Time lapse video AKDN
https://www.facebook.com/akdn/videos/2239003909712251/
Aga Khan Garden, Alberta (AKGA)
SPEECH DELIVERED BY
His Highness the Aga Khan
Inauguration of the Aga Khan Garden, Alberta
2018, October 16
https://www.akdn.org/speech/his-highnes ... en-alberta
Bismillah-ir-Rahaman-ir-Rahim
Your Honor Lois Mitchell
The Honorable Rachel Notley
Honorable Ministers
Your Worships
Chancellor Stollery
President Turpin
Distinguished Guests
It is always a great pleasure to greet old friends and welcome new friends at a celebration like this. But today’s inauguration stands out for me as particularly joyous.
For one thing, the old friendships we renew today are especially meaningful. We look back, of course, to the welcome in Alberta of members of the Ismaili community who settled here almost a half century ago, often in very difficult circumstances. And those bonds of welcome have been continually renewed through the years, especially through our rewarding partnerships with the University of Alberta.
One of the special gifts that old friends offer is introducing us to wonderful new friends, and that has also happened here. The project we celebrate today – the inauguration of the Aga Khan Garden – is a particularly happy example.
I think all of you have had the pleasure – in your personal life or your professional life – of seeing a fascinating story develop happily from beginning to end. We recall the excitement of a new beginning – as well as that deep sense of grateful satisfaction when the planning works – when the hope is realized, and the vision is achieved.
Well that is exactly how I feel today. I was fortunate to have been part of this project’s conception – and I feel fortunate to be here today to help mark its realisation.
I remember well my visits to the University of Alberta during my Golden Jubilee year – in 2008, and again for the graduation ceremonies in 2009. That was when we first discussed this dream of creating here, together, a new Islamic Garden. I paid my first visit to the proposed Garden site at that time, wondering, even then, just how this dream might come true in practice.
It seemed like an unlikely dream to many. After all, the great tradition of Islamic Gardens has its roots in very different times and places. The symbol of the Garden as a spiritual symbol goes back to the Holy Qur’an itself - where the Garden ideal is mentioned many times. Down through many centuries, Islamic culture has continued to see the Garden as a very special place, where the Human meets further proof of the Divine.
The development of the Garden as a symbol of Islamic ideals flourished most magnificently some 500 to 600 years ago – and that happened, of course, in the warmer climates of Southern Asia. And yet, there we were in Edmonton a decade ago, proposing to extend that lovely Eastern and Southern tradition, at the start of the 21st Century, to the unique natural environment of northern and western Canada. This proposed new Garden, to be precise, would be the northern-most Islamic Garden ever created.
Over the past nine years I have been able to watch the dream come true – as we agreed on the configuration of the site, assembled a Steering Committee, chose an architectural firm, and reviewed development plans. And then, with the planning completed, the building process took just some 18 months – finishing “on time and on budget,” as planners like to point out!
As I look out at this Garden today, what I think about – above all – are the people who made it possible - their dedication, their talent, and their remarkable energy. I want them all to know that in celebrating this new Garden today – we are also celebrating them. Theirs is a highly valued gift to the generations to come, who also must be privileged by experiencing the spirituality and harmony of multiple life forms.
They include construction workers and gardeners, planners and administrators, artists and scholars, architects and designers – including the landscape design firm of Nelson Byrd Woltz. They include dedicated members of the Ismaili and other Muslim communities in Alberta – and other parts of Canada, the remarkable family of the University of Alberta, governmental officials at all levels, and those who serve the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the Aga Khan Development Network.
At the heart of their efforts, of course, was the inspiring power of the Islamic Garden itself. For a central part of the Garden tradition is the high calling of human stewardship, our responsibility to honor, to protect, and to share the gifts of the natural world.
Gardens in this context can be seen not as imitations of Nature but as humanity’s interpretations of nature, their geometric structures providing a human framework in which we can experience – in this case – the magnificent fluctuations of the Albertan landscape.
The Garden of Islamic tradition is also a place where the flow of refreshing water reminds us of Divine blessing. It is a place for meditation, and quiet renewal. But I would likewise emphasise that the Garden, through history, has also been seen as a social space – a place for learning, for sharing, for romance, for diplomacy, for reflection on the destiny of the human race. And even as we share the Garden experience with one another, we can feel a connection with those who walked through similar Gardens in the past.
I would also mention one additional aspect of the particular Garden we inaugurate today. It symbolises not only the creative blending of the Natural and the Human – but also the beauty of multiple inter-cultural cooperation.
One of the great questions facing humanity today is how we can honour what is distinctive about our separate identities – and, at the same time, welcome a diversity of identities as positive elements in our lives.
This city and this country have been among the world leaders in providing positive answers to that ancient question. The project we inaugurate today is a beautiful extension of that Canadian tradition.
In Canada and in many other places, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture has made a major commitment to creating and renewing important green spaces in recent years. We can look back on ten recent successes in places ranging from Cairo to Zanzibar, from Toronto to Kabul, from Dushanbe in Tajikistan to Bamako in Mali. In 2018 alone, I helped to inaugurate three such Garden projects – in London, in Delhi, and now here in Alberta.
But the story does not end here. In fact, the story of Canadian Islamic Gardens itself is not yet completed. Our plans are now advancing, in fact, for a new Park to be developed a few hundred miles southwest of here, in Burnaby, British Columbia.
Yes – to be sure – it will surpass Edmonton as the western-most Islamic Garden. But, of course, we can be rest assured, that Edmonton’s Garden will still have a lasting claim as the northern-most!
I have talked about the past, today, but I would close by emphasising the future. It is wonderful at a moment like this to think of all those who will visit here in the years to come. Our work now is to sustain this space, to create new experiences and to meet new challenges.
As you walk through these Gardens, you will see evidence of the ways in which future generations will be able to make the most of this site. It is our hope and expectation on this special day that the Aga Khan Garden here at the University of Alberta will truly be a gift that keeps on giving.
Thank you.
His Highness the Aga Khan
Inauguration of the Aga Khan Garden, Alberta
2018, October 16
https://www.akdn.org/speech/his-highnes ... en-alberta
Bismillah-ir-Rahaman-ir-Rahim
Your Honor Lois Mitchell
The Honorable Rachel Notley
Honorable Ministers
Your Worships
Chancellor Stollery
President Turpin
Distinguished Guests
It is always a great pleasure to greet old friends and welcome new friends at a celebration like this. But today’s inauguration stands out for me as particularly joyous.
For one thing, the old friendships we renew today are especially meaningful. We look back, of course, to the welcome in Alberta of members of the Ismaili community who settled here almost a half century ago, often in very difficult circumstances. And those bonds of welcome have been continually renewed through the years, especially through our rewarding partnerships with the University of Alberta.
One of the special gifts that old friends offer is introducing us to wonderful new friends, and that has also happened here. The project we celebrate today – the inauguration of the Aga Khan Garden – is a particularly happy example.
I think all of you have had the pleasure – in your personal life or your professional life – of seeing a fascinating story develop happily from beginning to end. We recall the excitement of a new beginning – as well as that deep sense of grateful satisfaction when the planning works – when the hope is realized, and the vision is achieved.
Well that is exactly how I feel today. I was fortunate to have been part of this project’s conception – and I feel fortunate to be here today to help mark its realisation.
I remember well my visits to the University of Alberta during my Golden Jubilee year – in 2008, and again for the graduation ceremonies in 2009. That was when we first discussed this dream of creating here, together, a new Islamic Garden. I paid my first visit to the proposed Garden site at that time, wondering, even then, just how this dream might come true in practice.
It seemed like an unlikely dream to many. After all, the great tradition of Islamic Gardens has its roots in very different times and places. The symbol of the Garden as a spiritual symbol goes back to the Holy Qur’an itself - where the Garden ideal is mentioned many times. Down through many centuries, Islamic culture has continued to see the Garden as a very special place, where the Human meets further proof of the Divine.
The development of the Garden as a symbol of Islamic ideals flourished most magnificently some 500 to 600 years ago – and that happened, of course, in the warmer climates of Southern Asia. And yet, there we were in Edmonton a decade ago, proposing to extend that lovely Eastern and Southern tradition, at the start of the 21st Century, to the unique natural environment of northern and western Canada. This proposed new Garden, to be precise, would be the northern-most Islamic Garden ever created.
Over the past nine years I have been able to watch the dream come true – as we agreed on the configuration of the site, assembled a Steering Committee, chose an architectural firm, and reviewed development plans. And then, with the planning completed, the building process took just some 18 months – finishing “on time and on budget,” as planners like to point out!
As I look out at this Garden today, what I think about – above all – are the people who made it possible - their dedication, their talent, and their remarkable energy. I want them all to know that in celebrating this new Garden today – we are also celebrating them. Theirs is a highly valued gift to the generations to come, who also must be privileged by experiencing the spirituality and harmony of multiple life forms.
They include construction workers and gardeners, planners and administrators, artists and scholars, architects and designers – including the landscape design firm of Nelson Byrd Woltz. They include dedicated members of the Ismaili and other Muslim communities in Alberta – and other parts of Canada, the remarkable family of the University of Alberta, governmental officials at all levels, and those who serve the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the Aga Khan Development Network.
At the heart of their efforts, of course, was the inspiring power of the Islamic Garden itself. For a central part of the Garden tradition is the high calling of human stewardship, our responsibility to honor, to protect, and to share the gifts of the natural world.
Gardens in this context can be seen not as imitations of Nature but as humanity’s interpretations of nature, their geometric structures providing a human framework in which we can experience – in this case – the magnificent fluctuations of the Albertan landscape.
The Garden of Islamic tradition is also a place where the flow of refreshing water reminds us of Divine blessing. It is a place for meditation, and quiet renewal. But I would likewise emphasise that the Garden, through history, has also been seen as a social space – a place for learning, for sharing, for romance, for diplomacy, for reflection on the destiny of the human race. And even as we share the Garden experience with one another, we can feel a connection with those who walked through similar Gardens in the past.
I would also mention one additional aspect of the particular Garden we inaugurate today. It symbolises not only the creative blending of the Natural and the Human – but also the beauty of multiple inter-cultural cooperation.
One of the great questions facing humanity today is how we can honour what is distinctive about our separate identities – and, at the same time, welcome a diversity of identities as positive elements in our lives.
This city and this country have been among the world leaders in providing positive answers to that ancient question. The project we inaugurate today is a beautiful extension of that Canadian tradition.
