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Aga Khan Foundation: Islamic Community Center


torvald

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Perhaps the building is a placeholder since this is the Landscape Architect's scope. Maybe they didn't want to steal the spotlight from the Architect.

 

It is odd that the Architect would not have a big reveal for a project as high profile as this.

Edited by shasta
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15 hours ago, tigereye said:

Per C Thomas Hogge, these are competition drawings and are not updated. 

Phew. 

We've waited so long... for this? A beautiful garden & plaza with the most underwhelming worship center. La Luz Del Mundo or even the Chong Hua Sheng Mu Holy Palace would look better here.

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The building reminds me of the entrance to the Shah's palace overlooking the great square in Isfahan. one of the treasures of the Safavid era. I was last there in 1977 , but I remember an elevated open air terrace under a roof supported by tall thin columns facing the irrigated gardens in the center of the square ( more of a rectangle ). The fractal geometry of the tile work and  niches and other decorative elements were at least  impressive those one might find on a Gothic cathedral in Western Europe. It's nice to see the continuation and modernization of an architecture that has historical resonance with this religious sect. 

Palacio_Aali_Qapu,_Isfahán,_Irán,_2016-09-20,_DD_58.jpg

Edited by Skyboxdweller
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  • 2 weeks later...
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So the 18 wheeler trailer must have had the stuff they needed to start the mock up. Boss man in the blue shirt came over to me asking what I wanted, I was outside their gates.  I was kind of hoping he would so I could ask him when this would start and he said he hoped soon, and he confirmed that was the mock up. Someone tagged one of the construction trailers. :angry2:

fcLZ7z4.jpg

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v206XxX.jpg

 

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Still no formal renderings released?

Odd that they are being so secretive about what was promised as a high profile piece of architecture. It will also be a tourist magnet for the organization to get their message out so why are they not using this time to keep the public informed....and excited about the project!?!?

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This might be the most confusing project ever.

 

Announce that this will be the first of its kind in the United States of America. Hire a rising international architect to work on the project and have our Mayor proudly boast that this will be very HIGH profile project and a new symbol of Houston's diversity...and then...

 

NOTHING!

 

No updates, no teasers, no presentations, no news, no renderings, nothing...

Edited by shasta
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1 hour ago, shasta said:

This might be the most confusing project ever.

 

Announce that this will be the first of its kind in the United States of America. Hire a rising international architect to work on the project and have our Mayor proudly boast that this will be very HIGH profile project and a new symbol of Houston's diversity...and then...

 

NOTHING!

 

No updates, no teasers, no presentations, no news, no renderings, nothing...

Both @Urbannizer and @MidCenturyMoldy posted possible renderings but they were asked to take them down.

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Does anyone know how the other Aga Khan projects have proceeded around the globe, since this method could be the way they have always operated?  Secretive for little reason other than their founder wants it this way.

Edited by arche_757
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This place gives me all kinds of Palace of the Golden Orbs vibe:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/palace-of-the-golden-orbs

Although Aga Khan appears to be a much more real organization with much better funding, I cant quite shake off my doubts related to their past tax issues with the site, and their non-existent time frame for actually bringing the project forward.

The project has been in planning for 15+ years and they have chosen now to break ground, which blows me away.  There has never been a more expensive time to break ground on a new construction project in Houston, TX.... We are facing across the board price increases and delays for common building products.

If you would like to read some industry gossip, here is the latest inflation report from the AGC:

https://www.agc.org/learn/construction-data/agc-construction-inflation-alert

 

I'll retreat to my safe place and continue to pray to the optimism / positivity gods.

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