20 Shortlisted Projects For The Aga Khan Award For Architecture

The master jury of the award was announced back in September 2021. The jury, among which are Anne Lacaton, Francis Kéré, and Nader Tehrani, has selected 20 shortlisted projects. The projects are located in 16 different countries. They have been selected among a total of 463 nominee projects.

Now, a team of independent experts will have site visits and will review the projects one by one. Then, the master jury will gather for a second time to go through the on-site reviews and will determine the winners this summer.

Until then, let’s look at the shortlisted projects in more detail 🧐

Bahrain – Rehabilitation of Manama Post Office by Studio Anne Holtrop

One of the oldest buildings in Bahrain, built in 1937, is rehabilitated and returned to its original role as a functioning post office. The addition of a new wing, and renovation of the facade and the balconies made the building accessible to the public. Read more here.

Bangladesh – Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response by Rizvi Hassan, Khwaja Fatmi, Saad Ben Mostafa

These sustainably built structures are located in the world’s largest refugee camps. Their design is shaped collaboratively according to needs in the field without drawings or models to create a safe space. Read more here.

Bangladesh – Urban River Spaces by Co.Creation.Architects / Khondaker Hasibul Kabir, Suhailey Farzana

This is a community-driven project aiming to create public spaces, walkways, gardens, and cultural facilities along the river. One of the lateral phases also aims to increase biodiversity in the river. Read more here.

Cape Verde – Outros Bairros Rehabilitation Programme by OUTROS BAIRROS / Nuno Flores

The rehabilitation project started as a design initiative at the local Institute of Art, Technology, and Culture based on the daily struggles of the citizens. The project scope now includes forming public spaces as well as upgrading drainage, electricity, water, and sanitation systems. Read more here.

India – Lilavati Lalbhai Library at CEPT University by RMA architects / Rahul Mehrotra

The library design adapts the passive climate mitigation strategies to the core. The materially respectful project integrates a modulated, louvred façade which can be manually adjusted to control both light and ventilation. Read more here.

Indonesia – Blimbingsari Airport by Andramatin

This domestic airport adopts a context-conscious design approach. Within the hot climate, the project is persistent in embracing the vernacular design principles on a large scale through natural ventilation and shading. Read more here.

Indonesia – Expendable House by ETH Zurich / Stephen Cairns with Miya Irawati, Azwan Aziz, Dioguna Putra, and Sumiadi Rahman

Batam was the world’s fastest-growing city in 2015 and is continuing to grow. This project is designed to be flexible within the context of the rapidly expanding urban boundaries of Batam. Read more here.

Iran – Aban House by USE Studio / Mohammad Arab, Mina Moeineddini

The project is located in the densely populated historic center of Isfahan. The house is designed around three open courtyards. While the exterior facade is blind, the interior facade around the courtyards is open and lively. Read more here.

Iran – Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre by ASA North / Ahmadreza Schricker

This project is Tehran’s first independent contemporary art museum. New additions have transformed the 100-year-old former brewery that had been abandoned for decades. Read more here.

Iran – Jadgal Elementary School by DAAZ Office / Arash Aliabadi

An elementary school built with participatory design studies, now also started to serve as a sustainable development center for the area. Located in a vast field, the project is aiming to be inviting with its playful shell and large irregular-shaped perforations. Read more here.

Lebanon – Renovation of Niemeyer Guest House by East Architecture Studio

The building was originally designed by Oscar Niemeyer in 1962 but it was abandoned during the Civil War. The building is now transformed into a design and production facility for the local wood industry. Read more here.

Kuwait – Wafra Wind Tower, Kuwait City, Kuwait, by AGi Architects

The building has a vertical courtyard at the center which provides natural ventilation to each apartment unit within the complex. Read more here.

Morocco – Issy Valley Improvement by Salima Naji & Inside Outside

This project as a part of the large hydro-agricultural project for the valley, focuses on enhancing the trails and facilities for rural tourists and improving the palm orchards and water reservoirs in the valley. Read more here.

Niger – Niamey 2000 by united4design / Yasaman Esmaili, Elizabeth Golden, Mariam Kamara, Philip Straeter

Niamey is the capital and the largest city of Niger. The rapid urban growth in the city results in a serious housing shortage. This project offers a prototype increasing the density while still staying culturally compatible with the context. Read more here.

Palestine – Tulkarm Courthouse by AAU Anastas

Located on a triangular site, the project consists of two buildings, one for administrative facilities and the other one for courtrooms. The access is through broad stone stairs that lead to an open urban plaza. Read more here.

Senegal – CEM Kamanar Secondary School by Dawoffice

As clay is the region’s most abundant material, this project embraces the material with clay vault modules built by volunteers using local techniques. The vaults with lattices act as evaporating coolers. Read more here.

Sri Lanka – Lanka Learning Centre by feat.collective / Noemi Thiele, Felix Lupatsch, Valentin Ott and Felix Yaparsidi

The project is a cultural center and school where locals learn craftsmanship. The design has a pentangular form, where each side creates a pocket of space. Read more here.

Tunisia – Le Jardin d’Afrique by Rachid Koraïchi

The project is a memorial and graveyard for migrants who drowned while crossing the Mediterranean. The artist Rachid Koraïchi initiated the project, bought the plot of land, and designed the entire project. Read more here.

Turkey – Rehabilitation of Tarsus Old Ginnery by Sayka Construction Architecture Engineering Consultancy

This is a restoration and redesign project of the 19th-century ginnery buildings. The historical industrial complex has been repurposed as a contemporary center for archaeological research and public engagement. Read more here.

United Arab Emirates – Flying Saucer Rehabilitation by SpaceContinuum Design Studio / Mona El Mousfy

The brutalist building from 1978 has been fully restored and repurposed as a community art space. Read more here.

These are the shortlisted projects that have been announced on June 2, 2022. Their photographic representations will be on display at the exhibition in King’s Cross, London from 2 June to 30 June, as part of the London Architecture Festival.