Project Location
Houston, TX
Client
Imara Houston Inc., Agent for Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A
Area
150,000 SF
Scope
Architect and Engineer of Record; provided MEP engineering, site work coordination, acoustics, audiovisual, lighting, theater design services, and sustainability oversight
The Ismaili Center, Houston balances past and present, traditions and modern technologies, the local fabric of Houston and global Ismaili community. Rather than replicate historical styles, the architecture translates enduring ideas from across the Muslim world – structure as legible order, ornament as human scale, repetition as unity, and light as material – through contemporary craft. Bridging cultures and design influences, it serves as a welcoming space for prayer, education, cultural exchange, and interfaith dialogue.
Surrounded by expansive green spaces, the five-story tripartite structure integrates Islamic design influences with contemporary architectural technology. Three volumes are connected by eivans – elevated verandas rooted in Persian architectural tradition. Mashrabiya-inspired concrete screens in the atrium and walls crafted like tapestry in stone offer modern reinterpretations of Persian and Islamic architectural traditions, reduce artificial lighting, and reinforce a sense of openness and fluidity.
In Houston’s hot, humid climate, Turkish marble screens shade interiors while inviting natural light and garden views. Gardens designed with Islamic landscape traditions and Texas ecologies manage stormwater. Persian-inspired eivans provide shade, air movement, and gathering space year-round. Multipurpose spaces for lectures, conferences, recitals, and exhibitions celebrate Houston’s diversity and arts and culture while the café encourages social gathering in a daylight-filled double-height space.
The concrete encased steel structure is designed for longevity and flood resilience. The project achieves energy reductions through efficient HVAC systems and a climate-appropriate facade, achieving a 30% artificial lighting reduction below baseline. Water conservation achieves 58% outdoor and 45% indoor reduction. Carbon reduction includes 2.5M lbs/SF sequestration through planting, supplementary cementitious materials replacing cement, domestically-produced EAF steel, and low-impact refrigerant infrastructure.
DLR Group and AKT II merged European and U.S. codes to achieve 100-year lifecycle protocols with enhanced concrete cover protection. The Jamatkhana (Prayer Hall) uses deep steel girders for column-free worship space beneath an ornate ceiling. The North eivan's steel diagrid roof acts as its own diaphragm without monolithic topping. Slender star-shaped columns provide fire resistance while maintaining aesthetic profiles. The central atrium employs composite steel-concrete trusses for material efficiency and minimal deflection across multiple stories.
The Ismaili Community Gets a New Home in Houston
December 1, 2026The new Ismaili Center in Houston is the first of its kind in the U.S. and the largest globally, delivering a multifunctional complex featuring gardens, cultural spaces, and a prayer hall.
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