmouni construct important narratives that characterise architecture and urbanism and depict features of excellence through a selection of projects recognized by the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA). Brining our attention to the conditions within which the built environment is produced and debated in this particular context of the Islamic World, this book is a critical reading for academics and professionals both in the global north and global south.

Professor Attilio Petruccioli, Doctoral School - DrACO Architettura e Costruzione, University of Rome, La Sapienza, Italy

This book provides an outstanding narrative of contemporary architecture in the Islamic world, studying projects and architects selected for the Aga Khan Award over the last four decades. The authors spotlight hidden gems of contemporary architecture in this region, as well as the grassroot efforts to create good design for local communities. This volume brings us hope for a better future as it highlights collective work across the Islamic world to utilize architecture, from macro to micro scale, as a tool to mobilize communities and to elevate people's lives and experiences. It richly illustrates the extraordinary role that the Aga Khan Award has played in promoting human-centric environments.

Professor Mohammad Gharipour, Morgan State University, USA; and Founding Editor of the International Journal of Islamic Architecture

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