Spaces of Sociability

The Ismaili Center Houston is a new landmark of architecture and culture. Edited by Mohsen Mostafavi and richly illustrated with photographs by Iwan Baan and Salina Kassam, this volume provides a rare look into the making of a unique project. Essays by the primary designers of the building and its gardens, Farshid Moussavi, Hanif Kara, and Thomas L. Woltz, describe and elucidate the processes and ideas that shaped their proposals. Other essays by Azim Nanji and James L. Wescoat Jr. contextualize the contributions of the Ismaili community and the origins of the Islamic garden. Finally, an interview with Prince Amyn Aga Khan sheds light on the transformative role played by architecture as an agent of social interaction and dialogue across diverse communities. At a time when cultural understanding feels increasingly important, the Ismaili Center Houston stands as a powerful reminder of what design can achieve: a space where tradition and innovation meet, and where a community opens its doors to the wider world.