The Ismaili Center Houston is the seventh Ismaili Centre worldwide, the first in the United States and the third in North America, after Vancouver and Toronto.
| Ismaili Centre, Houston | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Branch/tradition | Shia |
| Rite | Nizari Ismaili |
| Jama'at Khana | |
| 2025 | |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 2323 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas |
| Country | United States |
 Interactive map of Ismaili Centre, Houston | |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Farshid Moussavi |
| Type | Jama'at Khana |
| Founder | Aga Khan V |
| Established | 2025 |
| Specifications | |
| Interior area | 150,000 sq ft (14,000 m2) |
| Site area | 11 acres (4.5 ha) |
| Website | |
| ismailicenter | |
Establishment
editAga Khan Foundation USA has owned the eleven-acre site since 2006.[1] The establishment of an Ismaili Center was announced by His Highness the Aga Khan during his Golden Jubilee visit to the USA in 2008.
A design preview was held on November 15, 2021,[2] where architect Farshid Moussavi discussed the project with KTRK-TV’s Melanie Lawson.[3]
In September 2025, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. announced that it was nearing completion of the 150,000-square-foot center.[4] A topping out ceremony was held in October 2023 with Mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner.[5]
A grand dedication ceremony was held November 6, 2025. A crowd 500 guests was addressed by Mayor of Houston John Whitmire and Aga Khan V, the spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. This marked the center's soft opening with full public access planned for December.[6]
Architecture and design
editDesigned by London-based Farshid Moussavi Architecture,[7][8][9] the Center is a contemporary interpretation of traditional Persian ornamentation,[2] including ceramic mosaics, and screens drawn from various Islamic traditions.[10] The center’s façade is a combination of different types of stone and steel encased in concrete. The building features a series of “eivans,” the Persian word for verandas, which will provide shaded venues for social gatherings at the center. The eivans are supported by 49 columns reminiscent of those used in Persepolis and 17th century palaces in Isfahan, Persia.[1]
The 10 acres around the center were transformed into lush gardens by Thomas Woltz of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects.[3][9] The gardens include tree canopies, fountains, shaded footpaths, flowerbeds, lawns and walkways.[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- 1 2 "Sneak peek: New details released on design of first-in-nation Ismaili cultural center". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
- ↑ "Press Release - ISMAILI CENTER TO BE HOUSTON'S NEWEST CULTURAL ASSET" (PDF). The.Ismaili. 15 November 2021.
- 1 2 Cowen, Diane (2021-11-15). "Renderings show America's first Ismaili Center will be an architectural jewel for Houston". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
- ↑ "McCarthy Delivers Ismaili Center Houston, First of its Kind in US | Engineering News-Record". www.enr.com. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
- ↑ "Mayor Sylvester Turner Celebrated at The Ismaili Center's Grand". www.kake.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- ↑ "Houston's Ismaili Center, the first in the U.S., holds opening ceremony". www.houstonpublicmedia.org. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
- ↑ Lamster, Mark (2026-05-13). "Lamster: A new sacred space in Texas shines bright — and makes a statement". Dallas News. Retrieved 2026-06-02.
- ↑ Waite, Richard (2021-11-16). "Farshid Moussavi reveals designs for Houston Ismaili Centre contest". The Architects’ Journal. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
- 1 2 Eberhardt, Ellen (2025-11-07). "Farshid Moussavi wraps Ismaili Center in Houston with "tapestry in stone"". Dezeen. Retrieved 2026-06-02.
- ↑ "Plans announced for Houston to house America's first Ismaili Center". khou.com. November 16, 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
- ↑ Glentzer 0, Molly (2021-11-23). "Houston's Lush, Welcoming Ismaili Center Will Be a Spiritual Retreat for All". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
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