In Canada and in many other places, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture has made a major commitment to creating and renewing important green spaces in recent years. We can look back on ten recent successes in places ranging from Cairo to Zanzibar, from Toronto to Kabul, from Dushanbe in Tajikistan to Bamako in Mali. In 2018 alone, I helped to inaugurate three such Garden projects – in London, in Delhi, and now here in Alberta.
But the story does not end here. In fact, the story of Canadian Islamic Gardens itself is not yet completed. Our plans are now advancing, in fact, for a new Park to be developed a few hundred miles southwest of here, in Burnaby, British Columbia.
Yes – to be sure – it will surpass Edmonton as the western-most Islamic Garden. But, of course, we can be rest assured, that Edmonton’s Garden will still have a lasting claim as the northern-most!
I have talked about the past, today, but I would close by emphasising the future. It is wonderful at a moment like this to think of all those who will visit here in the years to come. Our work now is to sustain this space, to create new experiences and to meet new challenges.
As you walk through these Gardens, you will see evidence of the ways in which future generations will be able to make the most of this site. It is our hope and expectation on this special day that the Aga Khan Garden here at the University of Alberta will truly be a gift that keeps on giving.
Thank you.
Aga Khan visits namesake U of A garden
Video:
https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/aga-khan-vi ... -1.4137011
*****
Aga Khan visits new garden outside Edmonton
Video:
https://globalnews.ca/video/4559760/aga ... e-edmonton
Video:
https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/aga-khan-vi ... -1.4137011
*****
Aga Khan visits new garden outside Edmonton
Video:
https://globalnews.ca/video/4559760/aga ... e-edmonton
Video: Highlights from the Aga Khan Garden inauguration
The Aga Khan Garden, Alberta was inaugurated on 16 October 2018 in Mawlana Hazar Imam's presence. Watch highlights from the event here.
https://the.ismaili/news/video-highligh ... auguration
******
16 October 2018 - Lt Governor of Alberta Lois Mitchell, Premier Rachel Notley and the Aga Khan today inaugurated the new Aga Khan Garden, Alberta, the northern-most Islamic garden in the world, and the first garden of its kind in western Canada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC44NaRxa-k
The Aga Khan Garden, Alberta was inaugurated on 16 October 2018 in Mawlana Hazar Imam's presence. Watch highlights from the event here.
https://the.ismaili/news/video-highligh ... auguration
******
16 October 2018 - Lt Governor of Alberta Lois Mitchell, Premier Rachel Notley and the Aga Khan today inaugurated the new Aga Khan Garden, Alberta, the northern-most Islamic garden in the world, and the first garden of its kind in western Canada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC44NaRxa-k
Any list of world-renowned parks and gardens is likely to feature the great gardens of the western world.
London’s Hyde Park and New York’s Central Park stand as two iconic examples. Yet the Middle East and Asia would also be well-represented. The gardens of the Al-hambra in Spain, Al-Azhar Park in Cairo, and the gardens of Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, are all magnificent reminders of the Muslim contribution to the world’s horticultural heritage.
Thanks to His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th hereditary Imam of the world’s Shia Ismaili Muslims, the University of Alberta Botanic Garden is home to a world-class garden and architectural jewel. And while Edmonton may seem an unlikely addition to this list, it is a project which is underwritten by distinctly Canadian features.
Drawing from the rich heritage of the Mughal tradition, the Aga Khan Garden is situated in a firmly Canadian context. The 4.8-hectare Mughal-inspired garden, was made possible by a generous gift from the Aga Khan to the U of A. The garden features secluded forest paths, granite paved pathways, limestone terraces, rippled waterfalls, streams and still pools that reflect the Alberta sky. Fruit orchards extend around the large Calla Pond, and the garden contains more than 35,000 trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and wetland plants.
More...
https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/col ... erent-sort
London’s Hyde Park and New York’s Central Park stand as two iconic examples. Yet the Middle East and Asia would also be well-represented. The gardens of the Al-hambra in Spain, Al-Azhar Park in Cairo, and the gardens of Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, are all magnificent reminders of the Muslim contribution to the world’s horticultural heritage.
Thanks to His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th hereditary Imam of the world’s Shia Ismaili Muslims, the University of Alberta Botanic Garden is home to a world-class garden and architectural jewel. And while Edmonton may seem an unlikely addition to this list, it is a project which is underwritten by distinctly Canadian features.
Drawing from the rich heritage of the Mughal tradition, the Aga Khan Garden is situated in a firmly Canadian context. The 4.8-hectare Mughal-inspired garden, was made possible by a generous gift from the Aga Khan to the U of A. The garden features secluded forest paths, granite paved pathways, limestone terraces, rippled waterfalls, streams and still pools that reflect the Alberta sky. Fruit orchards extend around the large Calla Pond, and the garden contains more than 35,000 trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and wetland plants.
More...
https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/col ... erent-sort
http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea ... index.html
The Aga Khan’s 'Garden of Life' gift to Canadian province, a unique statement
Saturday October 20 2018
In Summary
Construction of the Garden, which was recently completed, marked both the 150th anniversary of Canadian confederation and the Aga Khan’s Diamond Jubilee — 60 years since he became Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community.
Garden elements from some of the world’s best Muslim architecture — including the Taj Mahal and Humayun’s Tomb in India — are interspersed with distinctively Canadian features, from Alberta’s wild rose beds to Canadian-quarried stonework.
Conceived as a centre for research and learning, the Garden will also play host to a variety of events including educational programs, exhibitions, performances and recitals, film screenings, and cultural events.
-----------------
By The EastAfrican
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and His Highness the Aga Khan inaugurated the new Aga Khan Garden, Alberta, the northernmost Islamic garden in the world, and the first garden of its kind in western Canada.
The Garden was a gift to the University of Alberta from His Highness the Aga Khan, celebrating over 40 years of partnership between the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the University of Alberta.
Construction of the Garden, which was recently completed, marked both the 150th anniversary of Canadian confederation and the Aga Khan’s Diamond Jubilee — 60 years since he became Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community.
Stewardship on Earth
The Aga Khan Garden brings to life the principle of pluralism, of which His Highness has been a lifelong advocate.
In the 4.8-hectare Mughal-inspired space, traditional Islamic landscape design takes on strikingly contemporary features.
Garden elements from some of the world’s best Muslim architecture — including the Taj Mahal and Humayun’s Tomb in India — are interspersed with distinctively Canadian features, from Alberta’s wild rose beds to Canadian-quarried stonework.
Ms Notley emphasised the alignment of values between the University and the AKDN, and thanked His Highness for his leadership and generosity.
Calling the Garden “an oasis and a sign of Alberta’s welcome to the world,” she added that, “We stand with you to build a fair and more inclusive world.”
In his remarks at the inauguration ceremony, His Highness spoke of his happiness in seeing the Garden come to fruition, and of the place, throughout history, of the Islamic garden in reminding us of the notion of good stewardship of the earth and “our responsibility to honour, to protect, and to share the gifts of the natural world.”
In considering the role that such green spaces may play, His Highness spoke of the Garden as a social space, “a place for learning, for sharing, for romance, for diplomacy, for reflection on the destiny of the human race.”
Symmetry and serenity
Designed by landscape architect, Thomas Woltz of the world-renowned landscape architecture firm Nelson Byrd Woltz in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (an agency of the AKDN), the Garden provides a stunning example of Islamic landscape architecture — exploring the beauty and boundaries of vegetation, light, water, geometry, symmetry, adaptation and human scale.
The serenity of nature is highlighted in each of the design elements including secluded forest paths, granite and limestone terraces, still pools that reflect the prairie sky and a waterfall that tumbles over textured stone.
Fruit orchards extend around the large Calla Pond, and the Garden contains more than 25,000 trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and wetland plants, selected for fragrance, beauty and the ability to thrive in Alberta’s climate. Twelve water features and fountains are sprinkled around the Garden, which took 18 months to construct.
Conceived as a centre for research and learning, the Garden will also play host to a variety of events including educational programs, exhibitions, performances and recitals, film screenings, and cultural events.
It is expected that the addition of the Aga Khan Garden will more than double the number of annual visitors to the University of Alberta Botanic Garden (from 75,000 to 160,000), benefiting the local economy and adding significantly to the architectural and cultural landscape.
Exceptional leadership
The Garden is one of numerous initiatives developed by His Highness in Canada for the benefit of all Canadians, including award-winning architectural landmarks such as the Aga Khan Museum and Aga Khan Park in Toronto, the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat and Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa, and the Ismaili Centres in Burnaby and Toronto. Today, the Aga Khan Park in Toronto has become a hub for innovative cultural programming.
The Aga Khan Garden inauguration event is part of a five-day visit by the Aga Khan to Canada, during which he will also travel to Calgary and Vancouver to be conferred with honorary doctor of laws degrees from the University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, as well as Simon Fraser University, in honour of his contributions to humanity and his exceptional moral leadership in the world.
The Aga Khan’s 'Garden of Life' gift to Canadian province, a unique statement
Saturday October 20 2018
In Summary
Construction of the Garden, which was recently completed, marked both the 150th anniversary of Canadian confederation and the Aga Khan’s Diamond Jubilee — 60 years since he became Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community.
Garden elements from some of the world’s best Muslim architecture — including the Taj Mahal and Humayun’s Tomb in India — are interspersed with distinctively Canadian features, from Alberta’s wild rose beds to Canadian-quarried stonework.
Conceived as a centre for research and learning, the Garden will also play host to a variety of events including educational programs, exhibitions, performances and recitals, film screenings, and cultural events.
-----------------
By The EastAfrican
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and His Highness the Aga Khan inaugurated the new Aga Khan Garden, Alberta, the northernmost Islamic garden in the world, and the first garden of its kind in western Canada.
The Garden was a gift to the University of Alberta from His Highness the Aga Khan, celebrating over 40 years of partnership between the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the University of Alberta.
Construction of the Garden, which was recently completed, marked both the 150th anniversary of Canadian confederation and the Aga Khan’s Diamond Jubilee — 60 years since he became Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community.
Stewardship on Earth
The Aga Khan Garden brings to life the principle of pluralism, of which His Highness has been a lifelong advocate.
In the 4.8-hectare Mughal-inspired space, traditional Islamic landscape design takes on strikingly contemporary features.
Garden elements from some of the world’s best Muslim architecture — including the Taj Mahal and Humayun’s Tomb in India — are interspersed with distinctively Canadian features, from Alberta’s wild rose beds to Canadian-quarried stonework.
