Aga Khan Foundation: Islamic Community Center

[freundb]

On 6/30/2023 at 8:36 AM, tangledwoods said:

it just dawned on me how lucky a few of those apartment renters are going to be having what will likely be the nicest gardens in all of Houston right outside your balcony doors!

It'll be used as a reason to increase rent!

[classic]

The 2023 Rhythms of Canada festival held at the Ismaili Centre, Toronto, looks quite impressive in this recap.  Would love to see something like this at the Houston Center in the (near) future!

https://twitter.com/TheIsmailiCA/status/1677460452060839938

 

[hindesky]

They were using a high pressure water jet to cut out a misplaced or unwanted concrete wall. Super loud, sounded like a constant barrage of explosions but would occasionally stop. Made a little video to show how loud it was. It took it from the south side of W. Dallas St.

 

[hindesky]

 

This was the machine that was making the noise. Looks like they were cutting down a concrete wall that got mistakenly built or the architect changed her mind about it.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 9 by hindesky

[cityliving]

[monarch]

 

^^^ does anyone harbor any information regarding the overall budget for this entire stunning project?  (i do not recall referencing any cost details thus far) this looks like something that should be bordering on or about ($650mm+)  upon referencing the entire scope and scale of this extraordinary development, this has to be MAJOR expensive.  sooooo very happy that we have it here in H-TOWN...

Edited July 14 by monarch

[phillip_white]

54 minutes ago, monarch said:

^^^ does anyone harbor any information regarding the overall budget for this entire stunning project?  (i do not recall referencing any cost details thus far) this looks like something that should be bordering on or about ($650mm+)  upon referencing the entire scope and scale of this extraordinary development, this has to be MAJOR expensive.  sooooo very happy that we have it here in H-TOWN...

 

On 12/10/2021 at 2:20 PM, hindesky said:

$176,200,000. DLR Group is the architect of record. That is a nice chunk of money.

 

[monarch]

1 minute ago, phillip_white said:

 

 

^^^ THANK U @phillip_white  somehow, i missed this illustration.  however, this monumental project just seems soooooo much more than the aforementioned sum.  WOW!

[editor]

I wonder what it will be like to have one of those apartment/condos facing this development.  Will it be quiet like facing a cemetery, or will it be noisy like facing one of those temples that shoots off fireworks every week.  (I lived near one of those once. The immediate neighbors were not happy.)

If it's quiet, I'd love to have that place as my view.

[Valhalla]

what kind of temple shoots off fireworks every week? Like, I could be looking to convert.

[hindesky]

[cityliving]

[hindesky]

[cityliving]

[cityliving]

[hindesky]

[cityliving]

 

[cityliving]

[cityliving]

[hindesky]

 

Windows going in on the east side,

[cityliving]

[rechlin]

@cityliving FYI, your images aren't displaying.

[cityliving]

7 minutes ago, rechlin said:

@cityliving FYI, your images aren't displaying.

FYI, That’s because I removed them. 
 

[rechlin]

13 hours ago, cityliving said:

FYI, That’s because I removed them. 
 

Why would you remove them just hours after posting them?  I see you removed many others too, older ones also, in many other threads.  I am thankful @hindesky doesn't remove his photos, so that this forum can remain as a historic record of the construction projects.  It's always depressing when I go to old threads and see photos are missing, but usually it's because of link rot, not because of active actions.

[Urbannizer]

This happens every time someone ticks him off. 🤷‍♂️

[cityliving]

Some people should not criticize you when they don’t know the whole story, that’s all I’m going to say period. 
Going out and taking photos for HAIF Houston, is hard, it takes time and effort, it’s like being a reporter covering a story going from construction site to construction site and not getting paid to do it, sometimes walking long distances in the heat, rain, windy conditions, finding a safe area to fly and land a drone from, having  transportation and health issues especially with my Muscular Dystrophy. 
Some people just want to see pretty pictures but don’t appreciate just how hard it is to take them, they don’t contribute nothing but criticism and laugh at you when you try to defend yourself. 

I’ve had a good run but maybe it’s time for someone new to take my place.

