The independent Master Jury of the 16th Aga Khan Award for Architecture has announced seven winning projects that will share the prestigious $1 million prize, one of the largest awards in the field of architecture. The selected projects, chosen from a shortlist announced in June, demonstrate architecture's power to drive pluralism, community resilience, social transformation, cultural dialogue, and climate-responsive design while shaping a more sustainable future.
Among the winners is the Khudi Bari project in Bangladesh, designed by Marina Tabassum Architects and located in various sites across the country. This innovative solution uses bamboo and steel construction to provide housing for displaced communities affected by climate change and geographic shifts. The jury praised the project's deep ecological approach and its contribution to advancing bamboo as a viable building material on a global scale.
Two projects from Iran received recognition for their distinct approaches to community development and urban renewal. The Majara Residence and Community Redevelopment on Hormuz Island, created by ZAV Architects, features colorful dome structures that reflect the island's ochre-rich soils while providing sustainable tourist accommodations. The jury described it as "a vibrant archipelago of varying programmes that serve to incrementally build an alternative tourism economy." Meanwhile, the Jahad Metro Plaza in Tehran, designed by KA Architecture Studio, transformed a deteriorated subway station into a dynamic urban hub for pedestrians, utilizing local handmade bricks that honor Iran's architectural heritage.
The West Wusutu Village Community Centre in Hohhot, China, designed by Inner Mongolian Grand Architecture Design Co., Ltd, stands out for its use of reclaimed bricks and its role in serving the cultural needs of a diverse local community, including Hui Muslims. The facility provides social and cultural spaces for both residents and artists, with the jury noting that it "generates a valuable shared and inclusive communal microcosm within a rural human macrocosm."
Egypt's contribution comes through the Revitalisation of Historic Esna project by Takween Integrated Community Development, which tackles cultural tourism challenges through physical improvements, socioeconomic programs, and innovative urban planning strategies. This comprehensive approach has transformed a previously neglected area into a thriving historic city, with the jury acknowledging how the project stimulates "a historic urban metabolism to cope with the contemporary challenge of improving human conditions."
Two additional winners showcase the power of architecture to serve educational and cultural purposes. Pakistan's Vision Pakistan in Islamabad, designed by DB Studios, is a multi-story facility featuring vibrant facades inspired by Pakistani and Arab craftsmanship while housing a charity focused on empowering disadvantaged youth through vocational training. The jury noted that the building "not only contains a new type of education, but is full of light, spatially interesting and economically efficient."
The final winner, Wonder Cabinet in Bethlehem, Palestine, designed by AAU Anastas, serves as a multipurpose, non-profit exhibition and production space. Built with significant input from local artisans and contractors, it functions as a central hub for craft, design, innovation, and learning. The jury found that the building "provides a model for an architecture of connection, rooted in contemporary expressions of national identity, and asserts the importance of cultural production as a means of resistance."
The awards ceremony for the 16th cycle will take place on September 15 at the Toktogul Satylganov Kyrgyz National Philharmonic in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. The recognition will extend beyond architects to honor municipalities, builders, clients, master artisans, and engineers who played crucial roles in bringing these transformative projects to life.