Ms Notley emphasised the alignment of values between the University and the AKDN, and thanked His Highness for his leadership and generosity.
Calling the Garden “an oasis and a sign of Alberta’s welcome to the world,” she added that, “We stand with you to build a fair and more inclusive world.”
In his remarks at the inauguration ceremony, His Highness spoke of his happiness in seeing the Garden come to fruition, and of the place, throughout history, of the Islamic garden in reminding us of the notion of good stewardship of the earth and “our responsibility to honour, to protect, and to share the gifts of the natural world.”
In considering the role that such green spaces may play, His Highness spoke of the Garden as a social space, “a place for learning, for sharing, for romance, for diplomacy, for reflection on the destiny of the human race.”
Symmetry and serenity
Designed by landscape architect, Thomas Woltz of the world-renowned landscape architecture firm Nelson Byrd Woltz in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (an agency of the AKDN), the Garden provides a stunning example of Islamic landscape architecture — exploring the beauty and boundaries of vegetation, light, water, geometry, symmetry, adaptation and human scale.
The serenity of nature is highlighted in each of the design elements including secluded forest paths, granite and limestone terraces, still pools that reflect the prairie sky and a waterfall that tumbles over textured stone.
Fruit orchards extend around the large Calla Pond, and the Garden contains more than 25,000 trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and wetland plants, selected for fragrance, beauty and the ability to thrive in Alberta’s climate. Twelve water features and fountains are sprinkled around the Garden, which took 18 months to construct.
Conceived as a centre for research and learning, the Garden will also play host to a variety of events including educational programs, exhibitions, performances and recitals, film screenings, and cultural events.
It is expected that the addition of the Aga Khan Garden will more than double the number of annual visitors to the University of Alberta Botanic Garden (from 75,000 to 160,000), benefiting the local economy and adding significantly to the architectural and cultural landscape.
Exceptional leadership
The Garden is one of numerous initiatives developed by His Highness in Canada for the benefit of all Canadians, including award-winning architectural landmarks such as the Aga Khan Museum and Aga Khan Park in Toronto, the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat and Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa, and the Ismaili Centres in Burnaby and Toronto. Today, the Aga Khan Park in Toronto has become a hub for innovative cultural programming.
The Aga Khan Garden inauguration event is part of a five-day visit by the Aga Khan to Canada, during which he will also travel to Calgary and Vancouver to be conferred with honorary doctor of laws degrees from the University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, as well as Simon Fraser University, in honour of his contributions to humanity and his exceptional moral leadership in the world.
Aga Khan Garden opens at University of Alberta
Excerpt:
“This garden is a testament to a province where differences are valued and diversity thrives,” said Alberta Premier Rachel Notley. “In Alberta, we don’t care who you love, where you worship or what colour your skin is. We respect and celebrate our differences. Alberta’s Ismaili community is a great example of that and so is this wonderful garden.”
More..
https://www.canadianinteriors.com/lands ... 003747633/
Excerpt:
“This garden is a testament to a province where differences are valued and diversity thrives,” said Alberta Premier Rachel Notley. “In Alberta, we don’t care who you love, where you worship or what colour your skin is. We respect and celebrate our differences. Alberta’s Ismaili community is a great example of that and so is this wonderful garden.”
More..
https://www.canadianinteriors.com/lands ... 003747633/
Video: Aga Khan Garden inauguration
Lt Governor of Alberta Lois Mitchell, Premier Rachel Notley and Mawlana Hazar Imam inaugurated the new Aga Khan Garden, Alberta, the northern-most Islamic garden in the world, and the first garden of its kind in western Canada.
https://the.ismaili/news/video-aga-khan ... auguration
Lt Governor of Alberta Lois Mitchell, Premier Rachel Notley and Mawlana Hazar Imam inaugurated the new Aga Khan Garden, Alberta, the northern-most Islamic garden in the world, and the first garden of its kind in western Canada.
https://the.ismaili/news/video-aga-khan ... auguration
https://www.reminetwork.com/articles/ag ... -edmonton/
Aga Khan officially opens garden in Edmonton
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
His Highness the Aga Khan officially opened the Aga Khan Garden this month in Edmonton. The Aga Khan Garden, located at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden, features an idyllic expanse designed for education, reflection and the promotion of intercultural understanding and harmony. The garden was opened to the public for the first time on June 29, 2018, following 18 months of construction.
Designed by world-renowned landscape architectural firm Nelson Byrd Woltz, the Aga Khan Garden, Alberta features secluded forest paths, granite and limestone terraces, still pools that reflect the prairie sky and a waterfall that tumbles over textured stone. Fruit orchards extend around the large Calla Pond, and the garden contains more than 25,000 trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and wetland plants, selected for fragrance, beauty and the ability to thrive in Alberta’s northern climate.
The 4.8-hectare Aga Khan Garden is a stunning contemporary interpretation of Islamic landscape architecture. A gift from the Aga Khan to the University of Alberta and all Canadians, it joins a network of 11 gardens around the world built or restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture — and is the northernmost in the world.
“Our responsibility to be good stewards of the earth extends to cultural heritage, whether in the form of parks or monuments. I believe this stewardship is even more critical today than ever before,” said His Highness the Aga Khan.
The gift of the Aga Khan Garden is a symbol of the continued intellectual, educational and cultural collaboration between the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan Development Network. In 2017, the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan University renewed a memorandum of understanding, originally signed in 2006, to move forward their respective goals of increasing global engagement and promoting equitable human development for citizens around the world.
During the inauguration ceremony, the future site of a pavilion, named the Diwan, at the Aga Khan Garden was also dedicated. The Diwan will provide a much-needed indoor space at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden. The signature building will complement the beauty and function of the botanic garden and maximize opportunities for programs and events that will benefit the entire community.
A public celebration of the Aga Khan Garden will take place in 2019.
Tags:
Aga Khan,
Aga Khan Garden,
Islamic landscape architecture,
Nelson Byrd Woltz,
Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects,
University of Alberta
Aga Khan officially opens garden in Edmonton
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
His Highness the Aga Khan officially opened the Aga Khan Garden this month in Edmonton. The Aga Khan Garden, located at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden, features an idyllic expanse designed for education, reflection and the promotion of intercultural understanding and harmony. The garden was opened to the public for the first time on June 29, 2018, following 18 months of construction.
Designed by world-renowned landscape architectural firm Nelson Byrd Woltz, the Aga Khan Garden, Alberta features secluded forest paths, granite and limestone terraces, still pools that reflect the prairie sky and a waterfall that tumbles over textured stone. Fruit orchards extend around the large Calla Pond, and the garden contains more than 25,000 trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and wetland plants, selected for fragrance, beauty and the ability to thrive in Alberta’s northern climate.
The 4.8-hectare Aga Khan Garden is a stunning contemporary interpretation of Islamic landscape architecture. A gift from the Aga Khan to the University of Alberta and all Canadians, it joins a network of 11 gardens around the world built or restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture — and is the northernmost in the world.
“Our responsibility to be good stewards of the earth extends to cultural heritage, whether in the form of parks or monuments. I believe this stewardship is even more critical today than ever before,” said His Highness the Aga Khan.
The gift of the Aga Khan Garden is a symbol of the continued intellectual, educational and cultural collaboration between the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan Development Network. In 2017, the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan University renewed a memorandum of understanding, originally signed in 2006, to move forward their respective goals of increasing global engagement and promoting equitable human development for citizens around the world.
During the inauguration ceremony, the future site of a pavilion, named the Diwan, at the Aga Khan Garden was also dedicated. The Diwan will provide a much-needed indoor space at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden. The signature building will complement the beauty and function of the botanic garden and maximize opportunities for programs and events that will benefit the entire community.
A public celebration of the Aga Khan Garden will take place in 2019.
Tags:
Aga Khan,
Aga Khan Garden,
Islamic landscape architecture,
Nelson Byrd Woltz,
Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects,
University of Alberta
Popular Luminaria inspires ‘audible gasp’ among first-time attendees
A behind-the-scenes look at the seasonal light show at the U of A Botanic Garden.
The year Kerry Mulholland saw cars lined up for miles down highway 60 waiting to get into Luminaria, she realized the event had become a seasonal favourite for people from all over central Alberta.
The annual celebration of light at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden had grown so popular by 2013, selling advance tickets was the only solution to the overflow.
"It has proven to be the biggest event of the year for us,” said Mulholland, the garden’s marketing and communications co-ordinator.
About 10,000 people now attend the seasonal light show over three evenings, typically in early December.
A southern tradition for the North
Luminaria was first put on by Friends of the Garden, a volunteer organization, in 2000 and 2001 as part of celebrations to ring in the new millennium. Right off the mark it proved too popular for volunteers to run alone.
The light display consists of some 2,000 candles in paper lanterns lining the paths of the Kurimoto Japanese Garden and this year, for the first time, the new Aga Khan Garden, which contains lights in some of its structures, was also open for viewing.
"Around the world there are many festivals of light in the season of darkness,” said Mulholland. “Luminaria was inspired by those in the Southwestern states, such as New Mexico and Arizona.”
Doing it in the North, however, has a character all its own, she said.
"We set up candles in the cold and snow,” said special event co-ordinator Georgina Gull. “There have been some extreme challenges here and it adds a real beauty, and makes it even more special."
Also featured at Luminaria are ice sculptures, luminescent "snow sprites" played by drama students from John Maland High School in Devon, and strolling carol singers.
It takes 100 volunteers working weeks ahead to pull it all together.
"We start heading towards Luminaria in the fall,” said Bull. “It's a massive undertaking."
Each afternoon before the evening display, volunteers rush around lighting all 2,000 candles.
"The biggest thing is snow removal, and we also hold a work bee a couple of weeks before the event,” during which volunteers make lanterns for the candles, she said.
When the crowds show up, staff members take a moment to observe the reaction as first-time attendees pass through the entrance gates.
“There's a universal, audible gasp,” said Mulholland. “Photos just don’t do it justice.”
https://www.folio.ca/popular-luminaria- ... attendees/
A behind-the-scenes look at the seasonal light show at the U of A Botanic Garden.
The year Kerry Mulholland saw cars lined up for miles down highway 60 waiting to get into Luminaria, she realized the event had become a seasonal favourite for people from all over central Alberta.