Cityliving
 

 

 

 

Edited September 22 by cityliving

[cityliving]

[Amlaham]

6 hours ago, cityliving said:

Some people should not criticize you when they don’t know the whole story, that’s all I’m going to say period. 
Going out and taking photos for HAIF Houston, is hard, it takes time and effort, it’s like being a reporter covering a story going from construction site to construction site and not getting paid to do it, sometimes walking long distances in the heat, rain, windy conditions, finding a safe area to fly and land a drone from, having  transportation and health issues especially with my Muscular Dystrophy. 
Some people just want to see pretty pictures but don’t appreciate just how hard it is to take them, they don’t contribute nothing but criticism and laugh at you when you try to defend yourself. 

I’ve had a good run but maybe it’s time for someone new to take my place.

Cityliving
 

 

 

 

Your pictures are always great, and trust me, I along with most people on this forum really appreciate them! From an outside perspective, it looks like miscommunication between jokes. It can be hard to distinguish a person's tone through these messages. Really hope you reconsider because you along with other HAIFers are what make this website alive!

[phillip_white]

The internet is not for everyone. The mean threads of HAIF will chew you up and spit you out.

Edited September 22 by phillip_white
For what it's worth, I still think this is Crockpot & Gravel

[astrohip]

2 hours ago, Amlaham said:

Your pictures are always great, and trust me, I along with most people on this forum really appreciate them! From an outside perspective, it looks like miscommunication between jokes. It can be hard to distinguish a person's tone through these messages. Really hope you reconsider because you along with other HAIFers are what make this website alive!

Absolutely this. I've found the pics (posted by you and others) to be part of the magic of this forum. I have no idea who said what, but the quiet 99% of us hope you will keep posting.

[cityliving]

[cityliving]

[hindesky]

[cityliving]

[cityliving]

 

 

[classic]

The construction page for the Houston Ismaili Centre on the.ismaili looks like it gets updated monthly with pictures and update videos:

https://the.ismaili/ismaili-center-houston/ismaili-center-houston-construction-progress

Wood wall panels:

 

Mechanical / electrical starting to come in:

 

And here are some images from Houston Council Member Abbie Kamin, including the area where they are testing out cladding, flooring, and so on.  Ref:  https://twitter.com/AbbieKamin/status/1709709628173402412

 

 

 

From a related FB post.  REF: https://www.facebook.com/theismailiusa/posts/pfbid02dDTLywEXtytiJw3en2kGMbszGReUzn3qLQVWWVZMC88iPEtar8YgJbLobJexcnHyl

 

 

 

And this one from Farshid Moussavi's Instagram feed gives some perspective on those massive beams we saw earlier in construction!  REF:  https://www.instagram.com/farshidmoussavi/

 

Edited October 13 by classic

[cityliving]

[cityliving]

[hindesky]

"Houston’s new Ismaili Center is set to reach its tallest point in construction in the coming days, marking a milestone celebrated by dignitaries and local officials during a topping-off ceremony on Monday at the cultural landmark’s site in the Montrose neighborhood.

The building has slowly taken shape since construction began in 2022 near Buffalo Bayou Park, transforming what was once a grassy field off Montrose Boulevard into a towering skeleton of steel beams and concrete. It’s one of seven Ismaili cultural centers worldwide and the first in the United States."

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/religion/article/ismali-center-houston-largest-cultural-center-18435581.php

[monarch]

Houston Ismaili Center, first cultural landmark of its kind in the U.S., hits construction milestone

Houston’s new Ismaili Center is set to reach its tallest point in construction in the coming days, marking a milestone celebrated by dignitaries and local officials during a topping-off ceremony on Monday at the cultural landmark’s site in the Montrose neighborhood.

The building has slowly taken shape since construction began in 2022 near Buffalo Bayou Park, transforming what was once a grassy field off Montrose Boulevard into a towering skeleton of steel beams and concrete. It’s one of seven Ismaili cultural centers worldwide and the first in the United States. 

Greater Houston has the largest concentration of Ismaili Muslims in the U.S., according to spokesperson Farah Lalani of the Ismaili Council for the Southwestern United States, with an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 practicing this branch of Shia Islam calling the region home. 

Prince Amyn Aga Khan, the younger brother of the Ismaili leader Aga Khan, thanked Mayor Sylvester Turner for his contributions to the center at a downtown luncheon Monday marking the construction progress.

“Today’s topping out ceremony of the Ismaili Center is a fitting occasion on which to honor your significant contribution and lasting legacy,” he told Turner.

Dozens of officials and invitees, including Turner, signed the steel beam that will soon be hoisted to mark the five-story center’s highest point at 72 feet in a rite that dates back to ancient Scandinavian traditions.

