About

Azra Akšamija is an artist and architectural historian born in Sarajevo, with a background that includes two master's degrees in architecture from Graz Institute of Technology and Princeton University, and a Ph.D. in history, theory, and criticism in architecture from MIT. She is a Professor in the MIT Department of Architecture and serves as the Director of the Art, Culture and Technology Program, as well as directing the Future Heritage Lab. Her research and artistic work focus on issues of coexistence, pluralism, and contemporary Islamic practice, exemplified by her projects such as the Islamic Cemetery Altach, which has received multiple awards and nominations including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and the Piranesi Award. Akšamija's artistic exhibitions have been held at prominent international venues, including the Venice Biennale of Architecture 2021, the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, and the Kunsthaus Graz, among others. She has authored several books and edited volumes on architecture and coexistence, contributing significantly to discourse in these fields. Her work and scholarship have been recognized through numerous awards, fellowships, and nominations, including the LafargeHolcim Award, the Emerging Voices by the Architectural League New York, and an honorary doctorate from Montserrat College of Art.

Research topics

• Sociology
• Computer Science
• Art
• History
• Visual arts
• Political Science
• Cartography
• Media studies
• Philosophy
• Environmental ethics
• Law
• Geography
• Aesthetics
• Anthropology

Selected publications

• Exclusionary tales in Beirut’s spaces of craftsmanship: Using historic cartography, archival ethnography, and oral history to map the enduring vulnerability of craftspeople

  Abstracts of the ICA · 2023 · 1 citations

  • Sociology
  • Computer Science
  • Anthropology
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Photo Essay: CULTURESHUTDOWN—Preserving the Commons

  Springer eBooks · 2021

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Political Science
  • Sociology
  • Political Science
  PublisherDOI

• Museum Solidary Lobby

  Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · 2018-01-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  Publisher

• Memory Matrix

  Future Anterior Journal of Historic Preservation History Theory and Criticism · 2017-01-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Cultivating Convergence: The First Islamic Cemetery in Vorarlberg, Austria

  International Journal of Islamic Architecture · 2014-02-18

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract The Altach Islamic cemetery, winner of the 2013 Aga Khan Award, exemplifies how Islamic funerary architecture can contribute to nurturing pluralism in Western Europe. This newly opened cemetery is part of a wider trend in European funerary architecture; the increasing number of Islamic cemeteries reveals the contemporary dynamics of Europe’s cultural and religious diversification. While this new trend provides an opportunity to broaden the scope of representation for Islam in the West, most of the new Islamic cemeteries have been designed mainly to fulfil functional necessities, neglecting an opportunity to shape an intercultural dialogue from an architectural standpoint. In this context, the Altach Islamic cemetery demonstrates a new approach to creating Islamic architecture in non-Islamic environments that fosters cultural convergence. By emphasizing the dialogic dimensions of architecture through design, implementation and public mediation, this approach allows for an understanding of architecture as a medium for community-making and as a bridge between cultures.

  PublisherDOI

• Dare to Wear—a Mosque!

  State University of New York Press eBooks · 2014-10-20 · 8 citations

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Our mosques are US : rewriting national history of Bosnia-Herzegovina through religious architecture

  DSpace@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) · 2011-01-01 · 3 citations

  dissertationOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2011.

  Publisher

• La mezquita genérica

  Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · 2007-01-01

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Homozygous insertional mutation g.82888_82889insCATG and compound heterozygous mutations g.94865G to A(Trp856X) and g.110698_110699delinsG probably have respectively induced type 3 von Willebrand diseases in the two probands.

  PublisherDOI

• Nomadic Mosque: Wearable Prayer Space for Contemporary Islamic Practice in the West

  Thresholds · 2005-01-01

  article1st authorCorresponding

  October 01 2019 Nomadic Mosque: Wearable Prayer Space for Contemporary Islamic Practice in the West Azra Akšamija Azra Akšamija Azra Akšamija is a PhD student in MIT's Aga Khan/HTC Program. Born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, she studied architecture at the Technical University Craz, Austria and Princeton University. Her work has been widely published and exhibited in venues such as Generali Foundation Vienna (2002), Biennial de Valencia (2003), Berlin Art Fair (2003), Craz Biennial on Media and Architecture (2003), Gallery for Contemporary Art, Leipzig (2003) and Liverpool Biennial (2004). Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Author and Article Information Azra Akšamija Azra Akšamija is a PhD student in MIT's Aga Khan/HTC Program. Born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, she studied architecture at the Technical University Craz, Austria and Princeton University. Her work has been widely published and exhibited in venues such as Generali Foundation Vienna (2002), Biennial de Valencia (2003), Berlin Art Fair (2003), Craz Biennial on Media and Architecture (2003), Gallery for Contemporary Art, Leipzig (2003) and Liverpool Biennial (2004). Online Issn: 2572-7338 Print Issn: 1091-711X © 2005 Azra Akšamija2005Azra Akšamija Thresholds (2005) (30): 50–55. https://doi.org/10.1162/thld_a_00285 Cite Icon Cite Permissions Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Search Site Citation Azra Akšamija; Nomadic Mosque: Wearable Prayer Space for Contemporary Islamic Practice in the West. Thresholds 2005; (30): 50–55. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/thld_a_00285 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll JournalsThresholds Search Advanced Search This content is only available as a PDF. © 2005 Azra Akšamija2005Azra Akšamija Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

  PublisherDOI

• Urban Ecology: Detroit and Beyond

  2004-09-02 · 3 citations

  book
  Publisher

Frequent coauthors

• Carmelo Ignaccolo

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  1 shared

• Ashley Louie

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  1 shared

• Daniella Samira. Maamari

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  1 shared

• Sabine Bitter

  1 shared

• Stefano Boeri

  1 shared

• Sarah Williams

  1 shared

Awards & honors

• Aga Khan Award for Architecture (2013)
• Art Award of the City of Graz (2018)
• Honorary Doctorate from Montserrat College of Art (2020)
• LafargeHolcim Award 2021 in the Middle East region (2021)
• LafargeHolcim Award 2021 Global Competition Commendation (20…