Stamp on ROHM launched at Aga Khan Award function

Oman Sunday 30/October/2022 12:28 PM
By: Times News Service
Stamp on ROHM launched at Aga Khan Award function

Muscat: The Aga Khan Award for Architecture Winners’ Seminar was held on Sunday under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Dr. Fahd Al Julanda Al Said, Vice Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU).

The seminar began with inaugurating a stamp of the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) which symbolises Oman in the fields of architecture and music. ROHM was chosen due to its historic hosting of the Aga Khan Awards for Architecture and Music (2020-2022).

The stamp of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture holds the number 15 and it is considered the second stamp for the Aga Khan Award for Music.

Afterwards a film was presented on the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, highlighting the award’s focus on extraordinary architecture in terms of contemporary design and social aspects which enhance the society, repair historic sites, reuse resources, design natural scenery and improving the environment.

Sheikha Mai Mohammed Al Khalifa, Chairperson of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage Board of Directors, gave a statement in which she highlighted the tasks of the Steering Committee of the Aga Khan Award (2020-2022).

She said that the Jury panel for the current cycle of the awards comprises architectural engineers, restoration specialists, artists and intellectuals from all over the world. The panel reviewed 436 submitted projects.
Sheikha Mai pointed out that six projects were chosen from the shortlisted 20 projects, which meant the process of choosing the winners was not easy.

Sheikha Mai told Oman News Agency (ONA) that she is delighted for the fact that the award’s ceremony is held in the Sultanate of Oman. Oman, she added, is a beautiful country which embraces heritage and architecture.
The seminar discussed a spectrum of topics, namely infrastructure, introductions about the winning projects and the social effects of architecture, among others.

The award accords special attention to building blueprints which innovatively utilise local resources and technology.

The award does not felicitate architectural engineers only, but rather includes other parties involved such as municipalities, construction workers, clients, artisans and engineers.

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture is part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which operates in 30 countries with the aim of ameliorating livelihood and offering opportunities for people of all backgrounds.