The annual celebration of light at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden had grown so popular by 2013, selling advance tickets was the only solution to the overflow.
"It has proven to be the biggest event of the year for us,” said Mulholland, the garden’s marketing and communications co-ordinator.
About 10,000 people now attend the seasonal light show over three evenings, typically in early December.
A southern tradition for the North
Luminaria was first put on by Friends of the Garden, a volunteer organization, in 2000 and 2001 as part of celebrations to ring in the new millennium. Right off the mark it proved too popular for volunteers to run alone.
The light display consists of some 2,000 candles in paper lanterns lining the paths of the Kurimoto Japanese Garden and this year, for the first time, the new Aga Khan Garden, which contains lights in some of its structures, was also open for viewing.
"Around the world there are many festivals of light in the season of darkness,” said Mulholland. “Luminaria was inspired by those in the Southwestern states, such as New Mexico and Arizona.”
Doing it in the North, however, has a character all its own, she said.
"We set up candles in the cold and snow,” said special event co-ordinator Georgina Gull. “There have been some extreme challenges here and it adds a real beauty, and makes it even more special."
Also featured at Luminaria are ice sculptures, luminescent "snow sprites" played by drama students from John Maland High School in Devon, and strolling carol singers.
It takes 100 volunteers working weeks ahead to pull it all together.
"We start heading towards Luminaria in the fall,” said Bull. “It's a massive undertaking."
Each afternoon before the evening display, volunteers rush around lighting all 2,000 candles.
"The biggest thing is snow removal, and we also hold a work bee a couple of weeks before the event,” during which volunteers make lanterns for the candles, she said.
When the crowds show up, staff members take a moment to observe the reaction as first-time attendees pass through the entrance gates.
“There's a universal, audible gasp,” said Mulholland. “Photos just don’t do it justice.”
https://www.folio.ca/popular-luminaria- ... attendees/
https://www.architecturalrecord.com/art ... architects
Aga Khan Garden by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects
Edmonton, Alberta
The new Aga Khan Garden, near Edmonton, in the Canadian province of Alberta, is the largest garden in North America to interpret the landscape traditions of Islam. At a latitude above 53 degrees, it is also the world’s northernmost, translating the desert-based horticultural traditions of Islam for Alberta’s short summers and cold winters.
For centuries, gardens have symbolized a spiritual ideal in Muslim culture. They are places “where the human meets further proof of the divine,” the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, has said in speeches on the subject, “and where the ingenuity of humanity and the beauty of nature are productively connected.” Sponsored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, the 12-acre project within the University of Alberta Botanic Garden (UABG) is intended to foster intercultural dialogue and understanding.
“It was a tall order to imagine what a garden inspired by Islamic landscapes would look like in Alberta in the 21st century,” says Breck Gastinger, a senior associate at Nelson Byrd Woltz (NBW), the project’s New York– and Charlottesville, Virginia-based landscape architect. In a remarkable fusion, the design uses the formal structure of the Islamic garden as a frame for the Canadian parkland biome’s dramatic seasonal shifts. Drawing on the landscape firm’s award-winning research into historic precedents, the $19 million project comprises forest walks, a central court of granite and limestone terraces, a dozen pools and fountains that express the manifold nature of water, and an informal orchard of locally adapted trees, all linked by views across a naturalis tic wetland.
From the garden’s entry court, a woodland walkway makes a quiet beginning, passing a lozenge-shaped black granite pool that reflects the sky, and stands of wild roses, Alberta’s emblematic flower, that bloom among the trees. Emerging from the forest, the path climbs to a shaded terrace, or talar, that overlooks a four-part court, or chahar bagh, together forming the most structured and identifiably Islamic part of the garden. A limestone colonnade the length of the talar supports a series of orange tensile canopies, whose vibrant glow contrasts with the forest backdrop.
Water, precious in desert cultures (and increasingly so elsewhere), wells up out of a massive block of polished granite on the talar, seemingly the source for a waterfall and rippled chute that flow to the channels of the chahar bagh. In addition to the plays of texture, illumination, and pattern that celebrate water, the garden’s formal geometry seamlessly integrates a series of stepped and calibrated beds for wetland plant nurseries, seed production, and botanic research. Beyond, a restored wetland surrounded by fruit trees expresses the theme of stewardship.
At opposite corners of the chahar bagh—where the formal garden opens to paths encircling the pond—a rose garden and an “ice garden” symbolize the Alberta setting. The rose garden centers on a five-petaled fountain, with a paving pattern based on the rose’s fivefold symmetry. The ice garden’s paving pattern is based on sixfold symmetry, the structure of ice crystals and snowflakes, and includes openings for fog jets to mist the small space on summer days.
Throughout the garden, the use of precise geometry at multiple scales, from layout to detailing, refers to the mathematical order underlying nature. “Geometry is scaleless, both infinitely small and infinitely large,” says Gastinger, “so tapping into it offers a pathway to greater understanding of the natural world.” The design team wanted the garden’s Islamic sources to be legible, he says, “but we definitely wanted to avoid falling into the trap of pastiche.” Photography highlighting the project’s geometric motifs may give the impression that it teeters on the edge of that trap, but in person the experience of scale within the garden’s expanse creates a much more subtle effect.
The exception, arguably, is a series of decorative panels that form the court’s guardrails. A riff on jali window screens, which traditionally are carved from stone, the panels are executed in ultra-high-performance concrete. Seen in a desert or urban garden, their ornate tracery would have supplied a welcome layer of texture, play of light, intimacy of scale, and permeability to spaces beyond. Here, however, the filigreed curtain of woodland that surrounds the garden suggests a missed opportunity: a simpler, more contemporary panel design would have let the natural intricacy of the parkland forest shine.
Swaths of flowering annuals, climate-adapted perennials, and pollinator-friendly plants fill sunken gardens edging the chahar bagh’s quadrants. Historically, sunken gardens brought the scent and fruit of citrus trees to the visitor’s level, but here they set the flowers at a greater remove. At first this seems a puzzling choice—until you remember the garden’s primary goal is to create a public space for dialogue and understanding. The sunken beds support this goal by seeming to elevate the shared domain and make it more open.
The result is an elegant public forum where one can imagine—as the garden’s sponsor, host institution, and designers hoped—that local and global communities will gather in the presence of nature to advance their mutual understanding. In the Koran, the garden is a metaphor for paradise.
https://www.architecturalrecord.com/art ... architects
Aga Khan Garden by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects
Edmonton, Alberta
The new Aga Khan Garden, near Edmonton, in the Canadian province of Alberta, is the largest garden in North America to interpret the landscape traditions of Islam. At a latitude above 53 degrees, it is also the world’s northernmost, translating the desert-based horticultural traditions of Islam for Alberta’s short summers and cold winters.
For centuries, gardens have symbolized a spiritual ideal in Muslim culture. They are places “where the human meets further proof of the divine,” the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, has said in speeches on the subject, “and where the ingenuity of humanity and the beauty of nature are productively connected.” Sponsored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, the 12-acre project within the University of Alberta Botanic Garden (UABG) is intended to foster intercultural dialogue and understanding.
“It was a tall order to imagine what a garden inspired by Islamic landscapes would look like in Alberta in the 21st century,” says Breck Gastinger, a senior associate at Nelson Byrd Woltz (NBW), the project’s New York– and Charlottesville, Virginia-based landscape architect. In a remarkable fusion, the design uses the formal structure of the Islamic garden as a frame for the Canadian parkland biome’s dramatic seasonal shifts. Drawing on the landscape firm’s award-winning research into historic precedents, the $19 million project comprises forest walks, a central court of granite and limestone terraces, a dozen pools and fountains that express the manifold nature of water, and an informal orchard of locally adapted trees, all linked by views across a naturalis tic wetland.
From the garden’s entry court, a woodland walkway makes a quiet beginning, passing a lozenge-shaped black granite pool that reflects the sky, and stands of wild roses, Alberta’s emblematic flower, that bloom among the trees. Emerging from the forest, the path climbs to a shaded terrace, or talar, that overlooks a four-part court, or chahar bagh, together forming the most structured and identifiably Islamic part of the garden. A limestone colonnade the length of the talar supports a series of orange tensile canopies, whose vibrant glow contrasts with the forest backdrop.
Water, precious in desert cultures (and increasingly so elsewhere), wells up out of a massive block of polished granite on the talar, seemingly the source for a waterfall and rippled chute that flow to the channels of the chahar bagh. In addition to the plays of texture, illumination, and pattern that celebrate water, the garden’s formal geometry seamlessly integrates a series of stepped and calibrated beds for wetland plant nurseries, seed production, and botanic research. Beyond, a restored wetland surrounded by fruit trees expresses the theme of stewardship.
At opposite corners of the chahar bagh—where the formal garden opens to paths encircling the pond—a rose garden and an “ice garden” symbolize the Alberta setting. The rose garden centers on a five-petaled fountain, with a paving pattern based on the rose’s fivefold symmetry. The ice garden’s paving pattern is based on sixfold symmetry, the structure of ice crystals and snowflakes, and includes openings for fog jets to mist the small space on summer days.
Throughout the garden, the use of precise geometry at multiple scales, from layout to detailing, refers to the mathematical order underlying nature. “Geometry is scaleless, both infinitely small and infinitely large,” says Gastinger, “so tapping into it offers a pathway to greater understanding of the natural world.” The design team wanted the garden’s Islamic sources to be legible, he says, “but we definitely wanted to avoid falling into the trap of pastiche.” Photography highlighting the project’s geometric motifs may give the impression that it teeters on the edge of that trap, but in person the experience of scale within the garden’s expanse creates a much more subtle effect.
The exception, arguably, is a series of decorative panels that form the court’s guardrails. A riff on jali window screens, which traditionally are carved from stone, the panels are executed in ultra-high-performance concrete. Seen in a desert or urban garden, their ornate tracery would have supplied a welcome layer of texture, play of light, intimacy of scale, and permeability to spaces beyond. Here, however, the filigreed curtain of woodland that surrounds the garden suggests a missed opportunity: a simpler, more contemporary panel design would have let the natural intricacy of the parkland forest shine.
Swaths of flowering annuals, climate-adapted perennials, and pollinator-friendly plants fill sunken gardens edging the chahar bagh’s quadrants. Historically, sunken gardens brought the scent and fruit of citrus trees to the visitor’s level, but here they set the flowers at a greater remove. At first this seems a puzzling choice—until you remember the garden’s primary goal is to create a public space for dialogue and understanding. The sunken beds support this goal by seeming to elevate the shared domain and make it more open.
