Ismaili Center - Houston - Permasteelisa Group

The Ismaili Center serves as a place of faith for the local Ismaili Muslim community, and as a venue for public dialogue and cultural exchange. Commissioned by His Highness the Aga Khan, the 14,000 sqm Houston campus is the first Ismaili Center in America.

The Center seamlessly integrates traditional Persian design – including ceramic mosaics and stone screens – with ultra-modern elements, engineered to withstand the hot climate.

Architect: : Farshid Moussavi Architecture

Contractor: : McCarthy Building Companies Inc.

Client: : Imara Houston Inc.

The project

The concept:

The Ismaili Center consists of a central five-story building, anchored by three grand outdoor shaded porches, surrounded by nine acres of open public gardens and native Texas landscapes. The indoor and outdoor spaces are connected by expansive glass façades and open verandas, integrating the congregation halls with the surrounding parkland.

What did we do?

We designed, engineered, manufactured and installed the architectural envelope, using a combination of glass, steel, and stone. The envelope includes 1,000 sqm of steel glass façades, including 920 sqm of façades featuring glass fins measuring up to 11.5m long, and 825 sqm of all-glass façades, featuring 610 sqm of self-supporting, zig-zag folded glass façade. We also created 1,060 sqm of translucent natural stone units suspended in front of the façades.