The Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan V, 50th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community, inaugurated the Ismaili Centre in Houston, becoming the first ever centre in the US. The centre was inaugurated on November 6.
The ceremony was attended by John Whitmire, Mayor of Houston, Princes Amyn, Hussain, and Aly Muhammad, members of the US Congress, Texas legislators, and representatives of interfaith and civic organizations. An Ismaili Centre is a place of worship, social, and cultural gathering for Ismaili Muslims. Set on more than nine acres near Buffalo Bayou, the 150,000-square-foot facility joins six previous Ismaili Centres worldwide, in London, Vancouver, Toronto, Lisbon, Dubai, and Dushanbe.
The Center was designed by Farshid Moussavi Architecture and Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects in partnership with AKT II (structural, civil, geotechnical, bioclimatic, and façade engineer), and DLR Group (architect and engineer of record). The project is designed to meet LEED Gold standards, yet to achieve certification. “This building may be called an Ismaili Centre, but it is not here for Ismailis only,” the Aga Khan said. “It is for all Houstonians — a place open to all who seek knowledge, reflection, and dialogue.”
Mayor Whitmire described the opening as “a proud moment for the city” and a “statement of unity, faith, and shared purpose.” The centre will serve as a cultural, civic, and educational hub, hosting exhibitions, performances, lectures, and interfaith dialogues, while also providing space for the Ismaili community's religious and social gatherings.
Houston has a sizable Indian-origin Ismaili population, whose civic and cultural engagement makes the inauguration particularly significant for the diaspora and communities in India.