The result is an elegant public forum where one can imagine—as the garden’s sponsor, host institution, and designers hoped—that local and global communities will gather in the presence of nature to advance their mutual understanding. In the Koran, the garden is a metaphor for paradise.
https://www.architecturalrecord.com/art ... architects
https://canada.constructconnect.com/joc ... ry-council
Princess Patricia’s military memorial, Aga Khan garden, honoured by Alberta Masonry Council
Peter Caulfield July 31, 2020
Because the AMC presents its design awards every four years, the organization’s most recent honours were made in 2019. Two of the winners are the Griesbach Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Association (PPCLI) memorial (for artistic use of masonry) and the Aga Khan Garden at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden (award of merit).
The Griesbach (“Grease-bah”) memorial uses granite in a number of ways.
It has granite radius pieces for the stairs leading up to the memorial, granite paving at the top of the stairs around the memorial and radiused granite cladding and copings to the memorial.
The memorial also has 22 granite pedestals where brass battle honour ribbons can be installed, as well as two granite walls with brass plaques for each campaign the PPCLI fought in, and the names of the killed-in-action soldiers listed on the plaques.
On top of the memorial is a brass domed cap that includes the PPCLI logo.
The main central circular component of the memorial replicates the one in Frezenburg, France that marks Canada’s participation in the Second Battle of Ypres in the First World War.
The memorial was designed for the Canada Lands Group by the Edmonton office of IBI Group Inc.
It is located on a one-square mile urban infill development on a former army base in the north end of Edmonton.
“It was complicated work, because it’s a small-radius memorial,” said IBI director Mark Nolan. “To install the granite required a high level of precision.”
The total amount of granite used on the project was approximately 316 cubic feet or 57,000 lbs., says Jaret Jahner, project manager of Scorpio Masonry (Northern) Inc., the masonry and general contractor.
The project had a challenging schedule.
“We didn’t get started until early September and the project needed to be completed by Remembrance Day (November 11),” said Jahner. “And while we were working on it winter kept getting closer.
“The crew worked extended hours and on weekends. We finished just in time. Winter arrived early and it was a very cold Remembrance Day.”
The Aga Khan Garden, in Spruce Grove, AB, is a contemporary interpretation of the landscape traditions of Mughal India, adapted to the plants, climate and culture of Alberta.
The garden makes extensive use of Canadian masonry to create the garden beds, walks, terraces.
In addition to the extensive paving and walls, there are multiple garden features, fountains and stone elements.
The garden contains granite from Quebec and limestone from Ontario and Portugal.
The job had some logistical and weather-related challenges, says Jaret Jahner of Scorpio Masonry, which, like the PPCLI memorial, was the masonry contractor on this project.
“It was in a remote location, 25 minutes outside Edmonton city limits, with no overnight winter heater watch,” he said. “We had a harsh winter, with high winds and occasional heavy snowfall.”
Jahner says winter is not “the ideal season” to be doing flatwork (paving stones on a flat surface).
“In order to be efficient, we need large areas with long site lines, to ensure that everything lines up and ties together properly without any deviations,” he said. “In this type of flatwork paving, the untrained eye could easily pick out and notice any errors or flaws.”
The organization that made the design awards, the AMC, is a not-for-profit association that was founded in 2011 by the supplier and installer members of the Masonry Contractors Association of Alberta, to encourage the use of masonry in the province.
Masonry has played an important part in Alberta’s construction history, says
AMC director of marketing and communications Nicholle Miller.
“Most of Alberta’s original settlements were built from brick, which came from the brick factory in Medicine Hat,” she said. “Almost every settlement along the rail line has downtowns built of brick.”
In addition, Calgary’s oldest building stock is clad with the sandstone that is local to the area.
“The limestone cladding is due to a fire that broke out in 1886 and burned down 18 buildings in the downtown,” said Miller. “The city then passed an ordinance requiring the downtown to be built with only non-combustible structures.”
In the present day, locally produced concrete brick and pavers are becoming more popular.
“Masonry pavers contribute to storm water management and are even becoming mandated in some municipalities in Canada,” she said.
There are also hempcrete block producers starting to appear in Alberta.
“Although they are not yet at the structural stage, they are optimistic the technology will enter Alberta and will soon be used for cladding and structural purposes,” Miller said.
Princess Patricia’s military memorial, Aga Khan garden, honoured by Alberta Masonry Council
Peter Caulfield July 31, 2020
Because the AMC presents its design awards every four years, the organization’s most recent honours were made in 2019. Two of the winners are the Griesbach Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Association (PPCLI) memorial (for artistic use of masonry) and the Aga Khan Garden at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden (award of merit).
The Griesbach (“Grease-bah”) memorial uses granite in a number of ways.
It has granite radius pieces for the stairs leading up to the memorial, granite paving at the top of the stairs around the memorial and radiused granite cladding and copings to the memorial.
The memorial also has 22 granite pedestals where brass battle honour ribbons can be installed, as well as two granite walls with brass plaques for each campaign the PPCLI fought in, and the names of the killed-in-action soldiers listed on the plaques.
On top of the memorial is a brass domed cap that includes the PPCLI logo.
The main central circular component of the memorial replicates the one in Frezenburg, France that marks Canada’s participation in the Second Battle of Ypres in the First World War.
The memorial was designed for the Canada Lands Group by the Edmonton office of IBI Group Inc.
It is located on a one-square mile urban infill development on a former army base in the north end of Edmonton.
“It was complicated work, because it’s a small-radius memorial,” said IBI director Mark Nolan. “To install the granite required a high level of precision.”
The total amount of granite used on the project was approximately 316 cubic feet or 57,000 lbs., says Jaret Jahner, project manager of Scorpio Masonry (Northern) Inc., the masonry and general contractor.
The project had a challenging schedule.
“We didn’t get started until early September and the project needed to be completed by Remembrance Day (November 11),” said Jahner. “And while we were working on it winter kept getting closer.
“The crew worked extended hours and on weekends. We finished just in time. Winter arrived early and it was a very cold Remembrance Day.”
The Aga Khan Garden, in Spruce Grove, AB, is a contemporary interpretation of the landscape traditions of Mughal India, adapted to the plants, climate and culture of Alberta.
The garden makes extensive use of Canadian masonry to create the garden beds, walks, terraces.
In addition to the extensive paving and walls, there are multiple garden features, fountains and stone elements.
The garden contains granite from Quebec and limestone from Ontario and Portugal.
The job had some logistical and weather-related challenges, says Jaret Jahner of Scorpio Masonry, which, like the PPCLI memorial, was the masonry contractor on this project.
“It was in a remote location, 25 minutes outside Edmonton city limits, with no overnight winter heater watch,” he said. “We had a harsh winter, with high winds and occasional heavy snowfall.”
Jahner says winter is not “the ideal season” to be doing flatwork (paving stones on a flat surface).
“In order to be efficient, we need large areas with long site lines, to ensure that everything lines up and ties together properly without any deviations,” he said. “In this type of flatwork paving, the untrained eye could easily pick out and notice any errors or flaws.”
The organization that made the design awards, the AMC, is a not-for-profit association that was founded in 2011 by the supplier and installer members of the Masonry Contractors Association of Alberta, to encourage the use of masonry in the province.
Masonry has played an important part in Alberta’s construction history, says
AMC director of marketing and communications Nicholle Miller.
“Most of Alberta’s original settlements were built from brick, which came from the brick factory in Medicine Hat,” she said. “Almost every settlement along the rail line has downtowns built of brick.”
In addition, Calgary’s oldest building stock is clad with the sandstone that is local to the area.
“The limestone cladding is due to a fire that broke out in 1886 and burned down 18 buildings in the downtown,” said Miller. “The city then passed an ordinance requiring the downtown to be built with only non-combustible structures.”
In the present day, locally produced concrete brick and pavers are becoming more popular.
“Masonry pavers contribute to storm water management and are even becoming mandated in some municipalities in Canada,” she said.
There are also hempcrete block producers starting to appear in Alberta.
“Although they are not yet at the structural stage, they are optimistic the technology will enter Alberta and will soon be used for cladding and structural purposes,” Miller said.
Re: Aga Khan Garden, Alberta (AKGA) Diwan opening
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/inspirat ... 00909.html
Inspirational Global Architecture at the Aga Khan Garden
Wed, September 28, 2022 at 12:32 PM·3 min read
Inauguration of Diwan Pavilion completes the northernmost Islamic garden in the world
EDMONTON, AB, Sept. 28, 2022 /CNW/ - The University of Alberta today is inaugurating the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden, Alberta, part of the University's Botanic Garden in Edmonton.
Presiding over the ceremony will be Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, University of Alberta President Bill Flanagan and Princess Zahra Aga Khan, on behalf of her father, His Highness the Aga Khan.
The completion of the project marks another landmark in a history of shared partnership between the Ismaili community and the university, during a milestone year celebrating 50 years of Ismaili history in Canada.
The Aga Khan Garden was inaugurated in 2018 in the presence of His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. It symbolizes the hope, peace and unity that come when people interact with each other amidst the beauty and inspiration of nature. The Diwan pavilion was part of the original vision for the garden to ensure it could be used year-round.
"Here at the Aga Khan Garden, His Highness wanted to showcase the environmental ethic in Islam through its emphasis on human stewardship, on our responsibility to nature and the protection of the natural world, the power and mystery of nature, and that we should strive for beauty in our imperfection," said Luis Monreal, general manager of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
"The Diwan is a beautiful community space, designed for education and cultural understanding. Its opening is particularly momentous as we celebrate 50 years of Ismaili history in Canada," said Bill Flanagan, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Alberta. "I am thankful for the special relationship between our communities and our mutual commitment to create spaces where different perspectives are embraced for the benefit of all."
The project was a collaboration of three firms: design architect AXIA Design Associates, architect-of-record Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd., and interiors by Arriz and Co.
SOURCE Ismaili Council for Canada
Inspirational Global Architecture at the Aga Khan Garden
Wed, September 28, 2022 at 12:32 PM·3 min read
Inauguration of Diwan Pavilion completes the northernmost Islamic garden in the world
EDMONTON, AB, Sept. 28, 2022 /CNW/ - The University of Alberta today is inaugurating the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden, Alberta, part of the University's Botanic Garden in Edmonton.
