1) INTRODUCTION
There will be an Aga Khan Award for Architecture ceremony on the 4th of September 2007. The Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia, Yang Amat Berhormat Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, will join His Highness the Aga Khan in announcing the nine recipients of the 2007 Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
The ceremony, by invitation only, will be held at the Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS (PETRONAS Philharmonic Hall), at the PETRONAS Twin Towers.
The prize-giving ceremony will be followed by a seminar at Ballroom 1, Level 3, KL Convention Centre on 5th September. The seminar is a public forum to discuss the relevant issues and trends that emerged during the Award Master Jury's deliberations and through the selection process. It will allow Malaysian professionals, students and journalists to ask questions of the members of the Awardâ??s Steering Committee, Master Jury and the 2007 Award Winners.
2) BACKGROUND
The Aga Khan Award for Architecture was established in 1977 by His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims to enhance the understanding and appreciation of Islamic culture as expressed through architecture.
The award seeks to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully address the needs of aspirations of societies in which Muslims have a significant presence.
Malaysian projects that have received the Award include Tanjong Jara Beach Hotel and Rantau Abang Visitors' Centre in Kuala Terengganu (the 3rd Award Cycle in 1983), Menara Mesiniaga in Kuala Lumpur (the 6th Award Cycle in 1995), Salinger Residence in Bangi (the 7th Award Cycle in 1998), Datai Hotel in Langkawi (the 8th Award Cycle in 2001) and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur (the 9th Award cycle in 2004).
The Award's method is to seek out and recognise examples of architectural excellence, encompassing varied contemporary designs, social housing, community improvement and development, restoration, reuse and area conservation, as well as landscaping and environmental issues.
Its selection process emphasises architecture that not only provides for people's physical, social and economic needs, but also stimulates and responds to their cultural and spiritual expectations.
Particular attention is given to building schemes that use local resources and appropriate technology in an innovative way and to projects likely to inspire similar efforts elsewhere.
This is the 10th time that the award has been presented since its inception in 1977.
A total of nine awards will be given out, with prize money totalling US$ 500,000. This constitutes the largest architectural award in the world, and is presented every three years to projects selected by an independent Master Jury.
Past winners include the Bibliotheca Alexandria in Egypt, the Gando Primary School in Burkina Faso, the restoration of the Al-Abbas Mosque, in Asnaf, Yemen and the Old City Revitalization Programme in Jerusalem.
To date, 92 projects have received awards, and documentation has been compiled on over 7,500 building projects located throughout the world.
The award hopes to encourage younger architects and emerging talents. It is organised on the basis of a three-year cycle and is governed by a steering committee chaired by the Aga Khan. A new committee will be established for each new cycle.
The Aga Khan Award for Architecture is part of the Aga Khan Development Network, a group of private, international, non-denominational agencies working to improve living conditions and opportunities for people in many countries in the developing world.
3) ACCREDITATION
Accreditation is required for journalists/photographers/broadcasters covering the Aga Khan Award for Architecture ceremony and the one-day Seminar. Please apply for an application form for accreditation to cover both the events from BERNAMA Media Relations & Event Management (MREM) as per attached below.
Each media organisation is requested to appoint a representative to coordinate accreditation and accommodation arrangements for its team. Please duplicate the forms if more are required.
Accreditation is available to representatives of recognised media organisations assigned to cover the events. Media representatives should provide a letter of assignment endorsed by their respective agency with their application.
Local and foreign media are requested to return their accreditation forms with photographs to the Media Secretariat as follows:
MEDIA SECRETARIAT
The Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2007
BERNAMA Media Relations & Event Management
5th Floor, Wisma BERNAMA,
28 Jalan 1/65A, Off Jalan Tun Razak,
50700 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 - 2694 1024 / 2696 2126 / 2050 4425
Fax: 03 - 2694 1021 / 2694 1022 / 2694 1023
E-mail: mediasec@bernama.com
Closing date for the application is 1 September 2007
Accreditation badges and information kits will be made available at the Media Secretariat at BERNAMA closer to the ceremony. The Accreditation badges must be worn at all times.
4) INFORMATION
Requests for accreditation forms and additional information on media services and facilities should be directed to the Media Secretariat.
General Information:
Ms Aniceta Ferns
Tel: 603 - 2694 1024
Fax: 603 - 2694 1021 / 22 / 23
Email: aniceta@bernama.com / sitizaleha@bernama.com
Ms Nazlin Karim
Aga Khan Development Network
Mobile: 012-4019474
Email: aknazlin@gmail.com
Accreditation:
Ms Zaria Mohd Nasri/Ms Nor Aishah Ayub
Tel: 603 - 2694 1024 / 2696 2123 / 2696 2126
Fax: 603 - 2694 1021 / 22 / 23
Email: mediasec@bernama.com
5) WEBSITE
BERNAMA's web address: http://www.bernama.com
Aga Khan Development Network: http://www.akdn.org/architecture
DATE OF RELEASE: 28 AUGUST 2007
RELEASED BY BERNAMA RELATIONS & EVENT MANAGEMENT