Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat
Encyclopedia
The Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Ottawa
, Ontario, Canada, a building of the Aga Khan Foundation
Canada located between the Saudi Arabian embassy and the Lester B. Pearson Building
on Sussex Drive
. It was opened in 2008.
The building was initiated by His Highness the Aga Khan IV
, the 49th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims
in the presence of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson
, Governor General of Canada
on June 6, 2005. It was designed by the internationally-celebrated Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki
, together with the Canadian firm Moriyama & Teshima.
The Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat was formally opened by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Saturday, December 6, 2008 during an official visit of His Highness the Aga Khan
to Ottawa. In addition to the Prime Minister, the opening was also attended by several federal ministers including Transport Minister John Baird, Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon and Minister of State for Status of Women Helena Guergis. Also in attendance were former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson
, writer John Ralston Saul, David Mulroney, chief of the PCO Afghan task force, his CIDA counterpart Stephen Wallace, former deputy minister of foreign affairs Peter Harder, the Governor of the Bank of Canada, Chief Justice of Canada Beverley McLachlin, former ambassador to Washington Derek Burney, former Liberal foreign minister Bill Graham, former ambassador to the UN Allan Rock, Herb Gray, the longest serving MP in Canadian history and various ambassadors of other countries to Canada.
winning architect Fumihiko Maki
, the Ottawa Delegation is the first building in the world that will represent the Ismaili Imamat and its institutions. It is configured as an elongated, rectangular ring, surrounding an interior atrium and an exterior courtyard that features a traditional Chahr-bagh
Islamic garden. The building rests on a solid linear granite podium, and is covered by a glass dome through which light illuminates the atrium and courtyard. The building as a whole is inspired by natural rock-crystal and is an interplay of visual clarity, opacity and translucency. It houses meeting rooms, exhibition areas, a lecture theatre, resource center, and private apartments.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario, Canada, a building of the Aga Khan Foundation
Aga Khan Foundation
The Aga Khan Foundation is a private, not-for-profit international development agency, which was founded in 1967 by . AKF seeks to provide long-term solutions to problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and ill health in the poorest parts of South and Central Asia, Eastern and Western Africa, and...
Canada located between the Saudi Arabian embassy and the Lester B. Pearson Building
Lester B. Pearson Building
The Lester B. Pearson Building is the headquarters of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. It is located at 125 Sussex Drive in the Lower Town neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, and was built between 1968 and 1973. It is named after Lester B...
on Sussex Drive
Sussex Drive
Sussex Drive is a major street in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and one of the city's major ceremonial and institutional routes....
. It was opened in 2008.
The building was initiated by His Highness the Aga Khan IV
Aga Khan IV
Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, NPk, NI, KBE, CC, GCC, GCIH, GCM is the 49th and current Imam of the Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslims. He has held this position under the title of Aga Khan since July 11, 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan...
, the 49th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
in the presence of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....
, Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
on June 6, 2005. It was designed by the internationally-celebrated Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki
Fumihiko Maki
is a Japanese architect and currently teaching at Keio University SFC.- Biography :After studying at the University of Tokyo he moved to the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and then to Harvard Graduate School of Design. In 1956, he took a post as assistant professor of...
, together with the Canadian firm Moriyama & Teshima.
The Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat was formally opened by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Saturday, December 6, 2008 during an official visit of His Highness the Aga Khan
Aga Khan IV
Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, NPk, NI, KBE, CC, GCC, GCIH, GCM is the 49th and current Imam of the Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslims. He has held this position under the title of Aga Khan since July 11, 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan...
to Ottawa. In addition to the Prime Minister, the opening was also attended by several federal ministers including Transport Minister John Baird, Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon and Minister of State for Status of Women Helena Guergis. Also in attendance were former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....
, writer John Ralston Saul, David Mulroney, chief of the PCO Afghan task force, his CIDA counterpart Stephen Wallace, former deputy minister of foreign affairs Peter Harder, the Governor of the Bank of Canada, Chief Justice of Canada Beverley McLachlin, former ambassador to Washington Derek Burney, former Liberal foreign minister Bill Graham, former ambassador to the UN Allan Rock, Herb Gray, the longest serving MP in Canadian history and various ambassadors of other countries to Canada.
Architecture
Designed by the Pritzker PrizePritzker Prize
The Pritzker Architecture Prize is awarded annually by the Hyatt Foundation to honour "a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built...
winning architect Fumihiko Maki
Fumihiko Maki
is a Japanese architect and currently teaching at Keio University SFC.- Biography :After studying at the University of Tokyo he moved to the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and then to Harvard Graduate School of Design. In 1956, he took a post as assistant professor of...
, the Ottawa Delegation is the first building in the world that will represent the Ismaili Imamat and its institutions. It is configured as an elongated, rectangular ring, surrounding an interior atrium and an exterior courtyard that features a traditional Chahr-bagh
Charbagh
Charbagh is a Persian-style garden layout. The quadrilateral garden is divided by walkways or flowing water into four smaller parts...
Islamic garden. The building rests on a solid linear granite podium, and is covered by a glass dome through which light illuminates the atrium and courtyard. The building as a whole is inspired by natural rock-crystal and is an interplay of visual clarity, opacity and translucency. It houses meeting rooms, exhibition areas, a lecture theatre, resource center, and private apartments.