Presiding over the ceremony will be Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, University of Alberta President Bill Flanagan and Princess Zahra Aga Khan, on behalf of her father, His Highness the Aga Khan.
The completion of the project marks another landmark in a history of shared partnership between the Ismaili community and the university, during a milestone year celebrating 50 years of Ismaili history in Canada.
The Aga Khan Garden was inaugurated in 2018 in the presence of His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. It symbolizes the hope, peace and unity that come when people interact with each other amidst the beauty and inspiration of nature. The Diwan pavilion was part of the original vision for the garden to ensure it could be used year-round.
"Here at the Aga Khan Garden, His Highness wanted to showcase the environmental ethic in Islam through its emphasis on human stewardship, on our responsibility to nature and the protection of the natural world, the power and mystery of nature, and that we should strive for beauty in our imperfection," said Luis Monreal, general manager of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
"The Diwan is a beautiful community space, designed for education and cultural understanding. Its opening is particularly momentous as we celebrate 50 years of Ismaili history in Canada," said Bill Flanagan, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Alberta. "I am thankful for the special relationship between our communities and our mutual commitment to create spaces where different perspectives are embraced for the benefit of all."
The project was a collaboration of three firms: design architect AXIA Design Associates, architect-of-record Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd., and interiors by Arriz and Co.
SOURCE Ismaili Council for Canada
-
mahebubchatur
- Posts: 734
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:01 pm
Re: Aga Khan Garden, Alberta (AKGA)
University of Alberta Botanic Garden on Wednesday September 28, 2022, where Princess Zahra Aga Khan inaugurated the Diwan Pavilion in the Aga Khan Garden.
The word Diwan originates from the Fatimid era when Ismaili Imams ruled over the empire - more https://twitter.com/chaturmahebub/statu ... OEKovQ4MCg
Credit - Edmonton Journal
#AgaKhanGarden #AgaKhan #Ismaili #OneJamat
The word Diwan originates from the Fatimid era when Ismaili Imams ruled over the empire - more https://twitter.com/chaturmahebub/statu ... OEKovQ4MCg
Credit - Edmonton Journal
#AgaKhanGarden #AgaKhan #Ismaili #OneJamat
- Attachments
-
- 5E3C4243-81FF-45AE-AA78-CCB5961C31B1.jpeg (175.88 KiB) Viewed 10531 times
-
- F1E2816A-BEBF-4243-9DB2-6FDAAFD9DAB2.jpeg (219.88 KiB) Viewed 10531 times
-
- 32A6AD27-5A6C-4117-B1CD-30A598BA44E7.jpeg (215.48 KiB) Viewed 10531 times
-
mahebubchatur
- Posts: 734
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:01 pm
Diwan of the Pavilion Aga Khan Garden, Alberta (AKGA)
Link to Video https://youtu.be/U7S3I2koz-A
The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, gifted the $25-million garden to the University of Alberta and it opened four years ago in the U of A Botanic Garden southwest of Edmonton. The design also includes the Diwan, or pavilion, which was just recently finished, adding indoor gathering space. Additional donors funded construction of the Diwan to the tune of $5.5 million.
https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local- ... -in-canada
The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, gifted the $25-million garden to the University of Alberta and it opened four years ago in the U of A Botanic Garden southwest of Edmonton. The design also includes the Diwan, or pavilion, which was just recently finished, adding indoor gathering space. Additional donors funded construction of the Diwan to the tune of $5.5 million.
https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local- ... -in-canada
Re: Aga Khan Garden, Alberta (AKGA) - Diwan opening
https://calgarysun.com/news/local-news/ ... 2b7d41dc2d
New pavilion completes Aga Khan Garden as Ismaili Muslims mark 50 years in Canada
Author of the article: Madeline Smith
Publishing date: Sep 29, 2022
Princess Zahra Aga Khan (middle), Alberta Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani (left) and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney arrive at the university of Alberta Botanic Garden on Wednesday September 28, 2022, where the princess inaugurated the Diwan Pavilion in the Aga Khan Garden. Photo by Larry Wong - Postmedia Photo by LARRY WONG /Postmedia
As Alberta’s Ismaili Muslim community commemorates five decades of history in Canada, many gathered at a ceremony Wednesday unveiling the final piece of the Aga Khan Garden.
The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, gifted the $25-million garden to the University of Alberta and it opened four years ago in the U of A Botanic Garden southwest of Edmonton. The design also includes the Diwan, or pavilion, which was just recently finished, adding indoor gathering space. Additional donors funded construction of the Diwan to the tune of $5.5 million.
Officials inaugurated the building Wednesday, with the Aga Khan’s daughter Princess Zahra Aga Khan in attendance as part of a series of stops the family is making to mark 50 years since an influx of Ismaili Muslims from Uganda arrived in Canada.
At the time, dictator Idi Amin expelled tens of thousands of Ugandans of South Asian descent from the country. After the Aga Khan asked then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau for help, more than 6,000 refugees were welcomed to Canada.
On Wednesday, the Aga Khan’s daughter was received by Premier Jason Kenney and Alberta Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani, who herself was left a stateless person after her family was forced from their home in Kampala, Uganda.
Aga Khan Development Network representative Mahmoud Eboo said the events are about expressing gratitude to Canada, while also showcasing the accomplishments of the Ismaili Muslim community and what’s still to come.
“This was a country that in a moment of crisis, a moment of desperation, with open arms unconditionally said, ‘We will take you,’ ” he said.
“To actually have a country say, ‘Come here, this will never happen to you again,’ is life-transforming.”
Eboo said local leaders have also expressed a desire to thank them, in return.
Kenney also reflected on how those who arrived 50 years ago, and the generations after them, have contributed to Canada in return.
“Many, having lost everything in East Africa, coming here having experienced the scars, physical and psychological, of trauma, but who followed the guidance of (the Aga Khan) and his grandfather in being very intentional about becoming Canadians and finding ways to give back,” he said.
“And boy has this community given back again, and again, and again.”
The new pavilion makes it possible to host events in the Aga Khan Garden year-round, with the addition of indoor space and a rooftop terrace where people can take in the garden design. Because the university also rents out the building for functions, it’s also a source of income for the school.
Three firms collaborated to design the building. Architect Taymoore Balbaa said the space is meant to be flexible, but detailed in a way that ties it to the surrounding landscape.
Designer Arriz Hassam said the building has to be integrated into the surrounding modern Islamic garden.
“The whole idea is that it resonates with what was already envisioned in the garden,” he said.
“Part of the mandate is the idea of inclusivity … the idea of a cultural meeting place, to engage and interact with different ideas.”
[email protected]
@meksmith
As Alberta’s Ismaili Muslim community commemorates five decades of history in Canada, many gathered at a ceremony Wednesday unveiling the final piece of the Aga Khan Garden.
New pavilion completes Aga Khan Garden as Ismaili Muslims mark 50 years in Canada
Author of the article: Madeline Smith
Publishing date: Sep 29, 2022
Princess Zahra Aga Khan (middle), Alberta Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani (left) and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney arrive at the university of Alberta Botanic Garden on Wednesday September 28, 2022, where the princess inaugurated the Diwan Pavilion in the Aga Khan Garden. Photo by Larry Wong - Postmedia Photo by LARRY WONG /Postmedia
As Alberta’s Ismaili Muslim community commemorates five decades of history in Canada, many gathered at a ceremony Wednesday unveiling the final piece of the Aga Khan Garden.
The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, gifted the $25-million garden to the University of Alberta and it opened four years ago in the U of A Botanic Garden southwest of Edmonton. The design also includes the Diwan, or pavilion, which was just recently finished, adding indoor gathering space. Additional donors funded construction of the Diwan to the tune of $5.5 million.
Officials inaugurated the building Wednesday, with the Aga Khan’s daughter Princess Zahra Aga Khan in attendance as part of a series of stops the family is making to mark 50 years since an influx of Ismaili Muslims from Uganda arrived in Canada.
At the time, dictator Idi Amin expelled tens of thousands of Ugandans of South Asian descent from the country. After the Aga Khan asked then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau for help, more than 6,000 refugees were welcomed to Canada.
On Wednesday, the Aga Khan’s daughter was received by Premier Jason Kenney and Alberta Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani, who herself was left a stateless person after her family was forced from their home in Kampala, Uganda.
Aga Khan Development Network representative Mahmoud Eboo said the events are about expressing gratitude to Canada, while also showcasing the accomplishments of the Ismaili Muslim community and what’s still to come.
“This was a country that in a moment of crisis, a moment of desperation, with open arms unconditionally said, ‘We will take you,’ ” he said.
“To actually have a country say, ‘Come here, this will never happen to you again,’ is life-transforming.”
Eboo said local leaders have also expressed a desire to thank them, in return.
Kenney also reflected on how those who arrived 50 years ago, and the generations after them, have contributed to Canada in return.
“Many, having lost everything in East Africa, coming here having experienced the scars, physical and psychological, of trauma, but who followed the guidance of (the Aga Khan) and his grandfather in being very intentional about becoming Canadians and finding ways to give back,” he said.
“And boy has this community given back again, and again, and again.”
The new pavilion makes it possible to host events in the Aga Khan Garden year-round, with the addition of indoor space and a rooftop terrace where people can take in the garden design. Because the university also rents out the building for functions, it’s also a source of income for the school.
Three firms collaborated to design the building. Architect Taymoore Balbaa said the space is meant to be flexible, but detailed in a way that ties it to the surrounding landscape.
Designer Arriz Hassam said the building has to be integrated into the surrounding modern Islamic garden.
“The whole idea is that it resonates with what was already envisioned in the garden,” he said.
“Part of the mandate is the idea of inclusivity … the idea of a cultural meeting place, to engage and interact with different ideas.”
[email protected]
@meksmith
As Alberta’s Ismaili Muslim community commemorates five decades of history in Canada, many gathered at a ceremony Wednesday unveiling the final piece of the Aga Khan Garden.
Re: Aga Khan Garden, Alberta (AKGA)
Princess Zahra (really the Radiant!) at the Aga Khan Garden in Edmonton on 28 September 2022.
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/U7S3I2koz-A
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/U7S3I2koz-A
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/U7S3I2koz-A
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/U7S3I2koz-A
Re: Aga Khan Garden, Alberta (AKGA)
https://the.ismaili/global/news/imamat- ... ons-canada
The celebrations of 50 years of the Ismaili community’s significant presence in Canada continued today in the city of Edmonton, with a luncheon at Government House attended by Princess Zahra and Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Salma Lakhani, followed by the formal opening of the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden.
