In the rapidly changing tastes and styles of Western culture, the most highly acclaimed designs in contemporary architecture are often unconnected to the social and cultural contexts from which they spring. In contrast, in Islamic societies around the world, architecture often plays a far more responsible role, responding to the immediate needs of local and personal exigencies. As a result, some of the most humanist contemporary architecture is overlooked by the fashions of today's international design periodicals. The seven projects chosen, for this, the seventh cycle (1998) of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, from hundreds by the jury are among the most fascinating and thoughtful work produced anywhere in the world. Each project is profiled in depth with lucid texts, extensive drawings and specially commissioned photographs. Critical essays consider the challenges and potential rewards confronting architects and planners working in exceptional conditions.
Legacies for the Future is the seventh in a series of books under the general title
Building in the Islamic World Today.
Davidson, Cynthia C., editor. “Legacies for the Future: Contemporary Architecture in Islamic Societies”. London: Thames and Hudson, 1998.
Thames and Hudson/The Aga Khan Award for Architecture