Turner and the prince also ceremoniously planted a Texas red oak on the 11-acre site, of which nine acres will be dedicated to lush green spaces designed by Thomas Woltz, a landscape architect known for his work transforming Memorial Park. 

“Houston is a very special city, which is why the Aga Khan chose to build the first Ismaili Center in the United States here,” Turner said at the luncheon. “The center is going to be a jewel of the city for decades to come. I wish it were open today.”

On top of the prayer spaces and gardens, the center will also include various interfaith programs, performance arts venues and educational spaces for visitors. The goal, spokesperson Omar Samji said, is for the center to be an ode to the diverse backgrounds of all Houston residents, not just local Ismailis. 

“The purpose in creating this was to create an asset for the broader community,” he said. “(Ismaili Center Houston) will be a place to exchange ideas and increase our understanding.”

Monday’s milestone has been years in the making. The Aga Khan Foundation purchased the land near Allen Parkway and Montrose Boulevard in 2006, but excavation did not begin until 2021. Although the center had reportedly been set to open in 2024, Samji said it likely will not be ready until mid-2025.

Ismaili Center Houston aims to be an architectural and cultural marvel for the city. The center will be adorned with Turkish marble and include gardens on all four sides, terraced plantings and water features inspired by ancient Islamic architecture. 

The green spaces will include native flora and could serve as a retention pond for nearby Buffalo Bayou during floods, Samji said.

“The gardens have been designed with the view of using local habitats, plants, trees and flowers,” he said, “both from the standpoint of helping flourish local species but also managing the weather.” 

[hindesky]

[steve1363]

The most astounding aspect of this building:

The vast majority of the property, more than 9 acres, is being turned into a garden landscape with local plants and wildflowers designed to absorb high water.

Completion of the Ismaili Center is expected for 2025. It is meant to serve as both a place of worship for the thousands of Ismaili Muslims living in Houston and Texas and an ambassadorial building open to the general public.

[classic]

 

[bobruss]

Can't wait for this to open.

[cityliving]

[classic]

Some recent images from Kinetica's Instagram feed (who are producing the unique blue concrete wall and ceiling treatments / tiles).

REF:  https://www.instagram.com/kinetica_/?img_index=1

 

[cityliving]

[Buy-U-City]

So is there a permanent pool/fountain (wondering about the circular basin) or is it all storm water retention ?

[steve1363]

27 minutes ago, Buy-U-City said:

So is there a permanent pool/fountain (wondering about the circular basin) or is it all storm water retention ?

From wherever one enters the site, visitors will be welcomed by garden spaces. The concept of a centrally-located building surrounded by gardens has been part of the architectural heritage of the Muslim world for many centuries.

“The relationship between building and nature is an important characteristic of Persian architecture, and generally in Islam,” observed Ms Moussavi. “We took that harmony between the two as one of the starting points in the project.”

The Center’s landscaped gardens will provide a sense of serenity and peace, offering a respite from its urban surroundings. They will include several live oak and peach tree-shaded areas, fountains, flowerbeds, lawns, walkways, and a large amphitheater in a sunken lawn. These will be spaces of solace, providing for the rejuvenation of the mind and the spirit.

The project’s landscape architect, Thomas Woltz, stated that the Center’s design is reminiscent of Islamic-inspired landscapes yet the horticulture is indigenous to Texas, allowing the Jamat to identify with its historic roots and traditions while relating to their local environment. He envisioned that it would be a “joyful landscape full of colour, year-round.”

“It is my sincere hope,” added Mr Woltz, “that this project brings greater understanding about the beauty and complexity of the history of the Muslim world.”

The building and its gardens will aim to build bridges through intellectual exchange by hosting concerts, recitals, plays, performances, exhibitions, conferences, seminars, conversations, book launches, and community gatherings.

“The Ismaili Center, Houston, is a beautiful and timeless gift to the Jamat and local neighborhood in Houston, and I am honoured to be part of the building project.” said Hanif Kara, a structural engineer and professor at Harvard Graduate School of Design.

“Its design reflects the values and aspirations of the Ismail community here and around the world. Responding to the needs of the time, the design team has conceived a solution that is productive, relevant, and resonates with the next generation.”

The vast majority of the property, more than 9 acres, is being turned into a garden landscape with local plants and wildflowers designed to absorb high water.

 

[cityliving]