PHOTO BELOW TEXT:
Princess Zahra addresses guests gathered for a luncheon to celebrate 50 years of the Jamat's significant presence in Canada, hosted at Government House in Edmonton. Photo: IPL / Ashraf Rajabali
Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney welcomed guests to the event at Government House and paid tribute to Mawlana Hazar Imam’s contributions to Canada in general and the province of Alberta in particular.
He also presented Princess Zahra with a Government Proclamation acknowledging 50 years of the Jamat’s significant presence in Alberta and Canada, and stated in his remarks that Canada has “benefitted incalculably from the contributions of the Ismaili community over these past five decades.”
Princess Zahra thanked the Province of Alberta for their partnership and support of the Ismaili community and Imamat institutions over the course of many years.
As far back as the 1980s, Alberta Aid supported education, health, and rural development initiatives of the Aga Khan Foundation, and in 2012, Alberta became the first province in Canada to sign an Agreement of Cooperation with the Ismaili Imamat.
“It is a privilege to be here with you today, and to express, on behalf of His Highness and the Ismaili community around the world, our gratitude for our permanent friendship,” said Princess Zahra. “Thank you Alberta, and thank you Canada, for creating such fertile ground for improving quality of life, not just for the Ismaili community, but for all peoples, regardless of their history, origin, or story,” she added.
A notable guest of honour at the luncheon was Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani, a member of the Jamat from Edmonton, and a tireless champion of civic engagement. Ms Lakhani is the first-ever Muslim to hold the position of Lieutenant Governor in Canada.
She spoke of the experience of moving to Canada as a child and living within its enabling environment. “Most of us have felt surrounded by the open arms and generosity of spirit, and resources of countless individuals in Canada who have supported us in our aspirations and reached out to us during our challenging times.” she said, before adding, “Just as today we feel a duty, as not so new Canadians, to reach out to others.”
Later in the day, the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden was inaugurated at the University of Alberta’s Botanic Gardens in Edmonton. Presiding over the ceremony were Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, University of Alberta President Bill Flanagan, and Princess Zahra, on behalf of Mawlana Hazar Imam.
The Diwan was part of the original vision for the Garden to ensure it could be utilised all year round, not least during Alberta’s cold winters. It provides a space to allow for conversations, events, collaboration, and celebration, as well as reflection on the beauty and mystery of nature.
In his remarks to guests, Luis Monreal, General Manager of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, spoke of Hazar Imam’s aspiration to showcase, by way of the Garden, the environmental ethic in Islam through its emphasis on human stewardship and our responsibility to protect the natural world.
“It is a gift of His Highness the Aga Khan to Alberta,” said Premier Kenney “and we can see in it his remarkable care, his aesthetic sense, his spiritual sense.”
Premier Kenney also shed light on some of the principles that the Garden can teach. “People,” he said, “can bring their families and have a moment of spiritual restoration, of contemplation of beauty, of quiet, of communing with nature, of seeing the best of the spiritual idea of humankind in harmony with nature.”
The Aga Khan Garden was inaugurated in the presence of Mawlana Hazar Imam in 2018. It symbolises the hope, peace, and unity that comes when people interact with each other amidst the beauty and inspiration of nature. The Garden was a gift from Hazar Imam to the University of Alberta in honour of its long-standing partnership with the Aga Khan University and broader Aga Khan Development Network.
The celebrations of 50 years of the Ismaili community’s significant presence in Canada continued today in the city of Edmonton, with a luncheon at Government House attended by Princess Zahra and Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Salma Lakhani, followed by the formal opening of the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden.
PHOTO BELOW TEXT:
Princess Zahra addresses guests gathered for a luncheon to celebrate 50 years of the Jamat's significant presence in Canada, hosted at Government House in Edmonton. Photo: IPL / Ashraf Rajabali
Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney welcomed guests to the event at Government House and paid tribute to Mawlana Hazar Imam’s contributions to Canada in general and the province of Alberta in particular.
He also presented Princess Zahra with a Government Proclamation acknowledging 50 years of the Jamat’s significant presence in Alberta and Canada, and stated in his remarks that Canada has “benefitted incalculably from the contributions of the Ismaili community over these past five decades.”
Princess Zahra thanked the Province of Alberta for their partnership and support of the Ismaili community and Imamat institutions over the course of many years.
As far back as the 1980s, Alberta Aid supported education, health, and rural development initiatives of the Aga Khan Foundation, and in 2012, Alberta became the first province in Canada to sign an Agreement of Cooperation with the Ismaili Imamat.
“It is a privilege to be here with you today, and to express, on behalf of His Highness and the Ismaili community around the world, our gratitude for our permanent friendship,” said Princess Zahra. “Thank you Alberta, and thank you Canada, for creating such fertile ground for improving quality of life, not just for the Ismaili community, but for all peoples, regardless of their history, origin, or story,” she added.
A notable guest of honour at the luncheon was Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani, a member of the Jamat from Edmonton, and a tireless champion of civic engagement. Ms Lakhani is the first-ever Muslim to hold the position of Lieutenant Governor in Canada.
She spoke of the experience of moving to Canada as a child and living within its enabling environment. “Most of us have felt surrounded by the open arms and generosity of spirit, and resources of countless individuals in Canada who have supported us in our aspirations and reached out to us during our challenging times.” she said, before adding, “Just as today we feel a duty, as not so new Canadians, to reach out to others.”
Later in the day, the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden was inaugurated at the University of Alberta’s Botanic Gardens in Edmonton. Presiding over the ceremony were Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, University of Alberta President Bill Flanagan, and Princess Zahra, on behalf of Mawlana Hazar Imam.
The Diwan was part of the original vision for the Garden to ensure it could be utilised all year round, not least during Alberta’s cold winters. It provides a space to allow for conversations, events, collaboration, and celebration, as well as reflection on the beauty and mystery of nature.
In his remarks to guests, Luis Monreal, General Manager of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, spoke of Hazar Imam’s aspiration to showcase, by way of the Garden, the environmental ethic in Islam through its emphasis on human stewardship and our responsibility to protect the natural world.
“It is a gift of His Highness the Aga Khan to Alberta,” said Premier Kenney “and we can see in it his remarkable care, his aesthetic sense, his spiritual sense.”
Premier Kenney also shed light on some of the principles that the Garden can teach. “People,” he said, “can bring their families and have a moment of spiritual restoration, of contemplation of beauty, of quiet, of communing with nature, of seeing the best of the spiritual idea of humankind in harmony with nature.”
The Aga Khan Garden was inaugurated in the presence of Mawlana Hazar Imam in 2018. It symbolises the hope, peace, and unity that comes when people interact with each other amidst the beauty and inspiration of nature. The Garden was a gift from Hazar Imam to the University of Alberta in honour of its long-standing partnership with the Aga Khan University and broader Aga Khan Development Network.
Alberta honours Ismaili community’s contributions to Canada
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/global/news/imamat- ... ons-canada
The celebrations of 50 years of the Ismaili community’s significant presence in Canada continued today in the city of Edmonton, with a luncheon at Government House attended by Princess Zahra and Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Salma Lakhani, followed by the formal opening of the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden.
Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney welcomed guests to the event at Government House and paid tribute to Mawlana Hazar Imam’s contributions to Canada in general and the province of Alberta in particular.
He also presented Princess Zahra with a Government Proclamation acknowledging 50 years of the Jamat’s significant presence in Alberta and Canada, and stated in his remarks that Canada has “benefitted incalculably from the contributions of the Ismaili community over these past five decades.”
Princess Zahra thanked the Province of Alberta for their partnership and support of the Ismaili community and Imamat institutions over the course of many years.
As far back as the 1980s, Alberta Aid supported education, health, and rural development initiatives of the Aga Khan Foundation, and in 2012, Alberta became the first province in Canada to sign an Agreement of Cooperation with the Ismaili Imamat.
“It is a privilege to be here with you today, and to express, on behalf of His Highness and the Ismaili community around the world, our gratitude for our permanent friendship,” said Princess Zahra. “Thank you Alberta, and thank you Canada, for creating such fertile ground for improving quality of life, not just for the Ismaili community, but for all peoples, regardless of their history, origin, or story,” she added.
A notable guest of honour at the luncheon was Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani, a member of the Jamat from Edmonton, and a tireless champion of civic engagement. Ms Lakhani is the first-ever Muslim to hold the position of Lieutenant Governor in Canada.
She spoke of the experience of moving to Canada as a child and living within its enabling environment. “Most of us have felt surrounded by the open arms and generosity of spirit, and resources of countless individuals in Canada who have supported us in our aspirations and reached out to us during our challenging times.” she said, before adding, “Just as today we feel a duty, as not so new Canadians, to reach out to others.”
Later in the day, the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden was inaugurated at the University of Alberta’s Botanic Gardens in Edmonton. Presiding over the ceremony were Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, University of Alberta President Bill Flanagan, and Princess Zahra, on behalf of Mawlana Hazar Imam.
The Diwan was part of the original vision for the Garden to ensure it could be utilised all year round, not least during Alberta’s cold winters. It provides a space to allow for conversations, events, collaboration, and celebration, as well as reflection on the beauty and mystery of nature.
In his remarks to guests, Luis Monreal, General Manager of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, spoke of Hazar Imam’s aspiration to showcase, by way of the Garden, the environmental ethic in Islam through its emphasis on human stewardship and our responsibility to protect the natural world.
“It is a gift of His Highness the Aga Khan to Alberta,” said Premier Kenney “and we can see in it his remarkable care, his aesthetic sense, his spiritual sense.”
Premier Kenney also shed light on some of the principles that the Garden can teach. “People,” he said, “can bring their families and have a moment of spiritual restoration, of contemplation of beauty, of quiet, of communing with nature, of seeing the best of the spiritual idea of humankind in harmony with nature.”
The Aga Khan Garden was inaugurated in the presence of Mawlana Hazar Imam in 2018. It symbolises the hope, peace, and unity that comes when people interact with each other amidst the beauty and inspiration of nature. The Garden was a gift from Hazar Imam to the University of Alberta in honour of its long-standing partnership with the Aga Khan University and broader Aga Khan Development Network.
https://the.ismaili/global/news/imamat- ... ons-canada
https://the.ismaili/global/news/imamat- ... ons-canada
The celebrations of 50 years of the Ismaili community’s significant presence in Canada continued today in the city of Edmonton, with a luncheon at Government House attended by Princess Zahra and Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Salma Lakhani, followed by the formal opening of the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden.
Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney welcomed guests to the event at Government House and paid tribute to Mawlana Hazar Imam’s contributions to Canada in general and the province of Alberta in particular.
He also presented Princess Zahra with a Government Proclamation acknowledging 50 years of the Jamat’s significant presence in Alberta and Canada, and stated in his remarks that Canada has “benefitted incalculably from the contributions of the Ismaili community over these past five decades.”
Princess Zahra thanked the Province of Alberta for their partnership and support of the Ismaili community and Imamat institutions over the course of many years.
As far back as the 1980s, Alberta Aid supported education, health, and rural development initiatives of the Aga Khan Foundation, and in 2012, Alberta became the first province in Canada to sign an Agreement of Cooperation with the Ismaili Imamat.
“It is a privilege to be here with you today, and to express, on behalf of His Highness and the Ismaili community around the world, our gratitude for our permanent friendship,” said Princess Zahra. “Thank you Alberta, and thank you Canada, for creating such fertile ground for improving quality of life, not just for the Ismaili community, but for all peoples, regardless of their history, origin, or story,” she added.
A notable guest of honour at the luncheon was Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani, a member of the Jamat from Edmonton, and a tireless champion of civic engagement. Ms Lakhani is the first-ever Muslim to hold the position of Lieutenant Governor in Canada.
She spoke of the experience of moving to Canada as a child and living within its enabling environment. “Most of us have felt surrounded by the open arms and generosity of spirit, and resources of countless individuals in Canada who have supported us in our aspirations and reached out to us during our challenging times.” she said, before adding, “Just as today we feel a duty, as not so new Canadians, to reach out to others.”
Later in the day, the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden was inaugurated at the University of Alberta’s Botanic Gardens in Edmonton. Presiding over the ceremony were Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, University of Alberta President Bill Flanagan, and Princess Zahra, on behalf of Mawlana Hazar Imam.
The Diwan was part of the original vision for the Garden to ensure it could be utilised all year round, not least during Alberta’s cold winters. It provides a space to allow for conversations, events, collaboration, and celebration, as well as reflection on the beauty and mystery of nature.
In his remarks to guests, Luis Monreal, General Manager of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, spoke of Hazar Imam’s aspiration to showcase, by way of the Garden, the environmental ethic in Islam through its emphasis on human stewardship and our responsibility to protect the natural world.
“It is a gift of His Highness the Aga Khan to Alberta,” said Premier Kenney “and we can see in it his remarkable care, his aesthetic sense, his spiritual sense.”
Premier Kenney also shed light on some of the principles that the Garden can teach. “People,” he said, “can bring their families and have a moment of spiritual restoration, of contemplation of beauty, of quiet, of communing with nature, of seeing the best of the spiritual idea of humankind in harmony with nature.”
The Aga Khan Garden was inaugurated in the presence of Mawlana Hazar Imam in 2018. It symbolises the hope, peace, and unity that comes when people interact with each other amidst the beauty and inspiration of nature. The Garden was a gift from Hazar Imam to the University of Alberta in honour of its long-standing partnership with the Aga Khan University and broader Aga Khan Development Network.
https://the.ismaili/global/news/imamat- ... ons-canada
Diwan Pavilion officially opens at Aga Khan Garden (AKGA)
https://www.ualberta.ca/folio/2022/09/a ... opens.html
A vision achieved: new Diwan Pavilion officially opens at Aga Khan Garden
Inauguration of inspiring community space marks completion of a cultural and architectural masterpiece designed to foster understanding.
September 29, 2022 By Bev Betkowski
Princess Zahra Aga Khan (second right), Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani (left), U of A president Bill Flanagan and Premier Jason Kenney inaugurate the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden on Sept. 28. (Photo: Alex Pugliese)
The Diwan Pavilion, a majestic new community space, was officially opened at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden this week.
The elegant limestone structure, designed to foster understanding among people of different cultures, is the newest addition to the Aga Khan Garden, a cultural and architectural masterpiece and the world's northernmost Islamic-inspired garden.
The Diwan Pavilion was celebrated in an inauguration ceremony Sept. 28, attended by Princess Zahra Aga Khan on behalf of her father, His Highness the Aga Khan. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani and U of A president Bill Flanagan were also in attendance.
Designed to be a warm, welcoming gathering place, the Diwan Pavilion is an integral part of the Aga Khan Garden, which opened in 2018 as a gift from the Aga Khan, the 49th hereditary imam of the world's 15 million Shia Ismaili Muslims.
The indoor pavilion will be a key focal point for visitor interaction, a place where cultural understanding is fostered, promoting pluralism, openness and inclusion. Its creation fulfils the Aga Khan’s vision for the garden to ensure it could be used year-round, noted Luis Monreal, general manager of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
“The garden is a symbol of the broader partnership the Aga Khan Development Network shares with the University of Alberta, and one that I hope will continue to grow and mature, much like the Aga Khan Garden,” Monreal said.
The horizontal two-storey facility reflects a rich heritage of Islamic design and architecture, with space for cultural programming such as concerts, lectures, retreats, exhibits and community events. Illuminated with a lantern-like light in the evenings, it features a rooftop balcony affording panoramic views of the surrounding gardens.
The Aga Khan Garden itself, housed within the U of A Botanic Garden, was created to symbolize the hope, peace and unity that come when people interact with each other while enjoying the beauty and inspiration of nature.
Located 15 minutes southwest of Edmonton, the geometrically designed 4.8 hectare Aga Khan Garden is a modern interpretation of traditional Mughal architecture. Designed as a unique space for contemplation and education, its features include forest paths, wide-stepped terraces, granite and limestone walls and paving stones, 12 water features and an outdoor amphitheatre.
Premier Kenney said the garden is “a gift of His Highness the Aga Khan to Alberta. People can bring their families and have a moment of spiritual restoration, of contemplation of beauty, of quiet, of communing with nature, of seeing the best of the spiritual idea of humankind in harmony with nature.”
The completion of the project is another landmark in a history of shared partnership between the Ismaili community and the U of A.
“The Diwan is a beautiful community space, designed for education and cultural understanding. Its opening is particularly momentous as we celebrate 50 years of Ismaili history in Canada,” said U of A president Bill Flanagan. “I am thankful for the special relationship between our communities and our mutual commitment to create spaces where different perspectives are embraced for the benefit of all."
Made possible by $5.5 million from generous donors across Edmonton, Alberta and Canada, the project was a collaboration of design architect AXIA Design Associates, architect-of-record Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd., and interiors by Arriz and Co. Construction began on the Diwan Pavilion in early 2021 and was completed this summer.
“On this special occasion, His Highness the Aga Khan has asked that I convey his heartfelt gratitude and sincere appreciation for the contributions of the donors, and the work of the various individuals and teams who have brought this project to fruition,” Monreal said.
The Diwan Pavilion is available for bookings.
A vision achieved: new Diwan Pavilion officially opens at Aga Khan Garden
Inauguration of inspiring community space marks completion of a cultural and architectural masterpiece designed to foster understanding.
September 29, 2022 By Bev Betkowski
Princess Zahra Aga Khan (second right), Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani (left), U of A president Bill Flanagan and Premier Jason Kenney inaugurate the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden on Sept. 28. (Photo: Alex Pugliese)
The Diwan Pavilion, a majestic new community space, was officially opened at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden this week.
The elegant limestone structure, designed to foster understanding among people of different cultures, is the newest addition to the Aga Khan Garden, a cultural and architectural masterpiece and the world's northernmost Islamic-inspired garden.
The Diwan Pavilion was celebrated in an inauguration ceremony Sept. 28, attended by Princess Zahra Aga Khan on behalf of her father, His Highness the Aga Khan. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani and U of A president Bill Flanagan were also in attendance.
Designed to be a warm, welcoming gathering place, the Diwan Pavilion is an integral part of the Aga Khan Garden, which opened in 2018 as a gift from the Aga Khan, the 49th hereditary imam of the world's 15 million Shia Ismaili Muslims.
The indoor pavilion will be a key focal point for visitor interaction, a place where cultural understanding is fostered, promoting pluralism, openness and inclusion. Its creation fulfils the Aga Khan’s vision for the garden to ensure it could be used year-round, noted Luis Monreal, general manager of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
“The garden is a symbol of the broader partnership the Aga Khan Development Network shares with the University of Alberta, and one that I hope will continue to grow and mature, much like the Aga Khan Garden,” Monreal said.
The horizontal two-storey facility reflects a rich heritage of Islamic design and architecture, with space for cultural programming such as concerts, lectures, retreats, exhibits and community events. Illuminated with a lantern-like light in the evenings, it features a rooftop balcony affording panoramic views of the surrounding gardens.
The Aga Khan Garden itself, housed within the U of A Botanic Garden, was created to symbolize the hope, peace and unity that come when people interact with each other while enjoying the beauty and inspiration of nature.
Located 15 minutes southwest of Edmonton, the geometrically designed 4.8 hectare Aga Khan Garden is a modern interpretation of traditional Mughal architecture. Designed as a unique space for contemplation and education, its features include forest paths, wide-stepped terraces, granite and limestone walls and paving stones, 12 water features and an outdoor amphitheatre.
Premier Kenney said the garden is “a gift of His Highness the Aga Khan to Alberta. People can bring their families and have a moment of spiritual restoration, of contemplation of beauty, of quiet, of communing with nature, of seeing the best of the spiritual idea of humankind in harmony with nature.”
The completion of the project is another landmark in a history of shared partnership between the Ismaili community and the U of A.
“The Diwan is a beautiful community space, designed for education and cultural understanding. Its opening is particularly momentous as we celebrate 50 years of Ismaili history in Canada,” said U of A president Bill Flanagan. “I am thankful for the special relationship between our communities and our mutual commitment to create spaces where different perspectives are embraced for the benefit of all."
Made possible by $5.5 million from generous donors across Edmonton, Alberta and Canada, the project was a collaboration of design architect AXIA Design Associates, architect-of-record Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd., and interiors by Arriz and Co. Construction began on the Diwan Pavilion in early 2021 and was completed this summer.
“On this special occasion, His Highness the Aga Khan has asked that I convey his heartfelt gratitude and sincere appreciation for the contributions of the donors, and the work of the various individuals and teams who have brought this project to fruition,” Monreal said.
The Diwan Pavilion is available for bookings.