Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT wins the Mohamed Makiya Prize for Architecture

Tamayouz Excellence Award is delighted to announce the winner of the 2018 Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of the year, given to individuals and organisations, the Mohamed Makiya Prize for architecture.   

The Mohamed Makiya Prize was established as part of the Tamayouz Excellence Award programme, which aims to champion the best architecture worldwide, it is an annual prize open to both individuals and organisations who promoted, encouraged, campaigned or influenced directly or indirectly the advancement of architecture and the built environment in the Middle East between 2015 and 2017.

Out of 44 entries from 11 countries were submitted for this year’s prize, four have been shortlisted and they are The Aga Khan Documentation Center - MIT (Massachusetts), the Arab Center for Architecture (Beirut), Michael Rakowitz (New York) and Rana Beiruti (Amman).

The winner was selected unanimously by the Tamayouz Excellence Award judging panel.

The Winner

Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT – Massachusetts – For their role in supporting teaching of, and scholarship on, the history and theory of architecture, urbanism, environmental and landscape design, visual culture, and conservation, as well as the practice of architecture, in Muslim societies, with focus on the research and teaching activities of the faculty, students, and post-doctoral fellows at AKPIA. Situated within the MIT Libraries, AKDC@MIT, a part of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA) at MIT and Harvard, was established in 1979 by a gift from His Highness the Aga Khan.  AKDC@MIT is also responsible for the curation of the intellectual and content core of Archnet, a globally-accessible, intellectual resource focused on architecture, urbanism, environmental and landscape design, visual culture, and conservation issues with a focus on Muslim cultures and civilizations.

Congratulations to the Team behind the Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT, which comprises of:  Dr Michael Toler (Interim Program Head), Betsy Baldwin, Dr Matt Saba and Dr Sharon Smith (Founding Head of the Program who left the AKDC in August 2018) who had a key role in the Aga Khan Documentation Center's growth and success.

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Academic and founder of the Tamayouz Excellence Award, Ahmed Al-Mallak said:
“Our warmest congratulations to the Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT and the three finalists, it was a pleasure to see the impact of their works, directly and indirectly, highlighting and promoting architecture, public spaces and the built environment.   A fantastic day to celebrate the achievements of the people who work hard to tell our side of the story”. 

Tamayouz Excellence Award is sponsored by; The Iraqi Business Council in Jordan, Kufa – Makiya Charity, Coventry University, Dewan Architects and Engineers, the United Nations Global Compact, Ayad Al-Tuhafi Architects, Tradex Global Ltd.